[uduran10]

Hi I'm new to this but I wanted to get some feedback on a problem I am having. Recently I traveled abroad and took my laptop for the first time. Before traveling my laptop was working perfectly. Now however, when I turn it on, it sometimes boots perfectly without any issues. However, sometimes it gives me an error message of "Media Test Failure - Check Cable" and says something like "hard disk not installed." Recently I figured out a way in which I can properly boot after receiving this error message. I restart the computer and go to BIOS settings and pretend to change the language (basically just reclicking English and saving and exiting). After I do this, my laptop boots correctly. I was talking to some people and they say my hard drive is failing and needs to be replaced or that it might be my motherboard. Any thoughts on what it is?

Since I traveled with it for the first time and it passed through the security scanners...im guessing that is what messed it up, but am not sure. Supposedly the airport scanners shouldn't affect laptops and that's what I thought until this happened.

Edited by uduran10, 14 January 2013 - 10:22 PM.

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uduran10

To help with research can you let us know the brand and model name or number of the notebook please.

The HDD (hard drive) may only need to be removed and then replaced to ensure a good electrical contact between the HDD and the MB (motherboard) once we have the requested information we can look for an online guide for "how to" as this will help you to decide if you will undertake the task yourself.

NB: Removing a notebook HDD is often as simple as removing a single screw and sliding the HDD out, replacing the HDD is a reverse of the procedure.

[phillpower2]

uduran10

To help with research can you let us know the brand and model name or number of the notebook please.

The HDD (hard drive) may only need to be removed and then replaced to ensure a good electrical contact between the HDD and the MB (motherboard) once we have the requested information we can look for an online guide for "how to" as this will help you to decide if you will undertake the task yourself.

NB: Removing a notebook HDD is often as simple as removing a single screw and sliding the HDD out, replacing the HDD is a reverse of the procedure.

[Wolfeymole]

Hope you don't mind Phil if I ask what could be a pertinent question of Uduran.

When you get this message Uduran try to remember if it actually said this..........

PXE-e61 Media test failed, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting Intel Boot Agent
Operating System not found

[phillpower2]

No problem Wolfey as I appreciate your input

[rshaffer61]

Sounds like the boot sequence has been fubared
I would suggest starting in the bios and making sure the boot sequence is set to
Cdrom
Hdd
USB

Most likely it is trying to boot to a network on the first boot in the sequence.

[Wolfeymole]

Phil, Ron.

Wouldn't you agree that this scenario could have the hallmarks of a Network boot being set, however if no OS is found there could be only two hypothetical reasons why not.

1: All other boot media has been disabled by a systems admin.

2: The HDD is faulty or disconnected or the MBR is corrupt.

I'm just consulting your collective thinking on this.

[rshaffer61]

Yes that is what I find in most cases Wolf with the network somehow being set as the first boot device. Changing it back to how I instructed normally will resolve the issue.

[phillpower2]

Sorry for the late arrival folks - been rather busy

The issue being random was what made me suspect a bad contact, hopefully one of the suggestions made will resolve the issue and the OP will reply and let us know which.