[Big Otto]

OK, Don't Laugh, but this just recently happened to my daughter.
Same symptoms, it was either there and empty or not there at all.

Turns out to have been the hdd controller, which was surface mounted to the motherboard (HP laptop)

I suggested she put the entire laptop in the fridge, get all the components very cold (she almost froze the LCD liquid!) then give it a try.

In a word - WORKED!!

for about 30 minutes, which was long enough.

Good Luck

[CyberCowboy777]

I have recovered three drive over the years with the "freeze" approach. Works both for bad electronics and platter/head issues.

[Lancey Howard]

(she almost froze the LCD liquid!)

One night this past winter I left my cell phone in the car and the temp dropped to about zero. Next day, my phone was frozen and I had to thaw it out in front of the fire. Still works fine.