Dell XT2 Boot Options

[jimmyd101]

I have an old Dell XT2 and I want to know if the BIOS recognizes a boot from the esata port using an external hard drive. There is not a specific option in the BIOS that mentions it. I can boot from an external dvd drive using the esata port if I select booting from a CD/DVD option in BIOS.

My BIOS options are Diskette, USB, CD/DVD, Internal HDD, Onboard NIC.

I currently do not own a esata hard drive but I would consider buying one if I can boot from it.

TIA.

[DELL-Aashish S]

Hi jimmyd101,

Welcome to the Community

You should be able to boot using eSATA port, in BIOS under Boot Sequence you should have the following options:

• Diskette drive

• Internal HDD

• USB Storage Device

• DVD/CD-RW Drive.

• eSATA HDD

• Onboard NIC

If you are not able to see the eSATA HDD try updating BIOS from the link below.

http://dell.to/sCpz1d

Please reply for any further assistance.

Thank you

Aashish Sengar

Social outreach Professional

You can reach us at http://en.community.dell.com/

[jimmyd101]

Thank you for your reply. The link you posted simply takes me back to the Dell homepage.

I found the latest BIOS (4/12) for the XT2 on the Dell Download page and upgraded my BIOS from version A07 to A13.

It didn't solve the issue.

I still have the same BIOS options as listed in my OP.

[DELL-Aashish S]

Sorry about the link,

Could you also check if in BIOS under System information (Device information) there is an option for System eSATA Device?

Please reply for any further assistance.

Thank you

Aashish Sengar

Social outreach Professional

You can reach us at http://en.community.dell.com/

[jimmyd101]

Yes, there is an option for an eSATA device.

Under System Information there is a subheading called Device Information.

It lists my primary hard drive then next line is:

System eSATA Device = {none}

When I rebooted with with my eSATA CD/DVD player connected it recognized and changed it to:

System eSATA device=DVD+/-RW

So that part is present and working. 

[DELL-Aashish S]

Hi jimmyd101,

Sorry for the late reply. eSATA HDD should work. But before you purchase an eSATA drive, what I would recommend is if you can go to a computer shop and try connecting the eSATA HDD to check for it's functionality.

Also please add me as friend and send me your system service tag number, so we can assist you further.

Thank you

Aashish Sengar

Social outreach Professional

You can reach us at http://en.community.dell.com/

[jamichau]

I'm reviving an XT2 that's been sitting idle for a couple years.  I just ran into the "can't boot from anything but the NIC" problem.  As posted above, the external CD/DVD drive showed in the BIOS setup as being connected, which is good, but it wouldn't boot. Under drives, SATA mode was set to ATA and I saw a note below the setting which said eSATA is disabled in ATA mode.  I changed the mode to AHCI and, BAM!, the CD/DVD drive awakened as a boot device.  Suhweet!  Now if I could just get it to boot from the USB port, my world would be complete.  Later.