HDD strange problem (compatibility?)

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M

minichibby

Commendable
Mar 20, 2016
24
0
1,510
So on my old Windows XP computer(Sony Vaio Desktop VGC-RB34G) the original HDD stopped working (corruption?) after 9 years. I put in a new HDD (as shown in specs below) and the BIOS detected it, but Windows did NOT (I think), after the Vaio start up screen, it has a black screen with a flashing underscore ad nothing happens EVER. What is wrong? How can I fix it?

By the way, I can't access that computer at all due to this problem.









PC Specs:
RAM: 1024MB DDR SDRAM(Two 512MB sticks) 400MHz
HDD Storage: 250GB
HDD: WD Blue 1TB Desktop HDD - 7200 RPM SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD10EZEX
HDD Model #: HDP725025GLA380
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 540J (3.20GHz, 1MB L2 cache)
Motherboard: Intel Desktop Board
GPU: ATI Radeon x300 (128MB Video Mem.)
Chipset: Intel 915G
Power Management: ACPI 1.0 Compliant
 
Solution
M
Hi

Then unplug the new hard drive and see if it boots up
If this was only disk it will go to bios message saying no hard disk found

Research the sony support web site for bios upgrades and what drives they support
You may have to buy a supported hard drive
Probably upto 250 or 330 GB with 512 byte sectors

Regards
Mike Barnes
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M

mbarnes86

Splendid
Sep 16, 2010
3,839
7
26,965
Hi

I expect that old pc's bios does not like advanced format hard disks
The old spec was 512 byte sectors , advanced format was 4096 bytes but emulated 512 byte sectors , but lattest disks have 4k sectors which dont emulate 512 byte sectors

XP also has problems with these disks

I suggest looking for a bios upgrade but if that does not work look for a older smaller hard disk without advance format.

Regards
Mike Barnes
 
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M

minichibby

Commendable
Mar 20, 2016
24
0
1,510

I can not update anything, I can't access the computer due to the above problem stated in the post. So I can't update anything.
 
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M

minichibby

Commendable
Mar 20, 2016
24
0
1,510
One hard disk in my possession or in the computer? I have ordered a disc copy of XP Professional and it will be arriving in a few weeks, should I put the hard drive in and then install the OS on to it?

 
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M

mbarnes86

Splendid
Sep 16, 2010
3,839
7
26,965
Hi

Then unplug the new hard drive and see if it boots up
If this was only disk it will go to bios message saying no hard disk found

Research the sony support web site for bios upgrades and what drives they support
You may have to buy a supported hard drive
Probably upto 250 or 330 GB with 512 byte sectors

Regards
Mike Barnes
 
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Solution
M

minichibby

Commendable
Mar 20, 2016
24
0
1,510


How would I update the BIOS if I can't get into the actual desktop to download it?
 
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