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Problems in setting up a Dell Precision T5500
Hello-
This is my first post to the Community - Hello!
I just got a Dell Precision T5500 (a BEAST, with 2 quad-cores and the optional riser). I’m trying to do an initial set-up with two 1TB SATA HDD’s (both WD 10EACS’s), a SATA DVD+/-RW drive, and, eventually, a dual-boot Win 7 Pro (64-bit) and Win XP Pro (32-bit) set-up (one on each hard drive). Being a neophyte, I don’t want to mess with RAID.
Right now, I can’t even get past the BIOS Set-Up Utility (which, by the way, is Version A03) to install an operating system.
Here’s where things stand (having chosen “Load Defaults” in the Set-Up Utility, with the following modifications):
- I have the two HDD’s on SATA 0 and SATA 1, and the DVD-RW on SATA 2. External SATA is unchecked.
- The boot order is: CD-ROM (or USB connected CD-ROM), then the two hard drives. Floppy / USB floppy is disabled as I don’t have one.
- For “SATA Operation”, my choices are:
* RAID Autodetect / AHCI
* RAID Autodetect / ATA
* RAID On (which was chosen when I did Load Defaults; I managed to have a brief conversation with a Dell Tech Support rep, who suggested RAID AD / AHCI – which it’s now set to.)
- I have no jumpers on the HDD’s.
When I try to install Windows 7 Pro from the DVD drive (which admittedly may be a bad disc), I get an error message of “No boot device available”, though diagnostics of the DVD drive result in “Pass”.
When I tried to install my copy of good ol’ XP Pro from the DVD drive, it got into Windows Set-Up and gets as far as “Loading Windows” before I get BSOD “STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF78D2524, 0x0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)” This happens with both SATA 0 and 1 connected, and trying each of them individually in turn.
HELP!!!! I’d at least like to get this thing going with XP, ignoring any issues with the 7 Pro disc for now. Any suggestions on configuration / settings?
RoHe
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December 10th, 2013 19:00
To install XP, you have to set BIOS to RAID AutoDetect/ATA otherwise you will get that 7B error message. And you probably should install XP with only the target HDD connected to the motherboard (on SATA0, and SATA1 turned off in BIOS)).
You will also need to load the SATA drivers at the beginning of the XP install when prompted by pressing F6, but this usually requires SATA drivers to be installed from a floppy diskette. If you don't have an internal floppy drive, you may have to slipstream XP from the install CD onto a new CD with the SATA drivers included.
BTW: What service pack is the XP Pro CD? If not SP3, you may want to slipstream SP3 into XP at the same time you slipstream SATA drivers, which will save you lots of time over installing XP SP2 first, and then updating to SP3. Keep in mind that Microsoft won't support XP after Apr'14 so do you really need it? Win 7 has the capability to install and run XP-based software in 'compatibility mode'.
Creatrix
3 Posts
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December 11th, 2013 20:00
Hi, Ron-
Thank you so much! Using RAID AutoDetect/ATA worked beautifully. XP Pro is installed, and now it's a matter of trouble-shooting small stuff as I proceed.
All the best-
Vera
RoHe
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December 11th, 2013 21:00
ReveAcademy
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September 9th, 2014 09:00
Hi -
I'm trying to load Windows 7 OS on a Dell Precision T5500 and the only message I get is "An operating systems wasn't found. Try disconnecting any drives that don't contain an operating system."
We have no drives connected - only the monitor and keyboard connection, plus the power cord.
Also, we did try loading Windows 8 but it wouldn't work on this computer station.
On another computer station (with a Dell Precision T3500), we were able to load Windows 8, enter the product key, but we got a diagnostic error message and got no further.
On a 3rd station (we have 3) and also a Dell Precision T3500, we were able to load Windows 8 and get set up.
I work at a non-profit. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!! Therese
knock_out
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May 8th, 2015 09:00
I am having the same problem. Yes I realize this thread is 2+ yrs old but we bought a refurbished t5500 workstation with a win7 os license and can't boot to DVD at all. Computer came with win7 dvd but not installed. I figured it would be a simple thing to do so myself...
Here's what I've done...
I've disabled everything except to two SATA ports for the HDD and DVD drive. I've tried RAID/AHCI and RAID/ATA, neither will pull of the DVD drive at all. I've booted to F12 and tried to manually select 'Onboard or USB CD-ROM," but that also doesn't pick it up. I've disabled Fast-Boot in case that causes problems as well.
If I'm not mistaken, running everything on ATA mode would be the simplest mode to test compatibility but I can't get anything to run. I don't have an XP copy, but I think my next step is to start moving SATA ports around and see if that helps.
Any ideas?
pixpert
1 Message
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June 1st, 2015 22:00
I also had problem booting from Onboard or USB CD-ROM of my refurbished T5500. I switched out the Optiarc DVD drive that came with the refurbished T5500 with a Lite-On DVD drive from an older computer. I was then able to boot from the Lite-On DVD.
Markpeachey
7 Posts
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October 7th, 2015 03:00
Hi,
How did you remove the DVDs player from your t5500? Cheers Mark
luckychuckie1
2 Posts
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October 18th, 2015 14:00
Windows 7 is corrupt so I need to reinstall. But I can't boot from the DVD. It came with