Solved HDD recognition

[RonAshman]

So somehow I got in a mess here but I just want to give it a last try before I end it.

I have this old laptop which is not mine. A Sony Vaio VGN-FS810.
It supports IDE (ATA) drives. It originally came with a 80GB disk which kind of died.

So I bought two other discs. A 120 GB Samsung, and a 320 Western Digital.

The Samsung works fine.
The WD is not even detected by the bios. I'm 99,999999999999% I'm connecting it the right way, especially because I got other drives to be recognized.

I used a dust cleaner just because. No change.


Could it be that the disk is dead?
Could it be that this old laptop doesn't recognize "big" drives?

I know there's a BIOS update available for this computer, but according to Sony website it only addresses issues with external monitors. And I couldn't find info for this update (Phoenix R0094J1) somewhere else.


So, is there anything I can do?
Or should I just give back the drive and get the money back? I'm still on time to do that.

Unfortunately, I don't have any other ATA/IDE laptop I could try this on.
All the laptops I have access to are SATA.

 

[herqulees]

Did WD even make a 320GB 2.5inch IDE drive? o.o That is my number one question. Will research.
Does the drive spin up at all, or do anything? Does it have the exact same connector as the 120GB drive?
EDIT: Apparently they did, so nevermind. Just couldn't find them at first.

 

[essenbe]

I don't know what OS it has, but if Windows 7 go to Disak Management and see if it is recognized there. If it is, right click it and if it is new, select simple partition and follow the prompts. Will probably work with XP too.

 

[RonAshman]

Hi,

Thanks for replying.
Yes they did. WD3200BEVE.

It's a laptop with a single space for a drive, so I can't start an OS and see if it detects it. BIOS doesn't detect it.

I didn't check for the noise or hear if it spins Good point.
I'm not at home, will check it as soon as I arrive. I'm eager to solve this ASAP


Thanks a lot

 

[herqulees]

Hi,

Thanks for replying.
Yes they did. WD3200BEVE.

It's a laptop with a single space for a drive, so I can't start an OS and see if it detects it. BIOS doesn't detect it.

I didn't check for the noise or hear if it spins Good point.
I'm not at home, will check it as soon as I arrive. I'm eager to solve this ASAP


Thanks a lot

Alright, either way I would be suspicious of that drive even if it were to start working at this point, IMO it's still returnable so go ahead and get your refund or exchange, if exchangeable I'd do that, all I buy is WD so I'm a strong supporter of that brand.

 

[RonAshman]

I was at a friend's when I last replied. I borrowed a jumper from an unused disk.
It solved it. It's working now...

Why? I DON'T KNOW

I placed the jumper in master position according to the online manual.


Thanks to all of you for replying.

 

[herqulees]

I was at a friend's when I last replied. I borrowed a jumper from an unused disk.
It solved it. It's working now...

Why? I DON'T KNOW

I placed the jumper in master position according to the online manual.


Thanks to all of you for replying.

Well being an IDE drive it does need to know whether it's a single/master drive or slave, though I was pretty sure that the 2.5inch drives were set to single by default, apparently not.

 

[RonAshman]

I just assumed they weren't needed.
The other two drives I used -the original one and the Samsung- do not even have jumpers.

Thank you