and I actually tried to find an answer

[mdotbarber]

But I can't find it........ Ok I was running vista xp, on a computer that was built for me. I wake up and my room mate had turned the computer off on the back switch, so I wasnt sure what was going on. I turned it on, and it went right to the screen that says "enter in safe mode" all of those options, it gave me the option to run the computer in different ways, for example safe mode, or last configuration that worked, safe mode with command prompt or normal mode, it does the exact same thing every time I try and go into one of those modes. It loads the windown load screen like it is going to go into windows, but then it pauses and very quickly it flashes, "IDE Channel 0 no 80 conductor cable installed". then it turns off and on, and back to the screen. So I tried googling the answer but all I get is that I need to put in an 80 conductor cable in my IDE, but the night before it was working fine, so either it was a virus that messed it up or mine went bad????thats pretty much all I could see from my search on google. I am pretty lost now, I have contacted a few people to no avail. thanks for your help, Michael

[GX1_Man]

Have you checked to see if the cable is firmly seated?

[mdotbarber]

no I did not, I really didnt kno what exactly my IDE was, I am assuming it runs of my processor? so with the computer not getting kicked or moved I dont know how that would have come undone, unless it just does??? I can get in there and look have to do some more google ing to see what exactly it is. Could it have just gone out? like burned out or got a virus?

[patio]

IDE is the flat ribbon cable that connects drives to the MBoard...

patio.  8-)

[Raptor]

Run a diagnostic test on your HDD using software provided by the manufacturer.

Turning off the power when a computer is running is a bad idea.

[mdotbarber]

Would turning off the computer do that to me IDE? from what I can tell it is all connected right, I am thinking a virus is telling me that my IDE isnt hooked up

[Raptor]

You can try to perform a repair installation on Windows XP and see if it works. Personally, I think your HDD is failing and you should diagnose it.

I'm not sure what you mean by Vista XP, though. Did you have a dual boot with Vista/XP? Perhaps Vista just crapped out and made XP go haywire. Wouldn't surprise me.

[patio]

And a virus isnt telling you that message...that is from the BIOS.

[GX1_Man]

And a virus doesn't destroy IDE cables....

[mdotbarber]

I had vista on there, thought vista was xp? ok wrong there, ok so the wire to me from looking at it and from looking at stuff on google everything is still hooked up. How do I do a system repair if I cant get past those two screens? somewhere I read hit F10, but I am not sure? thanks for your help anyways. Michael

[GX1_Man]

Vista is a beta product and should never be used unless you are willing to hose your entire system. I don't know if this situation can be saved. The hard drive is suspect as well.

[mdotbarber]

so this is from vista? and my do you have any suggestions as to what I can do? anyway to check and see about my hardrive? thanks, Michael

[GX1_Man]

Free hard drive diagnostics are available for download from the appropriate hard drive maker's site:

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1122425778

If I were in your spot I would back up my data and install a legal copy of Windows so you get support from Microsoft and are not running beta software.

(I don't personally use Windows on my main machines, so don't have these issues, but that's just me.)

[naseer_10_1980]

have u tried to remove and refix IDE cable it may work.

[mdotbarber]

no I havent but that is my next step, I just found a websight with ways to do it. I was just wondering if there was any other way to get into my system besides doing this? like hitting something when windows came up or something? just wondering, thanks for all your help, and I still dont understand why my harddrive would b bad if my IDE went bad? that doesnt make since to me

[panboy]

IDE is the interface Between you mother board and Hard Drive, the Chips and cable's that make up the IDE Area, are less likely to break that The HDD it self, which is why one would look at that as the most likely solution.

Hard Drives are made up a very fast spinning disks , little Sticks of Metal that fly around thousands of times in a second. this is why it might fail.

Also the Error could point to the IDE Controller on your mother board being fryed, which would be much more work if it was the case.

[patio]

Also the Error could point to the IDE Controller on your mother board being fryed, which would be much more work if it was the case.

If this were the case the HDD wouldn't be showing up at all...

patio.  8-)

[Raptor]

What the *censored* is up with all the capital letters? Is your SHIFT key stuck every 100 miliseconds?

[panboy]

Yes.

[mdotbarber]

so I need to replace the IDE cable? I can probably figure out how to do this, but do you think from the little bit that I have told you that this is the problem? so should I replace the cable or the whole IDE? thanks, Michael

[Raptor]

You need to go back a page and do what everyone was telling you to. Diagnose the HDD.

[mdotbarber]

how can I diagnose it if it wont go past any of those two screens??? That is where I was puzzled?/

[Raptor]

how can I diagnose it if it wont go past any of those two screens??? That is where I was puzzled?/

You download software from the HDD manufacturer which allows you to create a bootable floppy diskette.