Hard disk failure

[LesBooth]

Hi

Trying to help niece recover her notebook (she spilt liquid on it !)

On booting - message reads :-

Boot device not found

Please install an operating sytem on your hard disk

Hard disk (3FO)

F2 System diagnostics.

Windows not loading but can get into the Bios.

Memory check is OK

Hard Disk test returns : Smart Check Not installed, Short DST not installed.

Have tried the power off routine + removed the Harddrive - cleaned the circuit board on the HD gently with meths - thoroughly dried  and re-inserted - still the same problem.

I'm guessing the hard drive is U/S and needs replacing.

Questions:

1. How can I be sure it's just the HD ?

2. What model of SATA drive am I looking for + size

3. If HD is U/S how does the BIOS know what the O/S is ?

4. If I managed to load the O/S from the DVD drive and it works OK is it safe to assume that all I need to do is replace the HD ? I'm guessing it was Win 8.1 64bit as opposed to 32 bit - her mother (divorced)  is unable to locate a recovery disk

Thanks in advance

Les

[Huffer]

If you would be good enough to provide the model number or product number we can provide a step by step manual or video. 

Very hard to be sure it is just the hard drive and the only way to know is to put one in and see if it is recognized or pull the old one out and test it by putting in another notebook or hooking to usb adapter. If the old drive is fine and not registering on the laptop you will know that the liquid spill caused motherboard damage. Is the hard drive spinning up at all..i.e can you hear it when you turn on the power or see activity light?

In what country are you located? You need a 2.5 inch SATA hard drive 7mm or 9.5 mm thick and they are readily available on amazon.com or you can go to Best Buy or Frys and pick one up. 

Laptops have not had recovery disks shipped with them for years. There was a recovery partition on the hard drive and when you first fire up the laptop out of the box it prompts you to make recovery disks but almost nobody does it and manages to keep them where they can be found years later. If she did not upgrade to Windows 10 then you need an 8.1 disk and yes it is almost surely 64 bit. We can confirm if you provide model number. If she had upgraded to Windows 10 you can simply download a recovery disk from Microsoft. HP likely has the 8.1 recovery disks for a nominal charge.

Post back with any more questions. 

[LesBooth]

Many thanks

Answers are:-

1. Model No 15-g094sa (When I checked this I found a number of alternatives.)

2. Can't hear it spinning

3. Located in the U.K.

Will check the HP site for Win 8.1

[LesBooth]

+ product no is  J5B55EA#ABU

[KY_WD]

Hello LesBooth,

Unfortunately, this type of error occurs when the hard drive needs replacement. The thing is, you cannot be sure that it is only the HDD since you said that there was a liquid spilt on the laptop. There could be a motherboard damage too. If the laptop is still under warranty, my advice is to bring it to an authorized by HP pc repair company to make the tests.

In general, in case of a disk replacement only, you will need a disk that has these specifications:

- 5400 RPM

- 2.5 inches

- SATA II or SATA III drive depending on the type of connection the the motherboard of the laptop has

Don't forget that if the laptop is still under warranty, and if you chose to benefit it, the data recovery is not covered and there's a need for a data recovery company to be taken into consideration beforehand. 

Hope I have been helpful. 

EDIT:  I just noticed that the conversation has already a progress. My message covers almost everythings that was shared here, but it's important to lower the risk and help the best decision to be made.

[Huffer]

Here is the Service Manual. 

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04886216

The problem with taling it to the HP Service Center even if you are under warranty is that they will not touch a liquid spill issue without charging you a very high price. If you are OK with that, then that is likely what you should do. 

If not, here is the Service manual:

Manual

Hard drive "how-to" is on page 49. You can see it is not an easy thing but if you think you can handle it instructions are there. 

This may not be your exact model but the process is similar enough it should be a useful "get up to speed" thing to watch. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyjRAxmpYQQ

This drive from amazon.uk would work:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Laptop-Hard-Disk-Drive-5400/dp/B00C9TEBJQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1471528766...

You can install a faster 7200 rpm drive or even a solid state drive if you want to speed it up. 

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[LesBooth]

Many thanks both for your help and advice.

Replacing the hard disk is simple enough in that I've had it out and back in a few times whilst trying to resolve.

One last question -

1. If I loaded an o/s from the DVD drive and things seemed to work OK would that imply that the mother board should be OK ?

Thanks again

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Oh yeah. Loading an OS is the ultimate test for hardware. If an OS can load and work right that means all the hardware is OK. 

[LesBooth]

Great - many thanks - will let her mother know.

[LesBooth]

Very many thanks to all on here - just had an IT whiz (who was visiting a friend) come round (I'd been having problems trying to load an OS from the DVD) he managed to revert to Legacy ? boot up in BIOS - got an OS working and confirmed HD is U/S + they had the cables to hook up the drive to my PC to confirm it's u/s . New solid state disc ordered from Novatech which hopefully will sove the problem - once again thanks to one and all.

Les