Installed my old SATA HDD into computer, Powers up but won't boot

[Verci0013]

Well, just as the title states I installed a 120 gb SATA Hard Drive into my PC today and after powering it on...it won't boot. In fact, it won't show anything at all. So now I search here for answer and must give embarrassing details of my misfortune.

During the installation process I had to remove my RAM so I can fit the HDD into the slot. After turning it on, it started beeping 3 times which made me wonder why (until I realized I was holding the RAM in my hand ) reinstalled the RAM and now i'm not getting anything.

I've tried removing the added HDD and even the Video Card suspecting it was underpowered, ending up with the same results. I'm planning on removing the CMOS battery and give it another go...but should i remove the Video Card also?

[NorCalXJ]

did you change the boot order?

[Verci0013]

hmmm good question, I didn't see any IDE Pins on the back of the hard disk?

Update:

Removed the added HDD, removed and re-installed the CMOS battery, still same result. Powers up with no Boot.

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

Ah, do you mean you added this new drive, so now you have two in your machine, or you only had 1 drive and replaced it with this one?

If you have replaced your boot drive (the later scenario), then it must have the OS installed on it. That can still be a problem for some proprietary machines since the OS will only run on the machine it was originally configured on.

[njineermike]

You removed the CMOS battery? That's NOT a good idea. Does the drive show up in POST?

[Verci0013]

Ah, do you mean you added this new drive, so now you have two in your machine, or you only had 1 drive and replaced it with this one?

If you have replaced your boot drive (the later scenario), then it must have the OS installed on it. That can still be a problem for some proprietary machines since the OS will only run on the machine it was originally configured on.

I mean the first one, it now has two devices in my machine

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

If it was working fine before, completely unplug the new drive, check all of the existing drive connections, make sure your memory sticks are properly seated and try booting it again. Process of elimination my friend.

[Verci0013]

You removed the CMOS battery? That's NOT a good idea. Does the drive show up in POST?

I can't even see POST, all i'm getting is power to the machine but that's it. Video isn't showing up, keyboard and Mouse unresponsive.

If it was working fine before, completely unplug the new drive, check all of the existing drive connections, make sure your memory sticks are properly seated and try booting it again. Process of elimination my friend.

• unplugged new drive
• checked all existing connections
• checked memory sticks
• booted again

same result.

[njineermike]

I can't even see POST, all i'm getting is power to the machine but that's it. Video isn't showing up, keyboard and Mouse unresponsive.

• unplugged new drive
• checked all existing connections
• checked memory sticks
• booted again

same result.

You sure its SATA? 120GB is pretty small unless it's really old. SAS and SATA connections look he same, but the protocols are different.

[Verci0013]

You sure its SATA? 120GB is pretty small unless it's really old. SAS and SATA connections look he same, but the protocols are different.

not 100% sure it's SATA, it's connected to a SATA cord so I figured it was SATA. It came from a Compaq I had back in 09..does that count as old?

[paul0660]

Go back to zero with original HD, one stick of ram, optical drives unplugged. No reason it should not start. I mean no GOOD reason.

[paul0660]

not 100% sure it's SATA, it's connected to a SATA cord so I figured it was SATA. It came from a Compaq I had back in 09..does that count as old?

You owe us all a beer for not being rude.


Go back to basics as I said.

[paul0660]

Multiple restarts, including hitting the switch on the power supply, and waiting 10 min, can help too. There are capacitors on motherboards that are not easily fooled.

[Creampuff]

Go back to zero with original HD, one stick of ram, optical drives unplugged. No reason it should not start. I mean no GOOD reason.

If it doesn't work, rotate in another ram chip, but don't use all of them. Like Paul mentioned, just use one ram stick, to rule out a bad ram stick. Or use another stick in another slot, to rule out a bad ram slot.

Did the ram make that nice pop you hear, when the ram is positively in the slot?

[njineermike]

Compaq. Figures. Do what paul0660 suggested. Go back to when it was running. Hopefully yanking the CMOS battery didn't turn your PC into an elaborate paperweight.