"MJC" wrote in message ...

In article ,
says...

Just won a Fujitsu Siemens laptop with a bricked HDD.

Linux based partition tools were able to recognise that the "HDD is bad" -
although it may have been occasionally poking its head above the parapet,
because at one point the tools exited with a message that server edition
wasn't supported.

With a replacement HDD; the XP Pro install disk went through the motions
all
the way to the partition setup screen - then said no HDD was present.

Since Linux based tools found the drive OK; I installed Fedora, that went
without a hitch and everything seems to be working.

The laptop is now capable of doing the job I wanted it for, but I'm used
to
Windows, and finding out what's preventing the install would make life
easier.

Thanks for any help.

Not real help, but can you run any deeper HDD diagnostic tools under
Linux?

Mike.

Maybe try UBCD, it has a number of disk tools on it.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Kenny