OK here goes....

My Inspiron 1720 is currently down....

I swapped the primary bay 120GB 5400rpm that came with the DELL for a 7k200 200GB 7200RPM Hiatchi 16mb Cache Hard drive.

No bent pins, reseated twice.....

ALL DELL diagnostics pass.... but when I try to launch Hitachi's hard drive fitness tests/diagnostics it fails to load when detecting the bays.... give me an OLD DOS COMMAND.COM error.... this software with my 7k100 works perfect on Inspiron E1705.

BIOS is seeing hard drive... as 200GB... Vista sees the hard drive....

I can even do a FULL FORMAT (not quick) through Vista's advanced command prompt install and diagnostics.....

it formats successfull...


HOWEVER!.... when Vista gets to the final phase of its install when it is @ the VERY last step... I believe its called Finalizing the install.... it just sits there with the three ... and the dots are animated... so the install is not frozen, just doesn't go anywhere.

This install on my e1705 /w 7k200 and 7k100 takes like 10 minutes TOPS....

I've talked to DELL hardware and Dell Software On Call support (first 30 days free).... I've worked in IT since the early 90's and I must be missing something here.

any ideas.....

Maybe the drive requires additional drivers from the hitachi web site. Also you coulld try a ghost restore or try the upgrade option instead of the clean install.

Hope that helps!

I don't have the upgrade option... as this is a freshly formatted hard drive and this version of Vista has the Upgrade option disabled.

I don't use Ghost and could not do a restore since this is a new system with a new hard drive purchased from ZipZoomFly... hence I would have no previous image or could not have a previous Image.

Go into your BIOS and check to see whether your drive is in "ATA" mode or "AHCI".

The easy thing to do would be to put it in "ATA" mode, then install.

Not 100% sure this is the problem, but it won't hurt to check.....

Currently in progress.... still on phone with dell.... thanks so much for the recommendation......

Wooooo.... this is looking VERY promising.... will update soon....

Standby

Sleey,

Thank you so much for your recommendation,

It worked perfect like a charm.

I made sure DELL noted, and documented the problem/issue/fix so when all the other people call in with this problem (and they will)... they should hopefully have as fast a resolution as you provided me.

That setting makes a lot of sense now.... I probably would have found it eventually if I exhausted all of DELL's resources but it probably would have been a few days from now before I would have had time to investigate that far.

Bravo, sleey.... Bravo!

I have yet to have a problem swapping out HDD - but I have had to Hitachi HDD fail on me. The first was my 100gig 7200rpm, possibly the same drive as yours this just failed - one moment it worked the next boot up..................nothing - not even recognised in the bios. The second was a 80gig 5400rpm - this kinda failed sometimes it would boot other times it would fail. Bios check said it was OK sometimes and then no. After using recovery tools I found lots of damaged sectors.

Not saying that Hitachi are bad but mine have both failed, now using 5400 250gig & 160gig Samsung drives. Suggest you RMA the drive you should not need any drivers etc just format and go, if that's not the case I think you have a dud.

Very good idea as well... my gfriend's 100GB 7k100 7200RPM Hitachi just died on her.... sending it back to Hitachi to be replaced under warranty.... got her a 7k200 200GB 7200RPM Hitachi for her bday and she loves it.... 25% to 30% speed improvement.... oh yea .... it convinced me to buy one too.

UPDATE:

Talked to Hitachi Tech Support twice... Microsoft once.... DELL Hardware in India once, Dell On-Call Support twice.... and I am now currently on the phone with DELL Advanced Premium Tech Support in Canada....

will update with further information soon....

Thanks so much guys.... any more ideas?? these are helping.....

10/25/2007
I am planning to buy Inspiron 1720 with 160GB 7200rpm hard drive, then buy HITACHI 200GB 7200rpm 16MB and install it myself as the 2nd drive under a separate letter (no Raid). Will get from Dell the caddy and connector, if needed. Will I face any reinstallation of the factory software? Do not want to void any Dell service plans or warranty. What the procedural steps could look like? Thanks.