won't recognize hard drive at startup

[beatrice]

My Dell has been fairly reliable but today when I powered it up, it wouldn't start.  Well, it tries but then messages me that it can't find the drive.  I went into setup and the driver order says it can't recognize a hard drive at all.  Does this make sense?

[beatrice]

I'm running XP

[876543219]

are you sure the jumper is plugged into the jumper pins if it is the right spot

make sure everythings plugged in correct

here's is what a jumper pin looks like
http://www.doublehammer.com/clinic/images/jumpers.jpg

[beatrice]

Well, first of all, it's run for years without anything falling out/loose.... and I can't tell that anything's come loose when I look and feel around the wires.

[Broni]

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.

[Allan]

Or boot to your XP CD and choose the first Repair Option (that will take you to the recovery console). Once there, run chkdsk /r