Operating system not found - HD not showing in Bios

[Jeffneedshelp]

Hello Friends. My first posting in any forum. I usually search other topics and find answers to my questions. Lets get started....
Sony Vaio - Windows XP S2
2 days ago i started dusting my notebook, i removed the panels underneath, removed RAM and HDD to get dust out. When i handled the HDD i made sure I handles edges and to hold little as possible. After replacing the RAM and HDD, the unit WILL power on - then scren goes black. Upper left corner says Operating System Not Found. 
I can get into Bios. One thing i noticed Primary IDE: none Secondary IDE: CDROM
I don't recall making any major changes in the previous day.
I have no floppy drive. I do have a USB Flobby drive (computer does not reconize, never used it on this machine). I made a HUGE mistake and LEARNED a valuable lesson...Make all the CD Recovery disc when you get a new computer and BACK UP BACK UP BACK UP....I never did any of these. I searched for a day and have done alot of reading, before i posted in fourm. Thank you in advance, look forward to fixing the issue.

[Raptor]

Are you sure you shoved the HDD back in properly?

You do not need to 'handle a HDD by the edges' you need to make sure there is no static discharge and that you do not touch the print plate, other than that, hold it as firmly as you can ...

As for the no back-up, unless you fried the HDD by by somehow connecting it in an odd way (I don't even know if that is possible with laptop HDDs) your data is still on there.

[Jeffneedshelp]

According to the PDF it is in their correctly. I removed and replaced 2x. The PDF DID NOT show any power lines that ran into drive and i don't remember removing any at the time.  I can't completly remove the case to see if anything was jogged loose. My personal opion is nothing is loose.  The HDD i removed and laid down to handle as little as possible.   

[Raptor]

There is no HDD autodetection feature in your BIOS?

[Jeffneedshelp]

is it possible a jumper cable became loose or power cord.  

[Jeffneedshelp]

primary IDE: NONE (should it not show a drive in this spot)
secondary IDE: CDROM

[Jeffneedshelp]

No it seems i am lacking some options in the BIOS. I went into another notebook (gateway) it their were many more opitions. 

PhonixBIOS Setup Utility
advance tab
Primary IDE Adapter:     NONE
Secondary IDE Adapter  CD-ROM

Parallel Port
below that is network boot, logo speaker volumn.  It does not let me select IDE. Unless I have over looked something in BIOS.

[patio]

You should be able to select Primary Master and highlight it and hit Enter for it to self-detect.

[Raptor]

is it possible a jumper cable became loose or power cord. 

Laptops do not work with jumpers, it is also very hard to knock anything loose unless you're really rough. But removing the HDD and RAM is usually very easy work and doesn't involve opening up the entire laptop.. You did leave the rest closed, right?

[Jeffneedshelp]

Yes the rest was closed. that's way i am having a hard time understanding what and where it went wrong.  the bios - i will try again, but it does not give me the option to make any changes. no i am unable to make any changes to IDE. under exit , following options;
Exit (save changes)
Exit (discard changes)
Get default values
discard changes
save changes
shutdown

Fan is spinning and at start up CD ROM drive spins a few rotations

[2k_dummy]

Have you tried the default settings? Can you boot from a CD and get to a C:> prompt?

[Jeffneedshelp]

Yes i have tried default, nothing changes. i moved the order of optical and network to see if default was working and it put them back in order.  i have not tried making any kind of boot disk for the rom. if i need to what files need to go on. i have a gateway running xp. i was a little confussed on how to make one

[2k_dummy]

Is there any chance in Hades that you have a Win98 CD, or can you borrow one? It will give the option to boot to command prompt only and you can determine if DOS sees the drive.

[Jeffneedshelp]

let me check around. i just did some spring cleaning last week...picked up the win98, thought a second, said why would i ever need this. if i am not mistaking, i tossed it. i do have a dell laptop with 98 installed



Why can't i enable or autodetect or change anything in BIOS.

[Jeffneedshelp]

anyone have any ideas