Welcome guest. Before posting on our computer help forum, you must register. Click here it's easy and free.

Author Topic: Dell Dimension 2400 Will not boot. Does not detect HDD or DVD RW drives..  (Read 21376 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

milmat1

    Topic Starter


    Rookie
  • 10 + 10 = 4
    • Experience: Familiar
    • OS: Windows XP
    Dimension 2400 Windows XP (home).    Has Floppy drive and two optical drives, CD ROM, DVD RW.

    Pc will POST then warns: Press F1 to retry boot or F2 to enter SETUP. (F1 Just Loops back to same error)

    In BIOS only the floppy drive is detected.  all other drives  say UNKNOWN DEVICE.

    Nothing has been changed or upgraded, PC was working then simply failed to boot up.

    Hard drive is connected to MB with a single ribbon cable (Grey).
    Two Optical drives are connected to 2nd port on MB with single (daisy chain) ribbon cable.(White)
    Floppy drive is connected to MB port with single ribbon cable.

    What I have done:
    Spend two days reading on Computerhope.com..... ;D
    1, Reseat EVERYTHING, Cables plugs, connectors, memory sticks etc.
    2, Clean PC with canned air to remove dust (Lots Of Dust!).
    3, Swap Cables from HDD/DVD RW drives.
    4, connect HDD leaving all others disconnected. Repeat connecting HDD to other MB slot. (CDROM/DVDRW Slot)
    5, Remove HDD and inspect/clean. Hard Drive Does Spin when powered up !
    6, Test Power Supply,    GREEN LED on MB is "ON" !
    7, reset BIOS ( Disconnect power cord, remove CMOS battery, Hold power button "ON" for 1 minute, Replace battery and reconnect power cord)
    While some of these test produce different and expected errors, Machine will not detect the hard drive or optical drives at all.
    I am thinking Controller on  mother board has failed or the HDD is defective.  I do not have another HDD or PC to substitute parts at this point. I have not checked HDD jumper/dipswitch settings since this was a running machine. But I will do that anyway...

    Question: Have I missed anything?  If the Hard drive has failed would that prevent the detection of the other drives (DVDRW/CDROM)


    Any other test or suggestions ??


    THANK YOU !













    geek hoodlum



      Apprentice
    • Thanked: 25
      • Yes
    • Experience: Familiar
    • OS: Windows 7
    Aside from swapping the cables, do you have any extra cable there to test the HDD and DVD drive? You may borrow from a friend with a working computer.

    Raptor

    • Guest
    wrong thread. Sorry.

    milmat1

      Topic Starter


      Rookie
    • 10 + 10 = 4
      • Experience: Familiar
      • OS: Windows XP
      Aside from swapping the cables, do you have any extra cable there to test the HDD and DVD drive? You may borrow from a friend with a working computer.
      Do you mean to test the cables themselves?  Is it likely that two of them would fail at same time ?
      I can likely borrow a cable out of another PC and try it.....

      I'll try that today....

      Raptor

      • Guest
      Quote
      Hold power button "ON" for 1 minute

      I'm not sure what the problem is but that is not part of resetting the BIOS.

      How is the mainboard looking? Any leaking capacitors?
      Did you test the RAM?

      Does it boot from just a hard drive set to master?

      milmat1

        Topic Starter


        Rookie
      • 10 + 10 = 4
        • Experience: Familiar
        • OS: Windows XP
        I'm not sure what the problem is but that is not part of resetting the BIOS.

        How is the mainboard looking? Any leaking capacitors?
        Did you test the RAM?

        Does it boot from just a hard drive set to master?

        It is a means of resetting the dell BIOS (from dell support site) I think they have you hold the button "on" for 1 min simply to be certain the pwr supply and MB dies completely...

        The MB looks fine, it was very  dirty (dust) But no leaking or bulged caps etc..No resistor damage and no signs of failure...

        I do not understand about setting the HD to master and trying it, it is a master . And the only thing on that cable...??

