Replacing a new hard drive HDD & installing Operating System OS

Question

Hi everyone, I solved a problem and just wanted to put this out there in case someone else has the same problem! Short version: Make sure that when you insert the replacement HDD, there is resistance in the last centimeter or two, just as when you plug something into the wall. If there's not, pull it out and kind of wiggle it up and down while inserting it to ensure that it gets properly seated. When I inserted mine, it was going in completely without resistance, so it must have been missing the connection by just a millimeter or so. My old HDD died on my Dell Inspiron 1440, so I had to purchase a new one. I had Seagate Momentus 5400.6 250GB originally, and I purchased the same brand with 500 GB. I correctly removed the screws from the old HDD and placed them and the plastic insertion piece onto the new one. I also inserted the Operating System-Windows Vista (followed Windows 7) CD, but when I tried to do the Custom Install to install a clean, new OS, as I didn't have an OS installed on the new HDD yet, it was not detecting the HDD and said that I needed to insert a disk that would allow me to download the device drivers, but the neither Drivers and Utilities CD nor the OS CDs had what the installation wanted.  I did a few of the tests, and everything was perfect except it said 'no internal hard drive detected,' which was weird, as I knew this HDD couldn't be destroyed yet, as it was new. I tried rebooting with the Drivers and Utilities CD, but that didn't help either. Finally, I figured out the solution at the beginning: it just wasn't properly seated. Just FYI, in order to reinstall the OS, first insert the OS DVD, probably choose 'custom install,' if you don't have an OS installed on the HDD yet, choose the drive you want to install it to, and follow the remaining instructions. After the OS is installed, then you insert the drivers DVD to make sure you have all the right things you need on it. Hope this came of use to anybody!

ankush.nautiyal · Accepted Answer

I solved my problem, so I will mark this as solved.

ankush.nautiyal · Answer

I solved this, so I will mark this as solved.

Philip_Yip · Answer

For OS Reinstallation I have a Windows Reinstallation guide here which could be helpful for you:

http://philipyip.wordpress.com/dell-community-forums/

Its important to have the drive seated correctly however in some cases SATA drivers are required for the setup to view the hard drive.

mattben · Answer

I have just gone through exactly the same thing, had the same error message, and was wondering where to go next., I had your post up on my other computer. It came in about 5th in a search for 'how to replace a HDD on a laptop.'

You post guided me through. So it was well worth it for me that you took the trouble to writing it up.

I have Windows Vista reloaded now and I am downloading 108 updates; 28% complete. I'll be done by morning, maybe.

Many thanks

ankush.nautiyal · Answer

I'm glad that it came of use!

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