i am getting a pxe-e61:media test failure check cable fault on my hp nx9005 laptop.
i have removed the hdd from the laptop and installed it in my pc as slave using a 2.5 - 3.5 adaptor with psu. it registers in the bios but not in windows. if i then disconnect the main pc hard drive and set the laptop hdd as master and try and install windows xp using the xp cd it states no hdd present

from this i would take it as the hard drive is damaged/dead

any advice welcome, thanks

So you have placed the laptop Hard Drive in place of your Desktop CD/DVD Drive? (as is what I usually do)
And your Windows version cannot see it in My Computer?

With the 2,5" Drive in place of the removed CD/DVD Drive (on its own IDE Cable)
And with the current Desktop system drive still connected (also on its own IDE Cable)

Go to start > Run > diskmgmt.msc [COLOR="Silver"]> ok[/COLOR]
Can you now see your drive?

If so, confirm the Volume type is Healthy and running NTFS (just like your main drive?)

Thanks for the reply, i ran diskmgmt.msc but only the main pc hard drive is displayed

though if i go into device manager the device is listed under disc drives and properties state "This device is working properly" maybe the controller on the laptop is ok but the drive is dead

can anyone help me get a master password for my hp nx9005 the system hash code [ 08093] please help

No, if Windows has found it (Plug n play) in Device Manager, then the drive must be working

You will need to boot up with a Linux BootCD (By the way, you will obviously need to remove the main system drive, just so as you have the laptop drive and DVD Drive connected, for this )

I'll refer you to LookinAround's guide on the BootCD: http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic129757.html

Note: its Step 2 in that guide


EDIT:

We cannot help with Password removal

hi have found the hdd to be a seagate drive so tried using disc wizard, frooze first couple of times but on 3rd attemt found the drive though still wasnt showing in windows. got discwizard to format it as as a storage device, once finished showed up in windows.
put hard drive back into laptop set cd as main boot loaded windows disc and in process of reinstalling xp.... what do you think caused this error

Oh if you are not requiring to retrieve any data from the drive, then I would have just stated to remove the Partition. Even a Windows Setup disc can do that, or even use the free live boot disc Gparted to remove any corrupted partitions.
Then install Windows clean (Windows Setup will automatically create a Partition and format to NTFS)

have loaded windows xp pro with sp1. as soon as i start to install sp2 i get errors and system wont retry so i only have option to cancel then goes into booting/ closing down cycle

tried this 3 times aghhhh...............

again connected to my pc and ran chkdisc and found loads of errors file record ####'s is unreadable, then recover orphaned files

also mentioned correcting errors in mba


have run the check in seagate tools and reports smart as ok but long dst and short dst test both show fail

think its time for a new hard drivre, is it worth running memtest86 as someone mentioned bad memory can effect the hdd files

many thanks for you help

Really it just sounds like a faulty drive, and thats probably why it wasn't showing before in a complete other computer (with totally different Ram)

Well, great work! You have helped me to improve my knowledge about this field. Thank you so much for sharing.