Hitachi Hard drive DK23EB not readable -please help

try other usb port, or other computer and see whether the hdd is detected. If still not, try to go to device manager ( http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000833.htm ), and then assign a drive letter to the hdd. After that, try to access it from Computer, if not able to access it, format it (use quick format) and then use this file recovery software called asoftech data recovery to recover your files.
http://www.asoftech.com/adr/

One bad lead can cause a computer to continue on a cycle or to shutdown or fail to detect your hard drive
Test the leads that attach to your ((hard drive from the motherboard)) or replace all the leads that attach to your hard drive including electrical extensions + IDE,SATA and the ones that attach from your ((motherboard to hard drive))
make sure all leads that are attached to your drives dvd\cd 3 1/2 inch floppy have secure connections and are not faulty even the electrical extensions or just replace them they are probably old and faulty a computer needs its connections to have an end so any faulty leads will end up with a computer error

hope this helps

Creo que ese laptop no supporta SATA para XP, y se puede tratar hacer lo con un cambio en BIOS.

Prende el laptop, y empuja "F2" inmediatamente cuando aparece el Dell logo. En el setup menu en BIOS empuja "SATA native mode" para tenerlo apagado.

Inserta el Windows XP CD en el CD ROM drive, y apagar y apagar el lapto.

dlb6d

Depending on the operating system that you are running on your computer you should not need to install drivers for the second hard drive. However you may just need to assign a drive letter to the second drive. The links below will help you do this.

How to change your drive letter in Windows Vista and Windows 7

How to change your drive letter in Windows XP

Let me know if you have any more problems or questions

Issken
http://www.fixya.com/users/issken

Sounds like the hard drive is defective or failing.

If you can try it in another computer, as the _only_ device connected to the "data" ribbon-cable, and it still fails to be detected, then it's gone, gone, gone.

well there a site may help you. but is very expensive. www.ontract.com on services

Check to make sure that your Inspiron is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive.

It sounds like your laptop is trying to boot from the (now erased) hard drive first, finds that it can't, then stops without ever checking the CD-ROM drive for boot media.

At startup, hit F2 to go into the BIOS settings. Look for the "Boot Order" section. Make sure that your CD drive is listed first, then your hard drive.

Save your changes, and reboot with the WinXP installation CD in your drive. Now your laptop should boot from the CD and begin installation.

Good Luck!

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Hi,

Basically what you have posted covers all that you need to know and do. The only issue would be the capacity in Gb of the new HD. Most currently available are far too big for your laptop. What you need to get is any 2.5" HD that is identical in size or just slightly bigger than what you used to have. Three reasons for this: 1) your motherboard may not recognize the newer/bigger HDs and therefore you would probably encounter problems even at the BIOS/CMOS stage; 2) the power requirement of the newer HDs may not be compatible with what your laptop can supply; and 3) the heat generated by newer HDs is considerably higher but your laptop was designed to accommodate older models only.

Hope this be of some help/idea. Post back how things turned up or should you need additional information.

Good luck and kind regards.