Computer won't boot from HDD

[J-Ri]

Went to start up my computer... nothing, blank screen

I turned it off, put in the Windows CD, and it booted off the CD

I tried to run recovery console, but the password I used was so good I don't even know it... so much for that...

I installed a fresh copy of windows, restarted. I got the "press any key to boot from CD......" I let it go through the wait period, and the system stopped.

I took the CD out and restarted again. All that came up was a flashing underscore. I could hear the HDD working, and the HDD light was on so I went and ate dinner and came back later. Still a flashing underscore.

The HDD seems to be fine (windows setup will delete and write files to it), so what could be wrong? As far as I know, nothing was changed since the last time it was started. Possibly just a really nasty virus norton didn't block?

[J-Ri]

"slight" update... :-\

I guess my sister was playing around inside the comp and hooked the IDE cable to the HDD in upside down. Don't know how tho, it has a tab on the outside, and the standard blocked pin on the inside. However, the HDD is not missing any pins, and none are bent. SO... I figure the HDD was at most plugged in half way. Would that cause any damage? to the MB, HDD?

Thanks-
-Jason

[mib]

"slight" update... :-\

I guess my sister was playing around inside the comp and hooked the IDE cable to the HDD in upside down. Don't know how tho, it has a tab on the outside, and the standard blocked pin on the inside. However, the HDD is not missing any pins, and none are bent. SO... I figure the HDD was at most plugged in half way. Would that cause any damage? to the MB, HDD?

Thanks-
-Jason

If you did that with the power, then it will definitely damage the hard disk. Two years ago, I had a colleague who managed to push the power cable in an inverted position (despite the special shape of the connector), and that burned his hard disk.

However, I don't think inverting the IDE cable will damage the hard disk or motherboard, because I have done this inadvertently on many occasions in the past, and I did not find any noticeable damage on the PC. The worst that happened was the hard disk did not function while the cable was improperly connected.

But observe your system just the same. And make CD backups of your important files, just in case.

[RejectionMan]

inverting hte IDE cables will not damage our devices, infact if present the Activity light will come on and stay on while the system will not boot, indicatingthis error condition.

be advised that flooy drives are usualy not so forgiving, but at $12 a peace they arent to bade (who uses them now any way?)