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Inspiron 2100 can't find either hard drive or CD drive on boot (at bios level)
I had the "clicking" noise begin and the 2100 could no longer find the hard drive. Ordered an exact replacement from Dell and inserted, inserted XP Home original Dell install CD. Tried to boot and it can't find either drive. The bios level does not see them.
The clicking sound from the hard drive is gone now though.
I tried pulling both drives out and reinserting them. It briefly saw the CD drive, but not the hard drive again. Then rebooting one more time, it could not see either the CD drive or the hard drive at the bios level. Diagnostic test also fails.
Does this sound like the drive failure caused a mother board failure at the same time? (or mother board failure caused the hard drive failure and now also can't see or damaged the CD drive?)
I have searched and searched but could not find someone with the exact same symtoms of failure to see both drives at the same time.
Any help is greatly appreciated,
Califcarm
ejn63
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March 6th, 2008 20:00
califcarm
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March 6th, 2008 20:00
No, I did not. I was not aware of that.
The new drive seemed to plug in mechanically just fine, but it sounds like I must have this for the drive to mechanically interface correctly?
Is there a link to show this or what that part looks like (might be obvious to me when I see my computer in a few hours?)?
Thanks again,
Califcarm
ejn63
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March 6th, 2008 21:00
califcarm
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March 7th, 2008 00:00
I did write down the error when running dianostics. during the DST short test it errors with 1000-0141
Also, I have found that if I remove the hard drive and leave the bay empty, the bios will see the CD drive consistently, and even try to load windows if I insert the OS CD and try to boot from it. Not helping much since I can't do that and get the hard drive going at the same time.
Do you have any other thoughts with this new information?
Thanks again for all you help,
Califcarm
ejn63
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March 7th, 2008 01:00
califcarm
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March 7th, 2008 02:00
Is it possible the geometry you are refering to is built into the drive case or something simiar? Both drives comfortably and fully insert into the computer bay opening and seat all the way, allowing the holding screws through the chasis to go in without problems.
I'll try to take picture of the drive front area with the pins and post to a site, then link it here later tonight.
edit: any thoughts on why the CD drive becomes visible to the bios with the hard drive out of the bay, but not visible when the hard drive (either old or new hard drive) into the bay?
califcarm
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March 7th, 2008 15:00
Here is a picture of the front of the drive.
http://carpron.com/multisite/v/Upload/califcarm/100_3291.JPG.html
Could you tell me from that where the edge connector over the pins should be?
Thanks,
Califcarm
califcarm
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March 8th, 2008 03:00
The replacement hard drive I purchased from Dell was bad. I thought I was buying a new one, but it turns out I was sold a refurbished unit (without ever being told so or seeing it anywhere in the product description!).
It was bad out of the box and caused problems for the bios to see the CD drive in the modular bay when it was installed. Tried it on another computer laptop and it caused the same problem. Put in a known good drive from a different laptop (into mine) and it worked fine.
Who would of thought my replacement drive from Dell would have been bad out of the box? It was. Lessoned learned.