Cheers squirrel, only prob is would that fit in my tower on Dell pc? Otherwise i don`t have adapter at the mo.:-(if it's from a similar PC, it should. most of the HDs i've seen are pretty much the same size.http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/specs/ata/st94019a.html

This look to be your Hard Drive, and its a Segate, looks to me like its one of the Standard production line, there are manual's on that Site

You might want to check the Spec's against any new one you are going to buy

i would try to buy a replacement Seagate of the Same Model, that way you will eliminate any possible problemsWhy don't you just test the hard drive first with the Seatest utility if it is a Seagate drive???What Utility? How do i do this?http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/

You can get it on this page, one click away for the Page i reefed you to EarlierThanks Panboy, but if i can`t get online let alone get an OS up and running on the laptop how can i run the prog. I can`t save it to disk as its live!

ThanksThese posts have really rambled on. The short approach is to make sure the hard drive is jumpered correctly and that it is seen in the BIOS. If not, that has to be dealt with.

Then BOOT with a Windows CD, delete ALL partitions, create one, format it and try to install.

If that doesn't work post the exact problem. It may well be that the hard drive is KAPUT. (That was the reason you were given the machine initially, yes?)

I think we are making this harder than it has to be unless I missed something.Whats does, A device enclosed in Parenthesis has been disabled in the corresponding TYPE menu , mean?? How do i rid this MESSAGE in the bios boot device priorority sectioN??whne i check them all they are all on.The Prgram on the Segate site Can be burnt to a Disk, and then Booted off, thats how that works

But im think from what you have Said in this post ant the other , your disk is Broken, you just need to buy a new one.Panboy, i think you are right.
Many thanks to everyone who has helped with lots of info, apologise for wasting your time.I wouldn't Be here if i didn't want to waste Time! err wait i mean Help the Needy err yea thats it ^.^

Its all good its what i like to Do