toshiba hard drive not recognized

Run a diagnostic utility on the new hard drive:

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools/

If the hard drive checks out OK, try reinstalling the original hard drive and booting the computer. If the Windows starts OK, there appears to be a problem initializing the new hard drive.

I'm going to defer recommendations at this point, and hopefully other more knowledgeable TR members can pitch in.

Rick/Portland, OR

http://askiris.toshiba.com/ToshibaSupportSite/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=1019000xml&sliceId=&dialogID=43855444&stateId=0%200%2043853208
Make sure when you do this that you get the right one for your make and model.
You might need to get a external floppy drive to do this. Can you see the drive in your bios? Is the drive in question a "SATA"? If so then you will need to get the SATA drivers from Toshiba and put these on a floppy so when you install your Windows operating system you will see something like "Press F6 if you have third party drivers", this is where you press the "F6" key on your keyboard to load on your SATA driver. When Windows extracts the driver you can then remove the floppy disk.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

Windows XP and earlier versions do not support SATA Drives natively and nor did the Vista Beta and early RTM versions, I'm not sure about the Retail version of Vista supports but with all the others you need to add the SATA Driver.

To do this you need to press the [b]F 6 Key[/b] when the first blue screen appears and wait till you are prompted to Insert a Floppy with the SATA Drivers copied to the Root of it into the A Drive and then press enter.

If you don't have a Floppy drive you can make your own Slipstreamed Install Disc with the SATA Driver and anything else that needs to be added to Windows in the form of Service Packs or Patches by using nLite it's a free utility and is available here

http://www.nliteos.com/download.html

Just remember to read the Directions on the Web Site on how to use it.

Col

I looked for this at Toshiba technical support, but my browser couldn't connect with anything deeper.

Doubtless this will fix the problem. You are a walking encyclopedia of knowledge. I hope [i]vbandpb[/i] posts back with news of success.

Appreciatively,

Rick/Portland, OR

P.S. - The Toshiba BIOS upgrade is posted for M45 models, whereas [i]vbandpb[/i] has a M35 model. [i]vbandpb[/i] should check Toshiba's support website for his specific model. If he needs an upgraded BIOS, it should be posted along with driver and application upgrades.

And then you use the bios hardware with the software to force the bios to accept the new bios code. Some of these bios kits are expensive but they do a very good job.
You can use this device on nearly all bios chips whether they be old or new. :)

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

I learn something new from you every day.

Thanks.

Rick/Portland, OR

I only see a couple of Dead Systems per year with a Failed BIOS Flash and I replace the BIOS Chips on maybe 5 Servers per year so it's not worth the expense involved for me at least to have one.

I'm just kicking myself for literally throwing away the EPROM Burner that I used to use way back when they where a common thing to have. Now they are rare and as expensive as hell. :D

OH well live and learn but as I'm a hoarder I can only store so much stuff before [b]SWMBO[/b] spits the dummy and starts throwing out things that I really need so it's better for me to dump the less used stuff about once every 3 years rather than having the wife cleanup for me tossing all the stuff that I use and is expensive to replace.

Col

I just borrow a mates bios kit to rectify the problem. Happy smiles for everyone around because it brings in extra cash but the customer does not have to fork out a lot of money on a new motherboard or has to wait a life time for a new bios to come through the post, and (if through the post) they do not have to pay customs tax.

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.