Shouldn't matter. Your PC should at least get this to respond to an IDENTIFY command, as it's a standard IDE interface.
Anyhow, that's apparently not the issue. Could it maybe be something as simple as a DOA drive? Those things do have pretty high failure rates...
Apparently that word doesn't mean what it used to.
but when clicked on says that there needs to be a disk in it.
Funny you should say that... with hard drives, it does mean something different. I'm not sure how it started, but there's a difference between 'refurbished' and 'recertified.' Refurbished means that it was a failed drive sent to some random third-party company to be repaired, whereas recertified means that it was actually reworked by the manufacturer themselves.
To rebuild or replenish with all new material; to restore to original (or better) working order and appearance.
Hitachi 6GB Microdrive 3K6-6 HMS360606D5CF00 Harddisk
This is a "white label" (OEM) Hitachi 6GB Microdrive 3K6-6 HMS360606D5CF00. This version has serious restrictions, and does not even work in PCMCIA-ATA mode. As expected, it works fine with ATA hosts and regular card readers.