[rebelz1]

Hello a friend of mine has a HP pavilion ze4400 and he wants to get it working again.

Well here is the deal when we started the machine it goes to the hp invent screen where it say's;
Press ESC to change the boot order
Press F2 to enter Setup, press F12 to boot from LAN

When we finally get the BIOS to come up it says that there is no hard drive installed. I don't know what to do from here. I got it to say once that there is no OS installed.

Please help if you can

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Hi rebelz1,

This would generally mean the hard drive is not recognized which means the hard drive is broken. So you would replace the hard drive and then reinstall Windows onto it. After that you would install drivers like the chipset, video, wireless card, audio, and ethernet. Maybe some others. You can obtain them from going to the support link on HP's site and finding the drivers for your model laptop. Then update windows with the latest updates and service packs, and install an Antivirus/main programs.

That's the quick instructions. To test the hard drive and make sure it's bad (assuming there is one installed in the machine) you can boot to your windows disk by setting the "boot priority" in the BIOS to CD ROM 1st, Hard Drive 2nd. Follow the steps ot install Windows, but you will probably get an error saying there is no hard drive, or something along those lines. Another test that is similar is to attempt to test the hard drive with the manufacturers diagnostic utility, again, you will probably get an error that no HD is found.

These might help...

How to change the boot priority in the BIOS

• Start the computer/press the power button
• Immediately start tapping the appropriate key to enter the BIOS, aka "Setup"
  (Usually shown during the "Dell" screen, or "Gateway" Screen)
• Once in the BIOS, under Advanced BIOS Options change boot priority to:
  CD-ROM 1st, Hard Drive 2nd
• Open your ROM drive and insert the disk
• Press F10 to save and exit
• Agree with "Y" to continue
• Your computer will restart and boot from the CD

How to install Windows XP

How to test your hard drive:

• Go HERE
• In part 2, click the link for your brand of
  hard drive, (i.e. Western Digital, Seagate, etc.)
• Depending on the brand, you will create bootable floppy disk, or bootable CD.
• If the download is an .iso file type, I recommend
  using BurnCDCC to burn the .iso file to a CD.
• Once BurnCDCC is installed, open the program, browse to
  the .iso file, and open it to the program.
• Click start/burn, you will be prompted to insert your CD, Click OK.
• Once burned, set the BIOS boot priority to CD ROM first, Hard Drive second
• Insert CD, and save and exit the BIOS usually by pressing F10
• Follow onscreen instructions to perform an Extended Test

Please Note: Toshiba does not offer a hard drive diagnostic utility, you are out of luck.

Let me know how it goes.

Edited by Ferrari, 19 April 2010 - 06:37 PM.

[Ferrari]

Hi rebelz1,

This would generally mean the hard drive is not recognized which means the hard drive is broken. So you would replace the hard drive and then reinstall Windows onto it. After that you would install drivers like the chipset, video, wireless card, audio, and ethernet. Maybe some others. You can obtain them from going to the support link on HP's site and finding the drivers for your model laptop. Then update windows with the latest updates and service packs, and install an Antivirus/main programs.

That's the quick instructions. To test the hard drive and make sure it's bad (assuming there is one installed in the machine) you can boot to your windows disk by setting the "boot priority" in the BIOS to CD ROM 1st, Hard Drive 2nd. Follow the steps ot install Windows, but you will probably get an error saying there is no hard drive, or something along those lines. Another test that is similar is to attempt to test the hard drive with the manufacturers diagnostic utility, again, you will probably get an error that no HD is found.

These might help...

How to change the boot priority in the BIOS

• Start the computer/press the power button
• Immediately start tapping the appropriate key to enter the BIOS, aka "Setup"
  (Usually shown during the "Dell" screen, or "Gateway" Screen)
• Once in the BIOS, under Advanced BIOS Options change boot priority to:
  CD-ROM 1st, Hard Drive 2nd
• Open your ROM drive and insert the disk
• Press F10 to save and exit
• Agree with "Y" to continue
• Your computer will restart and boot from the CD

How to install Windows XP

How to test your hard drive:

• Go HERE
• In part 2, click the link for your brand of
  hard drive, (i.e. Western Digital, Seagate, etc.)
• Depending on the brand, you will create bootable floppy disk, or bootable CD.
• If the download is an .iso file type, I recommend
  using BurnCDCC to burn the .iso file to a CD.
• Once BurnCDCC is installed, open the program, browse to
  the .iso file, and open it to the program.
• Click start/burn, you will be prompted to insert your CD, Click OK.
• Once burned, set the BIOS boot priority to CD ROM first, Hard Drive second
• Insert CD, and save and exit the BIOS usually by pressing F10
• Follow onscreen instructions to perform an Extended Test

Please Note: Toshiba does not offer a hard drive diagnostic utility, you are out of luck.

