Hard Drive stoped powering up on my R51

[spiel1]

Hi
I pulled my old 30g hard drive out to upgrade to a 120g. I installed the drive and it would not power up. So I put the old drive back in and it would not power up. I tested both drives ad the work.
In the Bios the drives do not show up. When I feel the drives as the laptop boots you can tell the drive does not even get power.

Does anyone have any idea on what to do to fix this?

[mgo]

Hi
I pulled my old 30g hard drive out to upgrade to a 120g. I installed the drive and it would not power up. So I put the old drive back in and it would not power up. I tested both drives ad the work.
In the Bios the drives do not show up. When I feel the drives as the laptop boots you can tell the drive does not even get power.

Does anyone have any idea on what to do to fix this?

My R51 would do something like what you described. I stumbled upon this trick:

- turn off the machine and unplug it.
- remove the battery and then firmly snap it back in.
- plug the machine back in and turn it on. It may respond now.

this seemed to either burnish some battery contacts (and perhaps some sort of interlock), or who knows what. But it worked.

Also, make sure the drives are firmly seated in the slot.

[spiel1]

I have even pulled the CMos Battery to reset the board to see if this may fix the problem.
It almost seems like there is some type of protection to keep it from starting the drive. I have gone through the Bios but there is nothing there.

[Brad]

Are you using the caddy and if you are make sure you have it in the proper direction.

Brad

[spiel1]

Are you using the caddy and if you are make sure you have it in the proper direction.

Brad

Yes everything is in the right position. It is the same caddy from the drive I removed that was working. Now that one will not power either. Both drives are good.

Scott

[Brad]

Scott,

Can you feel the drive making the connection to your ThinkPad as you press it into place in the last 1/8"

Brad

[spiel1]

Yes it is firmly in. Everything is seated perfectly. I just noticed something on the bootup process. I get this message
ibm hard drive active protection sensor diagnostics start

[spiel1]

Scott,

Can you feel the drive making the connection to your ThinkPad as you press it into place in the last 1/8"

Brad

On that Protection thing it is passing that test. I just formated the other HD and that made no differance either.

[Brad]

Scott,

You have done nearly everything that I can think of that can be done.

When you formatted the other drive was that in your ThinkPad?

Brad

[spiel1]

Scott,

You have done nearly everything that I can think of that can be done.

When you formatted the other drive was that in your ThinkPad?

Brad

I did both now with no luck. This is so frustrating.

[Brad]

I think there is a connection problem since the original 30gb drive worked until removed then has not worked again in your ThinkPad.

I have seen many threads just like this. Usually once the connection problem is resolved there are no more issues.

Brad

[RealBlackStuff]

Maybe I'm kicking in an open door, but you DO know that hard disks go in upside down in an R51?

[spiel1]

Maybe I'm kicking in an open door, but you DO know that hard disks go in upside down in an R51?

Yes I do.
This has been frustrating because I have been working on computers for 20 years and this is the first time I have evercame across something like this. It seems like some anti theft system that has shut the drive off.

[RealBlackStuff]

According to the Think-Wiki, this APS is only software-controlled.
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Active_Protection_System.

You tried another HD, and still no go.
Check if any of the pins are bent or for a loose connector on the mobo.
See if you can 'wiggle' the HD once it is in, perhaps you can make contact that way.