After bluescreen T43 doesn't detect hdd anymore

[SwissCheese]

How it happened:
Was online watching a clip using MS Windows media player (latest version). I was busy doing something else besides; suddenly I saw an error message about something being corrupt in media player... (right corner below). Next I saw was a serious blue screen (not like a regular one where you know it will be solved with a restart.

I restarted my T43 Thinkpad. Next thing that happend: BIOS didn't detect my hard drive anymore!

What I already tried:
- dismounted my hd (IBM/Hitachi P/N 0A25373; 60GB) and downloaded all my data using a USB hd-reader device attaching it to another notebook
-> So my hard disk (both partitions) was accessible without ANY problems!

- Attempted to reinstall Win XP with the CD but the setup can't find a harddisk

- Used Ultimate BootDisk to run Diagnostics only to find out that the tool can't recognize any primary IDE adapter (it does recognize the CD-R/DVD drive)

Got also this once (after a restart):
- BIOS error message: 0200: failure fixed disk1

Any suggestions about that scenario?
- BIOS-virus or malware? (how to remove?)
- Can't imagine that there is such a sudden hardware failure resulting in ide adapter issues... it looks like a virus / malware attack

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx.

Andy

 

[duffskeeze]

I had one of these come into my shop with a similar issue. Since the hard drive is not detected in bios, its not a software issue so it's not a virus. So lets take a deeper look. If its not detected in the bios that means its hardware and on a laptop only 4 peices of hardware would have this issue. Mobo, HD, Ram, or physical connection to the mobo. Since its not the HD then check out the ram, if it checks out either take the computer to a specialist in motherboards or look for a dissasembly guide and attempt to check the connections yourself. Take plenty of pictures of what you take apart and what it comes from so you can reassemble it with ease. You can also try jiggling the hard drive in place and seeing if that helps.