Cannot find HDD

I was running a new windows 7. Installed great and did all updates. Added Avast antivirus protection that downloaded with Google Chrome. Had successfully used Google chrome a few times. Shut down laptop (Asus, Intel Core Duo T6570, 2.1 GHz, HDD 250 GB, Memory 3GB) in the morning started fine. Tried to use google and computer crashed. After many attempts to fix;
1. Tried to restart using last known good configuration. No success.
2. Reset bios to defaults. Would not boot to anything...
3. Ran disk repair. Would not run.
4. Tried to start from install CD. Would not boot to it.

Upon start it shows it is loading files. Gets to Windows logo and then goes to black screen with mouse cursor.

After reading through some articles and after many attempts to boot from CD I am now in safe mode from the cd.

I am in the command prompt window. In blue at the top it says:
Administrator:X:\windows\system 32\cmd.exe
In the command prompt window it reads:
X:\Sources>
I typed in disk part
Microsoft Diskpart version 6.1.7600
Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation
On computer: MININT-C1155HG
DISKPART> list disk
There are no fixed disks to show.
DISKPART> list volume
Volume 0. D. CD_ROM CDFS. DVD-ROM. 3568 MB. HEALTHY

THAT IS ALL IT SHOWS. I cannot find the HDD.
I am using my iPad to type this in

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

TVeblen said:

To be clear: the laptop boots, and you can get into the BIOS.
If you press the F8 key you can get to the advanced boot menu (with only HDD, not from CD), where you have options for Safe Mode, and Last Known Good Configuration.
1. Yes, I am able to get into BIOS on the laptop without using the CD. When I use repair your computer it says windows is loading files. The green bar comes up and runs across bottom and then goes to black screen and eventually the arrow shows up on screen.

If you meant that you can get to the "Last Known" option only from the installation CD, please let us know.

If the laptop boots but does not start Windows at all, please let us know.
2. The laptop boots into a screen that says, start up repair or launch windows normally. I run start up repair and it starts to load window files, and the goes to black screen with arrow.

Normally there will be an error message when this happens. If so, please tell us what it says.
3. No error message.

How old is this laptop?
4. Manufactured 2010/03


The first thing I would suggest is to see if the hard drive is recognized at all. Two ways to do it:

• Go into the BIOS settings > go to the BOOT Tab > and see if the HDD shows up in the boot order. There may also be a setting in there about SATA Configuration. Take a peek at that to see if it lists any dives or ports.
  5. 1st boot device is the HD under boot device priority. Under hard disk drives it reads: [SATA:PM-ST9250315AS] I don't see anything about drives or ports
  
• Using another computer, download and burn to a CD this program: Bootable Partition Manger | MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition Boot from the CD and then see if PW can see the hard drive.
  6. I will do this and let you know what it finds.

Let us know what you find.

Thank you for your reply and I am thanking you in advance for all the advice and troubleshooting steps you provide!

Ok I have loaded the partition CD. It is showing me Disk 1 with a primary and a logical partition. Capacity is 139.73 GB on primary with 37.01 GB used. The other has 93.15 GB capacity and 24.43 MB used. Not sure what steps to take next using this cd?

Receiving S.M.A.R.T. status bad backup and replace error

Well I guess that solved this issue! Lol I had suspected this but was hoping it was not the issue.

Thanks again for your response to my issue!

Won't boot to anything now. Not HD or DVDs. Screen just pops up the American Megatrends S.M.A.R.T message......

Ok I will try that. I took the Hard drive out the other day to find make and model so one more time can't hurt!
Will let you know what happens. Yes, at this point bios is the only place I can access!