Disk boot failure...

[shot2bits]

Just fixed an old PC (old ish from 2004) - all worked fine, booted into windows... Now, WinXP wont boot saying "disk boot failure, insert system disk". Also, the HD is no longer recognised by the BIOS... Any ideas? Is the HD broken or something to do with the motherboard - there's power in the hardrive...

[ThePassenger]

One of three things.
1. HDD Banjo'd.
2. HDD Controller (on the mobo) is Banjo'd.
3. HDD Cable is Banjo'd.

I'd go with 3,1,2 in that order so first step will be to check all the cables and replace the ribbon cable between the mobo and HDD.

[shot2bits]

Thanks - it's a SATA drive and I only have one cable, cannot find the others... I didn't mention that I was also plugging in the HD light cable into the motherboard from the case leads when the problem occured - smell of burning as well. So, probably the motherboard fried I guess but it's difficult to know without a replacement drive to test.

[ThePassenger]

shot2bits said:

Thanks - it's a SATA drive and I only have one cable, cannot find the others... I didn't mention that I was also plugging in the HD light cable into the motherboard from the case leads when the problem occured - smell of burning as well. So, probably the motherboard fried I guess but it's difficult to know without a replacement drive to test.

Burning smell = bad. It usually means you have done something wrong.... very wrong.
But it you catch it in time usually no harm no foul.

Do you have a SATA drive cage kicking around you could drop the disk in to? If not it's one of those... hmm... blag it on waranty and hope for the best moments