Let me know how it goes.

Edited by Ferrari, 19 April 2010 - 06:37 PM.

[rebelz1]

Thanks for the reply Ferrari I tried to change the way it boots in the Bios but when it does it gives me the same thing there is no hard drive it will not boot at all it will not let me get anywhere past the BIOS shuts down restarts and the same thing again. I think you are right though the hard drive is fried can you tell me how much a new is and the best place to get one

Thanks rebelz1

[SRX660]

here's some good ones.
Newegg WD scorpio sata 320 gig
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16822136197

Newegg WD scorpio IDE 120 gig
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16822136130

tiger direct WD scorpio sata 320 gig
http://www.tigerdire...e...&CatId=1277

SRX660

[Ferrari]

here's some good ones.
Newegg WD scorpio sata 320 gig
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16822136197

Newegg WD scorpio IDE 120 gig
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16822136130

tiger direct WD scorpio sata 320 gig
http://www.tigerdire...e...&CatId=1277

You have to take the old one out to see if it is a SATA interface or IDE. Click HERE to see what each one looks like.

Here is the HP ez4400 Manual (.pdf) Page 2-9 is where it shows you how to remove/replace the hard drive.

Remember, you will need your Windows XP disc to install Windows onto the new hard drive. I hope you have it.

[rebelz1]

Thanks Ferrari and SRX660. By the looks of the picture I would have to say that it is IDE except it has a plastic cover over a portion of it the only prongs that are exposed are the four on the end and it is a Toshiba HDD. We don't need to get the same brand again do we? I would rather go with Seagate or something like that.

Thanks rebelz1

[Ferrari]

We don't need to get the same brand again do we?

Nope, you can go with any 2.5" IDE Laptop hard drive.

I think the plastic cover you are talking about is a bracket that you will put back over the new hard drive so you can mount it correctly in the laptop. That's usually how they work.

[rebelz1]

Hello its me again. and here is what is going on now we got a new hard drive for the computer but it is still doing the same thing it wont load from the CD and it still wont find the HDD. The place that I got the hard drive from said that if it wont work then it is probably your mother board. Now my question is how do I test to see if the mother board is ok or not. The local computer shop want's 35 bucks just to tell me if it is good or bad. Is there a way for me to test to see if it is good?

Thanks rebelz1

Edited by rebelz1, 29 April 2010 - 03:55 PM.

[Ferrari]

Is there a way for me to test to see if it is good?

Not really on a laptop, and even if it was a desktop you'd need other parts there, i.e. another motherboard, or cpu.

One thing to try is clearing the CMOS by removing the small battery on the motherboard for about 5 minutes. This will mean opening up the laptop, which may or may not be such a good idea depending on user experience level.

Here is my canned... (for a desktop, but same idea)

Clear your CMOS:

• Unplug your computer from the wall
• Open the case up, usually the left panel comes off
• Locate the CMOS Battery (See Image)
• Use a small flat head screw driver to pry it out
  CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW
  BE CAREFUL and Gentle!
• Wait 5 minutes while pressing and holding the power button
  a few times to release any left over electricity in the system
• Pop the battery back into place

Please Note: You will have to reset the time and date in the BIOS upon first boot.

Edited by Ferrari, 29 April 2010 - 08:37 PM.

[rebelz1]

Ok after I do this what will I be looking for when I start it back up?

[Ferrari]

See if your hard drive is recognized in the BIOS anywhere or if you can install Windows. Taking that battery out puts the BIOS settings back to default... sometimes it's necessary to do this when adding new hardware, and other more advanced reasons.

IF it works, you may even want to try with your old hard drive.

[Ferrari]

it wont load from the CD and it still wont find the HDD

Also, after giving this some more thought...

Are you pressing a key to make the computer boot to the CD? Usually a message will come up with "Press any key to boot to CD"... it doesn't do it automatically. Are you doing this correctly? If not, try just pressing the space bar a few times after you see the initial HP screen or whatever.

What is the exact message you get when you say the HDD isn't being recognized? Because it is blank, it may give a message that might imply to the novice user that the HD is not there, when in actuality it's just saying that because there is no OS on the HD.

Let me know...

[rebelz1]

Ok Ferrari I really do have to thank you for all the help you have been giving me.

But here is a couple of pics that I took so you can see what it is telling me.

Attached Thumbnails

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[rebelz1]

This is what I get when I first turn the computer on.

Attached Thumbnails

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[rebelz1]

I am trying to pull the BIOS up now so I can get a pic or two of what I am seeing.