Windows 7: Lost hard drive ?

My computer is an HP, 3 years old, Pavillion 6207 5 GB memory, 500 GB hard drive, Windows 7 64 bit.

Everything was working fine. I installed TurboTax 2012. The next day I booted up, all OK. I went out about 10:00 AM and came back about noon, leaving the computer on as customary.

I was off line. I tried to restart and it would not boot up. Instead I got an HP logo on the monitor. I called HP tech support and was on the phone for 2 hours. They had me open the computer and switch two plug in's in reverse position on the hard drive. One is flat, back 2 conductor. The other is multiple wires all different colors. No results, couldn't boot. They said my hard drive wasn't working and proposed a new hard drive. Unfortunately they Mickey Moused around on the price changing it back and forth so I declined.

I set up an older, backup HP Pavilion Slimline3037c TVCP with Windows Vista. It works but slow. Then moved the problem computer to a work table, hooked it up and tried to boot. Same old, would not open windows. However, my mouse works, my keyboard works, my monitor works. I can run through some various diagnostics and other items just fine. I loaded a Windows 7 update disc and tried to install it. It did come on screen and tried to install. All the colors were there, the Windows logo, the screen items changed. It did everything but boot up. It asked me to select language, location which I did and then it tried to install, but wouldn't proceed asking for some boot disc or some such thing.

Now my question: If all of this activity on monitor is so visible, and by all indications things seem to be working, could all of this occur if my hard drive had crashed ? In the diagnoistics it did say there was no contact with the hard drive. Is it a hard drive or a software problem ?

Some background: Last year I installed Turbotax on the same computer. The Federal worked fine. But the State was a problem and created other problems. I never could complete my state return. In fact it conflictsd with Adobe Reader and has not been fixed. This year just one day after I installed Turbo Tax, in less than 24 hours my computer won't boot !!!! Quite a coincidence !!!

What's wrong ?

Since the diagnostics have an issue with the hard drive, I'd pull it out, and pop a spare drive in to see if Windows would install. Chances are, the drive went bad.

I would say so too. From the history you described it does not look like a software problem but rather like a hardware problem.

Much appreciated.

Friends:

Here's an update that hopefully will benefit someone else.

But first some background:

When I spoke to HP tech support, and they prognosticated that my hard drive was dead, they offered me a new one. The deal was $199 for a Seagate, Barracuda, 500 GB, 7200 rpm. The good news was that I would get a credit back for the $59 phone call bringing total back to $199 minus $59 =$140. So I agreed to the order. Then they said - oop's that now comes up $299, sorry. So I said: Me too no order.

So I went to Best Buy with the dead hard drive. They checked it and it was indeed dead. So I bought a new one, identical for $69 plus tax which came to $75. *( Best Buy's Geek Squad asks for $199 to install the hard drive and recover data IF the drive hasn't frozen plate to plate.

*( Note that I researched the Internet and found similar/identical hard drive prices all over the ball park, many well over $100. None were close to Best Buy. In fact the closest was for a refurbished unit. ).

I installed the new hard drive and now the dilemma. How to boot up. I have several old HP recovery discs, some Windows Vista software and some Windows 7 software. None of it will work. Microsoft has it rigged. The HP recovery discs are computer specific. They will only work on the computer shipped and the specific model and none other. So I have ordered a recovery disc from HP which cost $17 including shipping. It is on it's way. It will install all software that was on the original computer. I'll issue another update when the computer is up and running.

Additions:

I have purchased numerous HP computers over the years and learned some expensive lessons. When there is a crash, all can be lost, any after market software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Streets & Trips, other.
It has to be re-purchased at additional cost.

I bought two HP external pocket drives which connect by USB conector. I save all data on them. Further my photos are stashed on Photo Bucket and Snap Fish. My accounting is on line with my bank.

I'm working of self-data recovery from the dead hard drive. If anyone has any advice it will be welcome.

Hi,
It could be difficult to recover any data from the hard drive without professional help (not Geek Squad with all due respect )which is basically beyond the range of normal folks due to cost of many hundreds to thousands of $. If the computer does not see the hard drive then there is a failure in the drive itself such as the motor, actuator arm or drive electronics. If you could still see the drive in the bios and in Windows you could then recover data from tools available for free on the internet. All it would cost you was your time. You would of course need a drive to back up the recovered data on to. This is why you should get an external drive (or 2 if you are paranoid like me) and use a regular back up plan using one of the many free and paid for programs. Post back to this forum any questions or help you need on reinstalling your Windows etc, there are a bunch of people here willing to help fellow computer users and we don't charge for the advice (aside from site advertising). There are many experts in many different fields, at the end of this you will have a more usable system and be protected against future failing being this disastrous.

Thanks again for the most fortuitous advice.

Today I received the HP recovery disc $17.38 and booted up,succesfully with a couple of hickups. Mainly my keyboard issue which was resolved by a new Microsoft key board and mouse which were in my stock supply as a backup. But that's a side issue to present.

This was my main computer. However, I have ordered a new HPdesk top from Costco with Wndows 8 which is en route shipped but not received as yet.

I do note Indiana's input.

I do have two backup HP externa pocket drives on line.