I have a Western Digital WD2500 HD that is giving me problems. If I plug the drive into the computer the computer will not start. The boot up procedure doesn't even seem to get pass the bios part. (i.e. windows doesn't even come close to loading). When the drive is not plugged in the computer starts up fine.

Does anyone know what this problem with the HD would be? Could I just replace the PCB board (with an exact identical)? Or am I looking at a from serious problem?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Do you only have one device set as master and slave? If two are set as the same, on the same channel, the PC will have troubles booting.

Remove to pcb from the drive , I'll bet you will find that
the motor controller chip is burnt , and probably others

I have done the slave / master / CS switches and none of that helps.

The drive was in my other computer when it crashed. The same issue happens (not booting) when I put the HD in either computer.

Also I can't smell and "burnt" scent, but I will take off the PCB board and take a look. I really hope its not a burnt drive motor.....that justs sounds much worse than I hoped for...

I took off the PCB board and there is no visible "burnt" resistors or chips.

I also did the "test" where you put the drive up to your ear and spin it. I could hear smooth and consistant noises like the platters were spinning when I did this, so from this test I could guess that the drive is not seized. So should I assume that the PCB board( or something on it) is in fact the culprit?

I have found a drive that is ALMOST the same.... its WD2500JB-00FUA0 with a PCB 2061-001179-000 DK. The only difference in this drive is the last letter of the PCB... I have a DH instead of a DK. BUT the picture of this PCB does not look like mine in many ways... Should I keep on looking for an exact match?

First, try to get into BIOS with just this drive connected(disconnect all the others).
If it doesn't help - try it on another computer and in USB enclosure.