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Dell E6510 boot failure inquiry
I have an E6510
Win 7 x86 32 bit Professional
Intel Quad Core i5
NVidia Quadro GPU
Free Fall HDD Protection
7200 rpm HDD (not SSD)
Full details unavailable as it will not boot, but I have what I think is a quick question. It was on and running. We had a tremor and it fell off my bed onto the floor, which is about a 1 meter drop onto a carpeted and padded floor. The screen went black, but I could hear the system running and the fan also. I tried to reboot it. The BIOS screen loads and the monitor appears normal. It never gets to the Windows screen. After the BIOS screen, it goes black and hangs. I have the install disk and tried booting from it, but it only wants to reinstall the OS and then cannot find a HDD. I run system diagnostics from the BIOS screen and all tests pass, except the HDD, which is not found.
I removed the HDD and using an e-Sata connector, plugged it into another computer. It mounted perfectly and all the partitions and files are there and usable. I ran a hardware test on it using the other computer and it passed.
I tried remounting it securely into the E6510 and still nothing. I am now assuming the internal cable to the MOBO came loose during the fall. Does that sound logical and/or what else should I try? Thank you in advance. Chris
DELL-Hemalatha
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December 25th, 2015 02:00
Hi Chris,
Sorry to hear that. Hope things are recovering at your place.
Keeping in mind the HDD is working fine on a different machine we can confirm the HD is absolutely fine. Should be the HD connector on motherboard which would have shorted.
Do we have another HD to try on this machine?
Anticipating your reply.
Regards
Chris Church nz
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December 25th, 2015 11:00
Interesting question. I hadn't thought of that. I may have, but need to understand if this will work?
The other machine that I tested the E6510's HDD on is a Dell M6600. They are both running Win 7 Pro. Could I put the M6600's HDD into the E6510's HDD bay and try to boot it up to follow your suggestion, or does not work? Also, you used the word, "shorted", but the cable could also have simply dislodged and become loose, correct?
DELL-Hemalatha
2.8K Posts
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December 26th, 2015 04:00
Hi,
Yes the HDD should work on E6510.
There is a connector on HDD which lodges onto the connector on motherboard (both the connectors are not sold separately unfortunately).
Regards
Chris Church nz
6 Posts
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December 26th, 2015 13:00
OK, Thank you. Now, I hate to extend my "quick question" further, but I have one last question before I open up the laptop to check the cables and connections. If the display is working, the BIOS screen loads and is fully accessible thru both F8 and F12, and the BIOS diagnostic tests will run OK, that means the MOBO is working, right? Therefore, logically, if the display works, the hard drive tests OK externally and the MOBO is good, the only thing left that could be failing is the connector, right? And, it is possible that a connector could simply have come unplugged, and there is no permanent damage, other than simply refitting the loose connector. Does that reasoning seem sensible?
DELL-Hemalatha
2.8K Posts
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December 30th, 2015 03:00
Hello,
You are absolutely spot on. And if you are able to refit the loose connector or find a new separate connector (chances are slim) at a local store , we should be lucky .