Boot Error-No Hard Drive-Windows98ME

[Tulip]

Can't get Compaq Presario laptop to boot. Error message reads "Hard drive not installed. If operating system not found, re-install hard drive. Hit any key to exit." Another error message reads "Error 0210 stuck key 43." And yet another error message reads "Operating system not found." My emergency boot disk does not help either. Using Windows98ME software.
Any suggestions? Thanks.

[jdc2000]

If the laptop is not detecting the hard drive, there are several possible causes:

1. The interface connection to the drive may have been jarred loose.

2. The drive has died.

3. The drive controller on the laptop mainboard has died.

You can check item #1 first. After that, you could use a laptop drive adapter to connect the drive to a working desktop system to see if it is recognized there. If it is, then the drive may be OK.

It is also possible, although unlikely, that the laptop BIOS is not recognizing the drive. A model number for the PC might be helpful.

[Tulip]

Oh my! Model number for the lap is 1700T. Appreciate any additional input. Thanks.

[jdc2000]

If you can get into the BIOS, you might try detecting the hard drive there, or restoreing to factory settings. Otherwise, it looks like it might be a hardware problem. In that case, connecting the hard drive to another PC would let you know if it is the drive or the mainboard.