Hello, the problematic computer is my 6 or 7 year old P3 800MHz, 384MB RAM (128MB+256MB).  Well, I'm really not sure about the individual parts, since we bought it so long ago, from an odd company.  Well, it was working fine, for the most PART...  Well, we got a new computer, so we stopped using that computer for a good year...  I tried turning it on the other day (So that we can have another net-surfing computer in the family), and well, POST showed up, the RAM was checked, and then...  The IDE drives were no longer detected!

I tried replacing the IDE cables, I triple-checked the connections and used other IDE drives, but to no avail.  I'm completely lost =\  Naturally, since it wasn't in use for so long, there were no hardware/software changes....  What can the PROBLEM be?  I'm sorta running out of options...  The only two solutions I can think of at the moment are buying a new motherboard or buying an IDE PCI card...  But, since it's just a net-surfing computer, if possible, I would want to spend the least amount of money necessary...  ANy suggestions?Remove all plug-in cards, memory and CPU, and then reinstall.  Contact mating surfaces can become "CORRODED", over time, removing and reinstalling wipes them CLEAN.  This has worked many a time for me.The IDE drives were no longer detected! : rs8389


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