itronix GoBook IX260+
Tried to force pae on laptop [pentium M] and got a bios &/or motherboard that does not see any hard drive as present for purposes of booting [problem began as soon as entered force command, so no likelihood of a hardware problem, which also double-checked on anyway].
However the listing of pci does show IDE Controller present and it functions when use Rescutux to switch boot loaders: IDE Controller for Intel 82801DBM (ICH4-M) interface.
Removed button battery for bios for couple weeks, but made no difference.
As the IDE Controller is present and functioning, except for recognizing the hard drive as boot option [only registers the dvd player and usb as boot options], am in hopes that there is some command, wiping, alteration, etc. which might bring back recognition of the hard drive for booting option.

Most BIOS should have a "load defaults and save" or similar wording. Not familiar with these particular machines, but can you find something like that?

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In an odd twist, linux doesn't really need bios to see hardware if it can boot. (just random notes)

If you can access bios, can you then select some boot media like floppy or cdrom or pxe? If so then try to boot to that.

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you might re-flash the bios (i mean update it, usually update to original not "newer release" UNLESS you have a problem mentioned in newer release is the old standard)

but first insure the drive is infact bootable (ie on any system)

you can't be sure (unless you used dd(1) and hexedit(1) and checked) that your boot sector / boot flag were not changed on the hard disk (by zealous boot loader? i dont know)

make sure your "all still there" on disk (and that your boot loader options didn't change) before blaming bios

(ie, some boot loaders will skip if booting fails 1x)

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> Rescutux

did not cause a drive to be seen by bios. it's more likely to be the cause of the problem rather than your savior. but surely it presents itself as the solution. you use tux and are now having to boot manually not automated , end of story.

your loss: salability automation and your time