Topic: Boot Disk Failure

[Simon]

A friend had the old "Boot Disk Failure, Insert System Disk and Press Enter..." problem, but rebooting and / or pressing Enter didn't work, so I suggested checking the IDE cable connections to his HDD amd Motherboard.  He did this, and found that the connection to the HDD was not seated fully.  Subsquently, everything was OK for about a week, but now the problem has resurfaced.  He says, when he "wiggles the connector", the problem is resolved, but this now happens every time he starts his PC.

I can't see how the IDE connector could keep coming loose, so could this be just a bad cable, or could there be some other underlying problem?  The HDD is a Western Digital, purchased a year ago from PC World.  Do these have 3 year warranties, and would PC World honour this if it turns out the HDD is at fault, or would we have to contact the manufacturers?

[Sandra]

Try a different cable first Simon, then if its still the same take a note of the drives serial number and if you go on to Western Digitals site theres a place on it that you can enter the serial number, and if its still covered by the guarantee, will give you an RMA number and instructions about returning it for a replacement.
The last Western Digital I sent back had to go to Germany but was replaced within 8 days or so  

[Simon]

Thanks Sandra.  Does the serial number appear on screen anywhere, or is it a question of looking on the actual drive itself?

[TR]

2 options Simon  

Everest or Belarc.
This is with Everest



Or you could go to the western site and download a small piece of software that checks the drive out and it also gives you the serial # in the readings

http://support.wdc.com/dlg/onlinedlg.asp

[Sandra]

I would look on the drive itself Simon, it may not give the full number on a software program  

[Simon]

OK, thanks guys.  I will be seeing him tomorrow night, when he should have got and tested a new cable, so I'll report back when I know more.