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Primary drive 0 not found

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14 replies

by wesley.chin

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Primary drive 0 not found
When the machine starts to bootup, the message is that that the "primary drive 0 not found" F1 to retry, F2 to enter setup utility".

Could this message appear when the hard drive is really installed?

14 replies

by Former member

Sometimes the bios will flag this up if you have updated your registry, so the best bet is to go into the bios "F2" in your case, and then look under "boot" and make sure that your drive (or what ever drive you want to boot from first) is listed as the first boot device. When done Select "save and exit" and then when you see a black screen with your bios Name (or computer name) press the button on your computer (usually the big button) and hold it in until your computer completely shuts down. Then wait 20 seconds, then re-start.

Please post back if you have anymore problems or questions.

by wesley.chin

If that is done, and if in fact the hard drive is really not there, then would that render the computer useless then? As mentioned, right now there is the message about the primary drive. When checking the BIOS, right now the boot sequence has the CD booting first and then the hard drive. Since that message appears, it seems to suggest that at least the CD drive is there and that the hard drive is not being detected.

by Former member

Did you just put this drive in?.
If so then what the computer is saying is true.
What needs to be done is to Mount the drive.
Use this software to do it:
http://www.spotmau.com/products/package/full.htm?SSAID=196475
If you have info on the hdd then your best bet is to get another hdd and load on the Windows system then connect the old hdd up and then you will be able to access your files and folders through "my computer" icon.

Please post back if you have anymore problems or questions.

by kenone

Did you just install this drive?
IDE or Sata?
Have you done anything to this machine?
Laptop or desktop?

by wesley.chin

Did you just install this drive?
No

IDE or Sata?
IDE I think

Have you done anything to this machine?
It is used by someone else

Laptop or desktop?
desktop

by wesley.chin

The drive is not new, it is the one that came with the OEM machine.

by rob miners

as I don't understand the reasoning for a new thread. To be sure to be sure. ;)

It's only 5 minutes work to check the cable and replace the battery as it is an older PC.

< add a bit >

by older mycroft

Using those you don't actually have to touch the afflicted machine [i]either.[/i] ;)

by jdmercha

This happened to me not too long ago. The original OEM drive failed after three years. I was getting the same message you are getting. Here is what I did:

I bought a new drive and got the computer up and running witht he new drive. I bought an external USB case and put the old drive in it. I still could not read the drive in the USB case, but my system did recognize that it was present. I was then able to run "chkdsk /f", which fixed the partition table on the drive so I could read it and copy most the data off of it.

by ic-it

You are suggesting he boot from a CD, enter Recovery Console and run a chkdsk /r (better than f). ;-)

by rob miners

are good for cleaning your hands after working on a PC. ;)

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