[PLUG] Computer no boot

[Michael Moore]

I'm hoping for a quick diagnosis from someone more knowledgeable about
hardware than me (which is most people on this list, for starters), or
to find out, at least, that there's no obvious solution.

This morning my computer died while I was using it ... just shut
itself off, as if the power had gone out, except it hadn't.  When I
try rebooting, I hear several "clicks" -- probably six or eight, about
a second apart -- as the ASUS BIOS message flashes on screen.  Then a
pause, then a few more clicks as it switches to this screen:

VIA Technologies, Inc. VIA VT8237 Serial ATA Raid BIOS Setting Utility V2.01

Scan Devices, Please wait...
Press <Tab> key into User Window!

Hardware Initiate failed, Please Check Device!!!
The Bios does not be installed.  Press <g> to continue!

(Yes, it really does say "Hardware Initiate" and "Bios does not be installed.")

Pressing 'Tab' does nothing.  Pressing 'g' just takes me to a screen
that says insert a bootable device.

Does this sound like it could be the hard drive that failed?  I
thought those commonly gave some warnings, like wonky behavior in
advance of complete failure, but perhaps that's only true when some
sectors of the drive are wearing out.  Everything had been working
fine, then kabluey.  I have a spare hard drive, but I'm not sure how
to go about replacing the existing drive.  Do I have to reinstall the
BIOS?  (I have an ASUS disc I've never even taken out of its package.)

Or could it be something else that has died?

Any advice on what to try to do?  I'm in the dark about this, and now
without a computer.

Thanks,
Michael