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4750 Hard Drive Troubles

post #1 of 9
6/14/06 at 4:34am
Thread Starter 
I seem to be having a lot of trouble dealing with the harddrive in my 4750. After my first hard drive died out on me, I decided to replace the drive with 80gig 7200rpm drive. However, I can't seem to install Windows on it no matter how much I try.

The computer seems to see the harddrive just fine (it can see the model number and such), but the windows xp install disc can only see only 8 gigs on it. I tried using a few boot cd programs, including disk testers and partitioners. Some of the programs can see all 80 gigs and seem to format the drive fine, but I still can't install Windows (the install just sees 8 gigs of unpartitioned space that it can't format). Some other programs i used to test say that they can't read the drive at all.

I've used three different harddrives, and the result is the same, so I'm guessing this is either a bios problem or a hardware problem. I upgraded the bios to 2.04 and nothing has changed.

Is there anything else I should check? The warrenty is already gone on this thing, but I'd hate to lose a nice laptop just because it can't read hard drives.
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post #2 of 9
6/26/06 at 6:03pm
I'm having a similar problem. My hard drive died (apparently) so I purchased another. Installed fine, compatible ATA-6 hard drive, etc., but when it goes to boot it skips all boot sources and goes right to network boot despite the fact that that is LAST on my priority list. What gives here?

edit: Now it is going to the boot CD (which I have used on other PCs *TODAY*) but instead of giving me the "setup is inspecting your.." message it gives me a black screen with a blinking cursor.
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post #3 of 9
7/4/06 at 11:47am
Hey guys, sorry to hear about the troubles. I purchased my np4750 wayback in July of 04 when they originally came out. My harddrive seems to be puttering along fine, (60gig 7.2k). But have you checked the jumpers, Actually, do 2.5 in drives have jumpers? It seems odd to me that the mobo would not be able to recognize a standard harddrive. It is possible that you recieved a bad harddrive. Can you return it for another one? Maybe a similar drive from another company? Or pop the drive into a friend's computer to see if it works in there? Otherwise contact Sager and tell them that their bios cannot read a certain 80gig drive.

Oh, shoot, you've already tried the different drives thing.... How did your original drive die? And have you tried that one in someone elses computer to see if it works for them? If so, then your issue is definately firmware/hardware related. Had you updated your bios prior to the original drive failing? Is it possible that you damaged the small jumper connecting the drive to the mobo?


RobotEmpire, your issue sounds alot like a corrupt bios. can you possibly manage to reflash it somehow? if it won't boot to CD than I imagine that could be very difficult. If you go into the BIOS settings and select the "Reset all settings" or whatever the selection is, can you get a better result?

Sorry about your computers, guys.
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post #4 of 9
7/4/06 at 4:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wbeck
Oh, shoot, you've already tried the different drives thing.... How did your original drive die? And have you tried that one in someone elses computer to see if it works for them? If so, then your issue is definately firmware/hardware related. Had you updated your bios prior to the original drive failing? Is it possible that you damaged the small jumper connecting the drive to the mobo?

The first hard drive just started losing sectors and it got annoying, so I decided to change it (I wanted a faster HDD anyway). Right now, that drive is in an external enclosure for data storage. I didn't change the bios prior to the failing, and the only thing I can think of (other than the motherboard dying) is that the small ribbon cable connecting the drive to the motherboard. However, I have absolutely no idea where to get a replacement to test out that theory.
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post #5 of 9
7/5/06 at 5:33pm
HEY ALL We need to to get a hold of SAGER!!! Mine is doing exaclty the same thing! My 60GB 7200 RPM that was cranking and working fine.. Had to fix the power post, it broke loose. We fixed that and now the HDD is showing a little under 8 gigs!


WTF is this! I took the HDD out and put it in my buddies old school lappy and it registered as 60gb using Windows 2000! He formatted and everything! but it wouldn't boot up on the Sager after reinstall? Even when we tried to load XP or 2000 on it it crapped at 8 gigs!

A controller of some sort? Is the controller on the HDD? I am at a loss and I want my baby back! Does Sager monitor this? Is there anyone to PM? We need HELP!!!!!!
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post #6 of 9
7/8/06 at 2:38pm
Well I contacted SAGER and posted this forum in there too, so they could see it wasn't just me. They presume it is the data cable from the board to the HDD. I ordered one for 15 bucks. We will see if it gets fixed.
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post #7 of 9
7/8/06 at 2:59pm
Thread Starter 
Where did you order one? I've tried looking for it, but with little luck (the sager website didn't seem to have it, although there aren't any pictures, so it's hard to tell what's what).
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post #8 of 9
7/8/06 at 7:16pm
I emailed sager.. they called me.. And I ordered it over the phone

I just don't see how it is the Data Cable!

I updated the BIOS to ver 2.04 and it still did not work..

Guess I have to wait for the cable.
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post #9 of 9
7/17/06 at 9:44pm
Got the Cable and it WORKED!!!!!
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