Hard Drive works externally but not internally ! Help Please??

geezerBJ · 04-10-2009, 01:47 PM

Hello!
My Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop is running Windows XP Home.

I bought a new 2.5" Western Digital 250GB hard drive to replace the original 40GB which was full.
I formatted the new drive and installed XP. All worked fine for a week or so. Then the computer refused to boot. When switched on, just a black screen with a flashing cursor top left. I was unable to boot from DVD/USB stick.
I replaced the original drive - the laptop worked fine.
When I use the 250GB drive in a USB external enclosure it works fine, I can access all the data, read/write as normal.

Can anybody explain this ? Obviously I would like the 250GB in the laptop running XP, not in an external enclosure!

Thanks in advance !!

BJ

**raptor_pa** · 04-10-2009, 04:54 PM

Sound slike the drive is physically working OK, could be an error in teh Windows boot loader. You could boot from teh install disk and try fixboot and fixmbr, or try a repair install of the OS

geezerBJ · 04-11-2009, 07:38 AM

Thanks,

I have tried booting from the Windows CD but I am unable to. I get the Dell Flash screen then just a black screen with flashing cursor top left. I am unable to select the boot menu.

I don't think the drive itself is faulty, it works fine as a USB external to which I can read/write. I have even recently managed to partition it successfully.

04-10-2009, 01:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
geezerBJ Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Hard Drive works externally but not internally ! Help Please?? Hello! My Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop is running Windows XP Home. I bought a new 2.5" Western Digital 250GB hard drive to replace the original 40GB which was full. I formatted the new drive and installed XP. All worked fine for a week or so. Then the computer refused to boot. When switched on, just a black screen with a flashing cursor top left. I was unable to boot from DVD/USB stick. I replaced the original drive - the laptop worked fine. When I use the 250GB drive in a USB external enclosure it works fine, I can access all the data, read/write as normal. Can anybody explain this ? Obviously I would like the 250GB in the laptop running XP, not in an external enclosure! Thanks in advance !! BJ

04-10-2009, 04:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,784 OS: XP	Re: Hard Drive works externally but not internally ! Help Please?? Sound slike the drive is physically working OK, could be an error in teh Windows boot loader. You could boot from teh install disk and try fixboot and fixmbr, or try a repair install of the OS __________________

04-11-2009, 07:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
geezerBJ Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Re: Hard Drive works externally but not internally ! Help Please?? Thanks, I have tried booting from the Windows CD but I am unable to. I get the Dell Flash screen then just a black screen with flashing cursor top left. I am unable to select the boot menu. I don't think the drive itself is faulty, it works fine as a USB external to which I can read/write. I have even recently managed to partition it successfully.