Hi, I have a problem with my laptop with windows xp home ed. It was playing up so I went to recovery console and tried to repair it. Since then windows wont boot and says there is no hard drive connected. In the set up hard drive test failed //2-7.
What went wrong and how to solve this. please help.
It is an HP laptop.
ps. I cant locate the original windows xp disc.

If it was a setup you would need IDE/SATA drivers but it isn't. The only thing I could think to do is keep pressing F8 during BIOS and startup to see if it even gets as far as windows startup options. But the fact that it tells you test failed //2-7 means its loaded some data from the drive so I don't think its hardware. Try booting from your XP install cd (F12) and goto repair installation...

Hope this helps

Correction: XP doesn't have SATA or SCSI drivers. And in the case of a downgrade this is a known problem. The first option would be to try to get safe mode or another repair option on the F8 menu. otherwise use the BBS popup or whatever you call it thats usually at F12 during BIOS to boot from your XP install CD. note: If your cd is an upgrade it may not work. and if it asks you to format during setup which is likely and want to get your data ask a freind for a linux live cd and back it up to and external hard drive.

I shall try the options. Thanks

Sorry folks, no joy. Tried all that. Windows starts with windows logo then crashes. Any other ideas, please

You are going to need an original xp installation disc. Not a system restore disc.

You are going to have to either do a complete system reformat/installation or what is referred as a second repair option using the original microsoft xp installation disc or a copy of the disc.

The second repair option will allow you to save the personal files and applications that you have stored. If not then you will need to get another drive and copy all the data from the old harddrive in order to save it.