Internal hard disk drive not found

[Paddypix]

My friend is getting "Internal hard disk drive not found. To resolve this issue, try to reseat the drive". I've done this (compared to her I am a technical wizard so you can imagine how computer illiterate she is!) but it hasn't resolved the problem. It's a Dell Inspiron 1525. I've also run the onboard diagnostics, again without success. Do you think her HD is knackered? I don't know if you remember, but I have the same model and my HD had to be replaced a couple of years ago.

[Suff]

Sounds knackered.

The only thing you could check is that the drive type is IDE in the bios and not AHCI. If AHCI is enabled some drives may not like it. I had this with my father recently with a brand new OCZ Solid State Disk. It's supposed to be AHCI but the laptop couldn't manage it.

I would give you instructions as to how to do this but neither the DELL setup manual or the DELL Service Manual contain instructions on it....

It should be somewhere under storage settings. Can't remember and my Alienware is on my desk at home gathering dust

[Paddypix]

Thanks Suff. I would never risk mucking about with the bios so I think it needs to go into the shop, either for a new HD or for confirmation that it needs to be scrapped.

[Paddypix]

Just to update you. It was a new HD and the shop installed Windows 7 at the same time. She had Vista before.