N4110 boot issues

My Inspiron N4110 running Windows 7 started running extremely slowly, so I removed the hard drive and checked it out on my other laptop (running Windows 7) using a usb adapter.  I ended up formatting it because the other laptop wouldn't recognize it.  After that, I was able to write to and read files from it on the other laptop.  Then I put it back in the N4100.  When trying to install Windows, though, the installer wouldn't recognize the hard disk, though BIOS said it was there.  Another Dell Diagnostics check said the hard disk was bad. 

I removed the disk again to try to install Windows from my other laptop, but the installer wouldn't recognize the drive there either.  However, Ubuntu installer does, so I returned the disk to the N4110 to see if I could install Ubuntu. When I started it up, the Dell logo showed up and where the "Disk Read Error pres CTRL ALT DEL to reboot" would ordinarily show up indicating no OS on the disk, I get two quick beeps followed by a string of ASCII characters displayed across the top of the screen in place of the "Disk Read Error" message. If I press CTRL ALT DEL, it reboots to the same beeps and ASCII characters.  

These beeps are definitely not the beep code indicating a memory problem, as I already checked that out.  I can get into the BIOS just fine, and it still sees the disk. I can also run Dell Diagnostics, and everything but the hard drive checks out again. The disk is connected to my other laptop and I can still write to and read from it, though.

I'm afraid I probably fried the motherboard during the multiple extractions and installations of the disk.  Just would appreciate confirmation (or a solution) so I can move on!

Thanks.