this laptop is a bitch to take apart, i couldnt figure out how to get it into to check the connections.
i now suspect something is up with the IDE cable or controller itself.
when the laptop is booted it takes FOREVER to get parseed the bootup menu and to the message about not having an operating system.
so i DISABLED everything in BIOS and ENABLED everything one by one till it froze up again when i ENABLED the IDE Controller. I need to get in there to check it out.
--Sal- :-/