New SATA disk drive not detected in BIOS

[Rabbitoh]

Original Toshiba SATA 2.5" hard disk failed (inaccessible) so replaced with new Seagate 500GB SATA. Partitioned and formatted replacement drive externally  with 3 partitions (1 is made the active partition) then installed drive into laptop. However, drive does not appear in BIOS and I cannot get the laptop to detect it - so cannot proceed to do the OS install. I do not know why it is not being detected, it is only a simple HDD swapout. Cable connection is securely in place. Errors only report the fact that the HDD is not there i.e "Boot device not found" and "Hard disk (3FO)". Help please.

[Rabbitoh]

The cause of failure of the original HDD was the "S.M.A.R.T detected imminent HDD failure" (or words to that effect). It then died a a few boots later.

[Riddle_Decipher]

@Rabbitoh

Welcome to the HP Forums 🙂 

I would like to take a moment and thank you for using this forum, it is a great place to find answers. 

As I understand the new HDD is not being detected by BIOS due to a hard drive failure,

Don't worry as I'll be glad to help, however, to provide an accurate resolution, I need a few more details: 

The recent message you've posted, is that the cause of the failure of your new HDD or the OLD one?

Where did you get the New HDD from? if it wasn't HP please contact the store to get yourself a replacement.

While you respond to that, I recommend you attempt using the HP Recovery media to create appropriate partitions and windows image on your drive as it's programmed to do so, without damaging the drive in any way.

Click here to obtain the recovery media.

Alternatively, you can order the same via HP Phone support,

If you got the replacement drive from HP, simply follow the below steps to Contact HP:

HP Technical Support can be reached by clicking on the following link: http://h22207.www2.hp.com/us-en/?openCLC=true

(1) Once the support page opens please select the country in which you're located. Next, enter your HP model number on the right.

(2) Next, choose the 'Contact Support' tab at the top and scroll down to the bottom of the 'HP Support- Contact' page to fill out the form provided with your contact information.

(3) Once completed click the 'Show Options' icon on the bottom right.

(4) Lastly, scroll down to the bottom of the page and select 'Get the phone number.' A case number and phone number will now populate for you.

They will be happy to assist you immediately. 

If the unit is under warranty repair services under the manufacturer's warranty will be free of charge.

[Rabbitoh1]

This MY POST.

I have been unable to reply to this post so had the register again under another name. My email address was not being accepted for logon - not found! even though I have received the emails previously sent to me on this post. I also have had difficulty actually replying to the post once I got back in as different user. Go Figure!

Anyway, still working my way through getting recovery disks to do an install - even though BIOS still can't see the new drive! Have also run the HP firmware update on this drive to enable its recognition (for what that is worth anyway).

[Jeet_singh]

Hi @Rabbitoh1,

Thank you for replying,

I appreciate your time and efforts,

I understand you are having issues with the email address not being accepted for login as well as you are still having issues with your new hard drive not being recognized in the Bios. Don't worry as I have a few other steps which should help you resolve this issue.

For you to have the best experience on the HP forum, please visit this link.

Regarding the Hard drive not being detected, I would like to know if you got this replacement hard drive from HP or did you purchase it from the store.

If you have got this from HP, I would suggest you could contact our HP phone support and have it replaced or if you have got it from the store, I would suggest you contact them for the replacement.

HP Technical Support can be reached by clicking on the following link: http://h22207.www2.hp.com/us-en/?openCLC=true

(1) Once the support page opens please select the country in which you're located. Next, enter your HP model number on the right.

(2) Next, choose the 'Contact Support' tab at the top and scroll down to the bottom of the 'HP Support- Contact' page to fill out the form provided with your contact information.

(3) Once completed click the 'Show Options' icon on the bottom right.

(4) Lastly, scroll down to the bottom of the page and select 'Get the phone number.' A case number and phone number will now populate for you.

If you have any troubles, let me know and I will do my best to help!

I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any further assistance. I'll be more than happy to help.

Regards,

[mdklassen]

> However, drive does not appear in BIOS and I cannot get the laptop to detect it - so cannot proceed to do the OS install. 

This is strange, given that the new disk-drive was able to be detected and partitioned when connected to a different computer.

Can you put the original disk-drive back into the computer, to see if it can be detected by the motherboard, even though you can no longer access its files? 

Or, put "any" disk-drive into the computer, to see if the motherboard is problematic?

[mdklassen]

> I also have had difficulty actually replying to the post once I got back in as different user. Go Figure!

In the last few days, the two icons -- 'Kudos' and 'Reply' seem to not be "clickable", except when I move the mouse-pointer to follow the 'y' in 'Reply', and then "click".  If I click anywhere else on 'Reply', it activates the 'Kudos' function. Go figure!

[Rabbitoh1]

OK, here is the state of affairs:

Put old HDD back in and not detected by BIOS - but given that it is broken, this is not really surprising.

Put a third HDD in - 350GB, but it too was not detected

I purchased the Seagatre 500GB from a dealer locally and it works fine when I attach to another computer.

Thought that perhaps is a corrupt BIOS so downloaded the HP tool and attempted a BIOS update (sp78883 for 17FC from 17FB) but update action failed due to no signature file being found.

I am not clear on what the signature file is but guess 17FC is maybe only an update version that was expecting the original 17FB full version to be present for validation? - maybe someone can elaborate on what the signature file is please. Maybe I need to get the full version of 17FB and do that one to refresh?

I think I have sorted all the questions now.

Oh, I was also refused logon to the forum again. Suspect that issue was I have a @ symbol in password. Have removed so will see what happens at next logon.

[Rabbitoh1]

Given up now. Laptop will have a new life as a boat anchor. Thank you for all the assistance, I truly do appreciate it.

[mdklassen]

>>>> boat anchor

> Put old HDD back in and not detected by BIOS - but given that it is broken, this is not really surprising.

> Put a third HDD in - 350GB, but it too was not detected

> I purchased the Seagate 500GB from a dealer locally and it works fine when I attach to another computer.

In baseball, "three strikes and you are out".  Evidently true for your hardware, too. 

> attempted a BIOS update (sp78883 for 17FC from 17FB) but update action failed due to no signature file being found.

Are you sure that it was looking for a "signature file", or was it "signature" bytes within the BIOS file?

If the latter, it could have been a corrupted download, or your computer messing-up when trying to verify a VALID signature -- maybe, you have "bad RAM" in your computer.

See: http://www.memtest.org  for a free download of a bootable image of a "RAM-testing" program.

> guess 17FC is maybe only an update version that was expecting the original 17FB full version to be present for validation?

Doubtful.

> maybe someone can elaborate on what the signature file is

A "signature" is used to verify that the BIOS update file is compatible with the target motherboard, and to verify that the downloaded file is not corrupt.

> Maybe I need to get the full version of 17FB and do that one to refresh?

My personal preference is to try a BIOS-update *ONLY* as a "last-resort", not as a "first response".

First, I would run the RAM test. 

Or, since it is an HP, run the built-in HP hardware diagnostics, to test all components of your computer.