Back to basics. If the BIOS cannot see the drive, no way no how will any
software (Spinrite, etc) be able to see it. The odds are at least 99 to 1 in
favor of this assertion.

Possible reasons why the BIOS won't see the drive in a notebook:

Faulty connection between drive and motherboard
Faulty motherboard
Defective drive

That's about it.

Possible reasons why the BIOS won't see the drive in a desktop system:

Defective drive
faulty connection to motherboard (can't be a bad motherboard, 'cause it works!)
incorrect jumpering of drive

If someone is quite experienced at hitching up 2.5" drives to a desktop
computer, the possibilities narrow down to defective drive or defective drive.

Why would the drive become defective?

Failed circuit board
Failed inner workings inside sealed portion drive (heads, platters etc)

If the circuit board has failed, it is possible to bring a drive back to life by
swapping a know good circuit board from an IDENTICAL model of drive. I've done
this successfully numerous times with normal 3.5" desktop drives, but never with
a notebook drive.

Given what the Dell tech did, leaving metal parts boncing around inside the
computer, the odds are pretty good that the notebook's motherboard has developed
some flaws when the metal parts made contact with the board.

Now get back to Dell, escalate the problem, contact your state's consumer
protection division and raise hell because Dell's incompetent service tech got
you into this mess and they are responsible for getting you out of it. At the
same time, assess the value of whatever data and programs are on the drive. If
it will cost you lots of time and/or money to get your data back, a drive
recovery service is probably worthwhile, though very pricey. (I'm assuming you
have the media to reinstall all your important software on a replacement hard
drive, or that you can download all the software like Acrobat Reader at no
cost.).

At this point, the best course of action would seem to be Dell providing an
entire replacement system, especially if the amount of your own personal and
valuable information is minimal. Or maybe Dell refunds your money and you go
your separate ways? ... Ben Myers

On 6 Aug 2005 22:45:10 -0700, wrote:

I have a nearly new Inspiron 2200. Microphone input isn't working
right. Dell chat line representative insists on scheduling technician
to replace the motherboard.
SNIP
If anyone has any ideas about any of this, I would be very interested
in hearing them. At any rate, I thought it would be prudent to record
the details for future reference by myself and others.