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1. 

   Posted by: MitchHDT
   Member

   INTRODUCTION
   We have been given an Acer Aspire 1644WLMi notebook to keep which had a stuffed hard drive (previous hard drive was clicking and no data could be recovered from it).

   Hard Drive manufacturers diagnostic confirmed this to be the case.

   IDEA/BACKGROUND INFO
   As the client has purchased a new notebook, he's given us the dead one. We are using a Samsung 80GB 2.5" IDE HDD which we owned in it. This hard drive was used in a previous IBM notebook (after the IBMs original drive failed), and worked flawlessly. We have not seen the Acer with a working OS on it.

   THE PROBLEM
   We cannot install a Windows XP OS on it. I've tried both XP Pro OEM, XP Home OEM, and both products with retail boxed product CDs. We are using it as a spare/carry around notebook, and do not want Vista on it.

   What happens is that Windows XP installs (well at least the DOS part completes), and it comes up asking to reboot. The machine reboots, and then it boots from CD and comes straight back to the DOS installation part of XP (rather than the GUI based installer to complete installation).

   If the CD is removed it comes up with "Operating System Not Found". Almost as if it can't write to the MBR/Drive during installation.

   Note that the CDs we are using are all original media (not slipstreamed). The Acer does not require installation of ATA/SATA drivers to commence install.

   After each installation attempt the partitions are fully recreated/removed.

   WHAT HAVE WE TRIED
   Now that you know the problem, what we have tried is as per below:
   1. Installing to 80GB using XP HOME OEM.
   2. Installing to 80GB using XP PRO OEM.
   3. Installing to 80GB using XP HOME RBP.
   4. Installing to 80GB using XP PRO RBP.

   Neither of them worked (same problem).

   5. Remove and try different RAM - same problem.
   6. Try installation of XP PRO OEM with full NTFS format - same problem.
   7. Try installation of XP PRO OEM with 20GB partition in FAT32 with full format - same problem.
   8. Try both above with quick formats - same problem.

   9. Reset BIOS (it's already latest version) to defaults and ensured nothing is write protecting hard drive.

   10. Checked hard drive with manufacturers utilities (smart and full scan) and fine.
   11. Erase MBR on hard drive - same problem.
   12. Erase MBR and zero fill hard drive - same problem.
   13. Erase MBR, Zero Fill, then low level format hard drive - same problem.
   14. Checked jumpers on hard drive are same as others (See below notes).

   15. Tried installing again after low level format and same issue.

   SOME OTHER NOTES
   1. We have tried with a 10.2GB IBM Hard Drive and the installation went through into the GUI screen. This proves it is not the hardware of the notebook.

   2. The hard drive checked fine in the notebook, and another machine.

   3. In the BIOS (and POST) the 10.2GB drive comes up, but the 80GB does not. It is however seen by installation and diag utilities.

   4. The hard drive was purchased brand new by us, and used in an IBM notebook prior to the Acer. It has never had encryption, EFS, or any other utilities on it to restrict read/write access to the drive.

   So there you have it, any help is much appreciated, and as you can see we've been pretty thorough so far. Worst case scenario is to use another PC to copy over the installation, or image onto the drive.

   Cheers for any replies. I've never seen a problem like this before!

   NOTE: It has been suggested to me that the BIOS may be the issue, or that the notebook may not accept a non Acer HDD. However another 10.2GB HDD works fine.

   Posted 2 years ago #
2. 

   Posted by: TechieDiva
   Moderator

   only thing i can think if is try different jumper settings on the hdd to see if that helps.

   Posted 2 years ago #
3. 

   Posted by: MitchHDT
   Member

   Hi TechieDiva,

   We have tried that to no success.

   Another Hitachi 10.2GB Drive with identical jumpers worked fine.

   Late last night I also tried installing Win XP to my ASUS notebook using the drive in question (80GB Samsung). It installed Windows fine, but connecting back up to the Acer gave me "Operating System Not Found", which tends to indicate something between the BIOS/Notebook and that particular type/size of hard drive that it doesn't like.

   Posted 2 years ago #
4. 

   Posted by: MitchHDT
   Member

   UPDATE: Spoke with Acer and they have confirmed that the notebook is not BIOS locked/locked in any way that would prevent the drive not coming up in the BIOS.

   Posted 2 years ago #
5. 

   Posted by: MitchHDT
   Member

   FIXED:

   I have decided to use a 60GB Fujitsu Hard Drive which I found works in the Notebook.

   Spent enough time trying to get this thing to work. I am just going to leave it as is. 60GB is plenty.

   Posted 2 years ago #
6. 

   Posted by: Mr_M
   Member

   Last bios version?!?! allot of the times this will solve problems like this, also with memory upgrades for example.

   Posted 2 years ago #

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