        Allan

        • Moderator

        • Mastermind
        • Thanked: 1260
        • Experience: Guru
        • OS: Windows 10
        1) Did you use compressed air and clean out the inside of the system? That's not the cause of your problem, but it needs to be done since you said it was very dusty.

        2) Try replacing the cmos batter with a new one.

        Raptor

        • Guest
        Quote
        I do not understand about setting the HD to master and trying it, it is a master . And the only thing on that cable...??

        The instructions for master/slave are on the top of the hard drive. The master goes onto the black connector, slave onto the grey. Blue goes into the mainboard.

        The problem is that it won't pass POST, yes?

        milmat1

          Topic Starter


          Rookie
        • 10 + 10 = 4
          • Experience: Familiar
          • OS: Windows XP
          The instructions for master/slave are on the top of the hard drive. The master goes onto the black connector, slave onto the grey. Blue goes into the mainboard.

          The problem is that it won't pass POST, yes?
          Correct it will do POST then show the :
          "Primary Drive "0"  Not Found"
          "Primary Drive "1" Not Found"
          "Secondary Drive "0" Not Found"
          "Secondary drive "1"  Not Found"
          "Press F1 to try reboot or F2 to enter setup"  (pressing F1 loops back to same error.. And Pressing F2 to enter BIOS, It will not detect HDD or DVDRW etc  shows them as Unknown device in BIOS....

          Raptor

          • Guest
          Have you tried Allan's suggestion of replacing the CMOS battery? Some BIOS' don't like it when the voltage drops below a certain point.

          It could also be that one of the cables or devices was damaged, sometimes that gives wonky results in the BIOS. The only way to find out is by disconnecting everything and booting with the bare essentials.

          milmat1

            Topic Starter


            Rookie
          • 10 + 10 = 4
            • Experience: Familiar
            • OS: Windows XP
            Have you tried Allan's suggestion of replacing the CMOS battery? Some BIOS' don't like it when the voltage drops below a certain point.
            I can try that, I assumed since time/date was correct it was good..Good Point  Thanks !!
            It could also be that one of the cables or devices was damaged, sometimes that gives wonky results in the BIOS. The only way to find out is by disconnecting everything and booting with the bare essentials.
            I tried booting with only the HDD connected all other disconnected,,Even tried it this way while swapping cables.......

            I think the only way I'm gonna be able to troubleshoot further is with some substitue parts ??

            Raptor

            • Guest
            So when you boot with just the hard drive, was it set to master?
            Have you tried booting with a CD-ROM drive set to master to see if it detects that properly?

            Have you tried removing some of the RAM and alternating slots?
            Have you disconnected everything but the keyboard, mouse and monitor?

            Raptor

            • Guest
            Apparently, your computer comes with diagnostic lights on the "back panel". What are these set to when the problem occurs?

            No beep codes?

            milmat1

              Topic Starter


              Rookie
            • 10 + 10 = 4
              • Experience: Familiar
              • OS: Windows XP
              So when you boot with just the hard drive, was it set to master?
              Have you tried booting with a CD-ROM drive set to master to see if it detects that properly?

              Have you tried removing some of the RAM and alternating slots?
              Have you disconnected everything but the keyboard, mouse and monitor?

               Yea, Set HDD to Master "0"  And everything else disconnected,  Same Thing !

              Quote
              Apparently, your computer comes with diagnostic lights on the "back panel". What are these set to when the problem occurs?

              No beep codes?

              I cannot locate those LEDS, and the "TWO BEEP" code just says Refference Error Message onscreen....

              I HAVE NOT tried setting the CDROM as master and see if it will detect that drive alone. I will try this !Which brings the original question "If it does not detect the HDD will it abort looking for the CDROM and DVDRW" ?

              Also the Battery Voltage = 2.97VDC !


              I will try setting CDROM as master and see if it detects it !

              patio

              • Moderator


              • Genius
              • Maud' Dib
              • Thanked: 1769
                • Yes
              • Experience: Beginner
              • OS: Windows 7
              If the BIOS is not seeing the HDD chances are the HDD is dead...
              " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "