Solved! HP mini 1000 hard drive replacement - BIOS won't recognize new drive

[Domina]

Trying to install a Hitachi C4K60 into my Mini 1151NR and the BIOS says "not support" when I go to hard drive detect. I've tried connecting the ZIF cable every possible way and still am having no luck.

At first I thought I might have received a drive that was DOA - so I bought another one. Now I have 2 C4K60's the BIOS can't see.

The original drive was a Toshiba MK8025GAL - but after having gone through two of these in a year in a Netbook that never gets moved (!), I figured I'd try a Hitachi. Both drives are ATA-7 (PATA), some I'm not sure where the problem is.

Specs for the old drive and new drive are below. TIA

http/www.sdd.toshiba.com/main.aspx?Path=StorageSolutions/PCNotebookHardDrives/MK8025GAL/MK8025GALSpecifications

http/www.hitachigst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/096F6F6F37C01A1286257061006DC2F0/$file/C4K60_Slim_datasheet.pdf

 

[Guest]

I'm guessing HP have played a trick in the BIOS to lock you into buying replacement drives from them. The new drives you've tried are unlikely to be too big for the BIOS to recognise otherwise.

I don't know why anyone would restrict hard drive choice unnecessarily as they are, essentially, generic and it would only serve to deter one from buying HP in future.

 

[The_Prophecy]

It may also be a bug in the BIOS code... have you tried checking for an updated BIOS, and flash it if there is one?

 

[Domina]

There are a couple of "how to" articles floating around the Net where people replace the stock HDD in their HP mini with an aftermarket SSD drive. It doesn't seem to be common for HP to lock you into buying their drives.

Good idea on the BIOS update - I checked and there is no update available, unfortunately.

Any other ideas - even if they're wild guesses? At this point, I'm ready to install XP on an external USB HDD - which isn't a good solution for a mobile device...