Restore CD does not see harddisk

When I try to restore WinXP Home on my HP nx6125, Windows setup is unable to access my harddisk. It sees the disk, but it can not access it.

I can install Win98, without appropriate drivers (which are not available) on the harddisk, so hardware is not failing, I guess.

Trying a clean install using official MS CD's has the same effect. Diskpart, sees the harddisk, but cannot access it.

Please help, I need to restore WinXp. HP tells me that my laptops is broken and needs repair. I do not agree, because I can install Win98.

Using fdisk, there is no problem in accessing the harddisk, I can delete and add partitions. I even installed Ubuntu!

Again, please help.

Thanks in advance,

Wim.

 

Test your hard drive by running the Manufacturer's Diagnostic Software on it.

 

HDD test results are OK

I have downloaded the Diagnostic Software from Hitachi and that did not find any fault. So my guess is still that there is no hardware fault.

Bottom line: I can not use the restore CD's, but maybe somebody can advise me on the following:

I have another type of HP laptop. Is it possible to ghost that laptop to the non-working laptop, boot in safe-mode and re-detect all hardware? I can create partitions and format them using Win98 or maybe Linux.

Any thoughts?

 

I had a similar problem. I think you'll actually have to find the drivers, and put them on a floppy disk, and then F6 during the OS restore to "install third party drivers. "

Just my gut instinct, but I never tried installing 98, like you did, so I can't verify we have the exact same problem.

 

Unfortunately I haven't got a floppy drive... Is there a way to emulate a floppy drive by using an USB memory stick?

 

FWIW...

I was installing XP Pro when I came across my troubles. On top of that, not only did my computer want to find the file on A: drive, it would only find it on an internal IDE A: drive. I tried setting BIOS to look for any 3.5" floppy, and then used an external USB floppy to no avail. It just didn't want to detect.

The only solution in MY case that I was able to come up with was to cannibalize an old IDE floppy drive out of an old tower I had. Sorry...

 

After several hours/days of trying things, I have not made any progress. Slipstreaming SATA drivers into XP install cd, trying to install Vista and loading drivers from an USB memory stick, putting an image from another type of HP laptop on the nx6125...

I still have my hopes set on somehow being able to disable any SATA setting in the BIOS. However, there is no harddrive setting at all in the BIOS. Maybe reverting to a very early BIOS could help, but I am searching for a USB floppy or the likes.

I am not giving up...