Computer doesn't find hard drive

[jacque81052w]

I have an HP computer that is about 7 years old. It had Windows ME on it until about 1.5 years ago had problems with it so a friend enstalled Windows XP downloaded from Computer. It has worked wonderfully since then... until a couple months ago. it was shut down one night and when turned back on we got the following message:

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly or was automatically shut down to protect your files or folders, choose last known good configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the power or reset button was pressed, or if you aren’t sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows Normally

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last Known Good Configuration (Your most recent settings that worked)

Start Windows Normally
------------------------------------
So when we try each of these this is what happens on each command:
====
Start Windows Normally
Starts to load - you see the Windows XP emblem
Then the HP Invent emblem
Then goes back to the first page

Safe Mode
Starts loading all the configuration computer talk -directories and such
Then you see the HP Invent emblem
Back to the first page

Last known Good Configuration
Starts loading - you see the Windows XP emblem
HP invent -emblem
Back to the first page

Safe Mode Command Prompt
Starts loading all the configuration computer talk -directories and such
HP Invent emblem
Back to first page

F8 - Sorry drive C cannot be accessed

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I have tried running the recovery disk from format on the windows Me disks... I have tried Norton System Works 2005... what should I do... thought I could try some things myself so we don't have to take it to a repairman. We did buy a new computer with Windows XP on it since all this happened.

Please help me. Thanks!

[ski]

It sounds like the HD is toast. If that's the original HD, then you got your $ worth out of it.

Make sure its cables are securely connected.
If ok, then replace the power lead.
If no luck, then replace the IDE cable with a known working one.
If still no good, then connect it as Master on the IDE 2 channel.
If that does not work, then install it as a Slave drive in the new system, and run the diagnostics at the HD manuf's site.

[ski]

Edit- Double Post

[Sylvander]

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this"
When my PC displayed an error like this I suspected [and I was right] that it was a problem with the MBR code on the HDD.
To fix the MBR code I used the [only] method I know well [there are other methods that differ according to the version of Windows being run].
I used the "Emergency Boot CD" [EBCD] "Recover MBR" program.
It writes a generic MBR to the HDD in a blink.

The EBCD can also "Create NT/2000/XP Boot Floppy" that will by-pass the XP boot files [assuming they are faulty] and get you into Windows where you can then replace the [faulty?] files with the floppy versions.

If the EBCD "File Manager" can display the [Windows and other] folders and files on the HDD, then the HDD is working not too badly.
You could always run its "Drive Fitness Test Utility" to check it out more fully.

Personally, I would ALWAYS first make an image backup before doing anything like this.
The EBCD includes a free trial copy of "Image for DOS", but that free copy cannot make backups direct to an external USB HDD; it can only save to an internal [FAT32] partition [perhaps on any old 2nd HDD]. The trial version downloaded from the TeraByte site can save to [and restore from] an external USB HDD.

1. How to make a free “Smart Boot Manager” floppy
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41498
This makes it easier to boot a chosen drive [particularly the one holding the EBCD].

2. How to make a free EBCD bootable CD
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41485
This has a number of useful utilities included including "Image" [for DOS, by Terabyte] & "File Manager".