[Steve DeVore]

I am currently working on a dell dimension 4600i desktop, the original problem was that the machine was stuck in a startup loop, nd would not even boot into safemode. I tried to insert a windows xp cd and use recovery console, the recovery console failed, and when the machine rebooted I received this error, "Disk drive 0 seek failure" "Sata Primary drive 0 not found", "strike the fi key to continue or the f2 to run the setup utility".

F2 takes me to the bios, where it says that the Primary sata drive is not installed. I believe I need a self extracting driver file that will reinstall the hard drive but I have no clue as to where to locate one.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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You may have a failing or dead HD, I would try another sata cable, another sata port first then try another Sata HD in your PC to see if it can be seen by the Bios.

You can also try your HD in another PC to see if it can be recognize or not.

[Alzeimer]

You may have a failing or dead HD, I would try another sata cable, another sata port first then try another Sata HD in your PC to see if it can be seen by the Bios.

You can also try your HD in another PC to see if it can be recognize or not.

[Macboatmaster]

Try resetting the drive detection to Auto

How many SATA drives are installed, that computer if I am not mistaken has two sata connections on the motherboard.
If there is ONLY one SATA are you using the first SATA connection.
Is there also an IDE HDD connected.
Is there a CD DVD connected to the secondary IDE channel.
If that is the ONLY IDE now connected, as the original HDD has been replaced by a SATA, then conect the DVD/CD to the primary IDE.

If that does not work and you are sure that all connections to the SATA - PSU connection and motherboard are OK, then I suggest you reset the CMOS - battery and jumper I would think.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 13 October 2010 - 12:38 PM.

[Steve DeVore]

Tried switching the sata cables around and still got the same error message, there was a second connection on the mother board, All the hard drive does when it boots up is click twice and then the same message pops up on screen

[rshaffer61]

All the hard drive does when it boots up is click twice and then the same message pops up on screen

Sounds like what is commonly called The Click Of Death.

[Macboatmaster]

Just in case and on the VERY slight chance that this is a PSU problem rather then a HDD problem, see this link, scroll down to the bottom of the page and see the further link "hard drive clicking"

However, the very easy test is to see if the drive is recognised in the bios of another computer.
Testing the PSU with a multimeter, although recommended on various sites, is really a very unsatisfactory way, as false readings can very easily be received.
http://files-recover...what-to-do.html

Just noticed and with apologies to Alzeimer - more or less what he posted.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 13 October 2010 - 02:39 PM.

[Steve DeVore]

Purchased a new sata drive for the dell dimension 46001 and installed, however the bios still will not recognize the hard drive

[Macboatmaster]

Did you explore the link I sent to eliminate if this was a HDD or PSU problem or indeed a motherboard problem

Also see this please
http://seagate.custk...68595&Hilite=#1

Additionally what make of drive and model/
SATA 2 is backwards compatable to SATA, so even if your motherboard conection is SATA is should still see SATA2 but it will only work as SATA1 (SATA) but you will not notice the difference. However I understand, but I have to admit I am not certain that depending on the actual specs, some SATA controllers only work with 150MB per second drives, so if you have a 300Mb per second drive, you may have to change the jumper to allow the BIOS to see it.
Consult the manual with the new HDD. Note this jumper is not anything to do with the jumper on the ATA drives that configured master slave cable select.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 17 October 2010 - 03:55 PM.

[Steve DeVore]

Problem solved, adjust settings in bios and now the machine is up and running. Thanks for all of the help )

[Macboatmaster]

Pleased it worked.
Drive - set to auto - yes.

[Steve DeVore]

Yes

[Macboatmaster]

Well if the original HDD will not run, you can not of course recover the data. If the drive will not spin, it cannot be recovered, except of course at cost by professional firms who basically use the disc itself in specialst equipment which covers the faulty PCB and the mechanism. However your data would have to be very valuable.
If however the drive can be accessed, even temporarily, see the link I sent in post 6, then you can of course recover by simply slaving the drive and accessing the data. THe link needs fully exploring. I have NEVER tried any of the methods so cannopt advise as to their effectiveness.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 18 October 2010 - 10:51 AM.