HGST HD Completely dead or just playing possum?

[m0e_Prime]

HGST drive: 

5V 700mA DC

Sata 6.0Gb/s

1TB 5400RPM

Mfg: March 2016

I received this laptop from a coworker who noticed that it had suddenly "died" but was still showing some unusual errors on boot. Initially I saw one for an error relating to the battery and from the text it seemed that the system BIOS was trying to tell us that the battery was not capable of holding a charge and to replace it. Okay, did that AND got a new battery. New charger is registering 19.5 Volts and old one 19.8 Volts. I don't think that's the problem. In a previous post I had mentioned 10 faint but audible beeps with no LED light codes. Having been directed to re-flash the BIOS due to getting "stuck" trying to access it and that having worked so that I can now access the BIOS, I believe the "10 beeps" to be about the HD since not even the BIOS cannot 'see' it, nor does it spin-up when the laptop is powered on. I even put another drive into it and that one powered up just fine WITH *NO* BIOS BEEPS and BIOS saw it just fine. (The one it detected was a KNOWN bad crashed drive that I plan on using to make a wind-chime out of) I attempted to connect it both externally by a USB adapter and then again directly into my MB and it still fails to spin-up or power on at all.  Now..  Given that I had to flash the BIOS just to get into it and then to find the HD so dead that a screaming 3-year-old couldn't wake it. Could we presume, but not assume, that an event occurred that knocked out the BIOS and took out the HD? Lightning surge? 

[CherylG]

I have seen a failed hard drive cause some strange things with BIOS. Everything from what you describe to suddenly being asked for a password to enter BIOS. Determining exact cause/causes of the failed drive is a bit harder but a power surge could easily be one thing.

[m0e_Prime]

I have just been given some additional info from the owner. It would seem that the young man of the house decided to "come clean" and explain that he was playing a game, got very upset, and smashed his fist into the keyboard. This opens up a new twist. Is the drive locked due to the g-force impact as some form of self-preservation? If so, is there an unlock?

[CherylG · Accepted solution]

Aww,confessions of a young temper tantrum. The spinning hard drive heads probably crashed from the impact.No unlocking that. It would be very similiar to dropping a laptop while the hdd is spinning-instant death.

[m0e_Prime]

Poooop!!!!  Was hoping that it was a simple security lock. Nothing on there important enough to warrant sending it to a lab for high-dollar data recovery. Oh well. Hard drives are inexepensive at the moment. The Windows o/s....  Grrrrr...

[CherylG]

@m0e_Prime 

Actually you can install Windows 10 for free using the download provided by Microsoft. The license key is embedded in BIOS and will be retrieved during installation.

Microsoft provides the free Media Creation Tool to download files and create a Windows 10 usb flash drive.Advantage is you will have latest updated version of Windows 10. At least 8gb flash drive required:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Select Download tool now,save it,then Run.
If you agree to the license terms, select Accept.
On the What do you want to do? page, select Create installation media for another PC, and then select Next.
Select the language, edition, and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit) for Windows 10.
The Guide here shows the steps.Pay attention to Step 5 if you will be using another pc:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2376-create-bootable-usb-flash-drive-install-windows-10-a.html
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When the flash drive is prepared insert it in a usb port. Power on the laptop and immediately start tapping Esc key. From the menu tap F9 key and use the arrow keys to move to and select usb. Tap Enter key.
When installing it should pickup the key from BIOS but if it asks at any point just choose "I don't have a key". It will continue and should activate once you are online.

This will not include the original software from HP but most of it can be installed from your Support page.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-15-ac100-notebook-pc-series/8499326/model/110840...