Why did linux mint pickup a hard drive but windows 7 didnt? - Please Help

[BK_123]

Hi all. Just a question, I am trying to get a laptop working that has problem with the harddrive and wont boot to windows7. When I took it to my course I am doing and showed it to my teacher, he gave me a disc with linux mint on it, So I booted up to that and according to its device manager the harddrive was still on the computer. So I am wondering why windows wont boot and linux is showing the harddrive there. I then tried using hirens boot cd but none of the harddrive tools would launch..

Please Help!!!

 

[jmacavali]

It could just be a corrupt installation of Windows and it just needs reloaded. Or the hard drive could have failed.

I have an IDE/SATE to USB adapter and I can be having a similar issue as you (with a computer that won't boot) and if I hook the hard drive up to the adapter my computer will see it. Sometimes I can access the disk and the data, and sometimes it just freezes up my computer until I unplug it back out of the USB port (depending on if it's a bad hard drive or just a corrupt install).

What I'm trying to say is that it's not unusual to see the hard drive and for it to know that it's out there, but it's another thing entirely for it to be access and to work properly.

Have you tried to reload Windows? What kind of errors are you getting on startup?

 

[BK_123]

Yes I am thinking both corrupt install of Windows and failed HDD. When I try install it from the USB it just stops at the logo and does nothing.

 

[BK_123]

Update: I had it checked out and the harddrive has died, so I am going to get a new one.

 

[BK_123]

I am actually thinking that it had been dropped alot..