Okay, I've been searching all over the internet for ways to fix my HDD, so I'm sorry if this is rehashed somewhere else, but I've yet to find a solution that works.

So, as the subject states, I have a Western Digital 500 GB hard drive with IDE connection. It was originally installed in a case when it was improperly disconnected (quite likely while writing). Currently, I have a Dell GX270 with XP Home SP2, though this is not the computer that the drive stopped working on. Here's what I know so far:
-Computer recognizes high-capacity hard drives; I had a 250GB working just fine (till something landed on it, RIP)
-HDD can be heard starting up and running; no unusual sounds
-HDD shows up in BIOS; shows capacity of 0mb
-HDD does not show up in Device Manager, Disk Management, or My Computer when directly installed in the PC or Nexstar 3 Case
-HDD does NOT show up in My Computer, but DOES shows up under Disk Drives in Device Manager when installed in Aluratek Case:
--Name under Device Manager shows "USB Disk", sometimes preceded by alternating 'boxes' with accented 'y's
--In Properties, all systems show device is working properly
--Under Volumes in Properties menu- HDD shows Disk/Type/Partition: Unknown; Capacity/Space: 0mb ; Status: Unreadable
--Both external cases have been tested with other drives with no problems
-When installed directly into PC, message "Error auto-sensing primary hard disk drive1" on boot
-HDD is NOT detected by Disk Management AT ALL
-HDD is NOT detected by WD Lifeguard Diagnostics
-HDD is NOT detected by Windows XP Installation Disk; causes Blue Screen of Death
-HDD IS detected by HDD Capacity Restore; however, no name or serial is shown(can't select for wipe), Size: 0 Bytes, Security: Not Locked
-HDD IS detected by fdisk & cfdisk on Puppy Linux; however, when attempting to format, an error message states that the HDD is unreadable/inaccessable
-Adjusting Jumpers has had no effect on capacity or accessability; seems to affect name under Device Manager & Details Tab (under Properties; see above regarding name)

So far, I've had no luck in trying to access, format, or reset this drive. I'm in the process of seeing if I can get the drive replaced through WD. It's been a couple of years since I bought it, and I don't know if I have the original receipt. So if anyone has any suggestions not hindered by the above mentioned, I'd appreciate it.

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