No bootable devices, strike f1 to retry boot, f2 for setup utility, press f5 to run onboard diagnostics

Hi, Jason:

It's always a bad sign when the diagnostics do not detect the drive at all. If you have important data that's not backed up, it would be worth your effort to purchase an external USB drive enclosure (for 2.5" drives) and see if a different computer can detect the drive.

How exactly do i go into the BIOS and look for it?

How exactly do i go into the BIOS and look for it?

On boot up press F2.  This will bring you into the BIOS.  Simply look for the listing of hard drives.

On the bios it says i have no primary hard drive.

On the bios it says i have no primary hard drive.

jpecha03,

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like hardware failure.  I have seen this at my work numerous times, where users simply turn on their workstations an are met with this type of error.  The fact that the BIOS does not see the hard drives tells me that it is more than simply a Master Boot Record issue.  My suggestion is to call DELL if the system is still under warranty and have them replace the hard drive.  Or simply buy a new Hard Drive at retail and throw it into your system.  Good luck.

You should have started a new post for your question. Run the Onboard Diagnostics F5 including the extended (not the quick) hard drive check to see if the drive has failed.

Reseat (remove and reinstall) the drive:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins640m/en/SM/hddrive.htm#wp1130375

If it's still not found thereafter, replace it;  it is toast.

You should have started a new post for your question. Run the Onboard Diagnostics F5 including the extended (not the quick) hard drive check to see if the drive has failed.

sorry about not starting a new topic for my question I thought it would be better to bump a topic that had the same issue I have...

when I press f2 there is no HD on the BIOS (and there is no way to force it to be found)

I don't know how to run the EXTENDED HD TEST... but since it was not found, I believe it will make no difference...

here is the result of the test:

--DST Short Status Test--

Test Results: Fail

Error Code: 1000-0141

Msg: No hard drive detected

Reseat (remove and reinstall) the drive: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins640m/en/SM/hddrive.htm#wp1130375 If it's still not found thereafter, replace it;  it is toast.

looks like I will have to buy a new HD...

it looks like the boot sector from the HD was damaged... and the problem might be with the mother board or the BIOS... 

I have removed the HD from the LAPTOP and put it on a DESKTOP... the HD was recognized, which means that the HD still works, but the PC was not able to BOOT with that HD, which made me wonder if the problem is really on the HD... can someone else give me a few more ideas on how to solve my problem?

would it be possible to install windows on the HD with the SERIAL that I got when I bought the LAPTOP but using my desktop to do it? (I know that the serial only works on the DELL LAPTOP and can't be used anywhere else)... I just won't do it on the laptop directly because the HD is not being detected there...

any help appreciated!!

Hi Jason

Based on what you said I would say the HDD may be fried but I would suggest a restart / reboot and watch your HDD indicator light if you have one. You can find that out by looking for a basic owners manual. If the light flickers on start then the HD is getting power and attempting to work.

The diag will normmaly give you at least a failure message. Somting like HDD failed just as it would if a portion of memory was bad. You may just have lost the driver associated with the HD. If the driver was lost or corrupted the system will not recognise the HD and naturally will not be able to boot the OS.

I also noticed you had the option for F2 / setup. Hit the F2 and open the setup to see if it has the HD listed. Do not change any of the settings without writing down the original ones.

I am not sure about Vista but you may be able to access the boot menu by pressing F12 repeatedly , as soon as you turn on the system. Generaly it will be a black screen with a list of options. Get your drivers and utilities CD and put it in the CD drive, select the option in the list to boot from the CD and restart, then run a full diag from the CD. It will take about an hour.

Hope that helps

Joe

Hi Jason Based on what you said I would say the HDD may be fried but I would suggest a restart / reboot and watch your HDD indicator light if you have one. You can find that out by looking for a basic owners manual. If the light flickers on start then the HD is getting power and attempting to work. The diag will normmaly give you at least a failure message. Somting like HDD failed just as it would if a portion of memory was bad. You may just have lost the driver associated with the HD. If the driver was lost or corrupted the system will not recognise the HD and naturally will not be able to boot the OS. I also noticed you had the option for F2 / setup. Hit the F2 and open the setup to see if it has the HD listed. Do not change any of the settings without writing down the original ones. I am not sure about Vista but you may be able to access the boot menu by pressing F12 repeatedly , as soon as you turn on the system. Generaly it will be a black screen with a list of options. Get your drivers and utilities CD and put it in the CD drive, select the option in the list to boot from the CD and restart, then run a full diag from the CD. It will take about an hour.   Hope that helps Joe

I have used a linux Live CD and when it was trying to read the HD it keep giving me errors... (I did that on my desktop as my laptop doesn't recognize the HD)

it is strange that on my Desktop the HD was recognized, while on the laptop it wasn't... can that be an indication that my Mother Board might also be damaged?

the Big Linux Live CD kept giving me errors on sectors 0 to 4, which means that the boot sector of the HD is damaged... and when i tried to load Windows (using both HDs on my Desktop it kept freezing and wouldn't finish loading Windows) - it works fine when I have only my main HD on my desktop...

looks like I will begin the year spending more than I was expecting...

I have used a linux Live CD and when it was trying to read the HD it keep giving me errors... (I did that on my desktop as my laptop doesn't recognize the HD) it is strange that on my Desktop the HD was recognized, while on the laptop it wasn't... can that be an indication that my Mother Board might also be damaged? the Big Linux Live CD kept giving me errors on sectors 0 to 4, which means that the boot sector of the HD is damaged... and when i tried to load Windows (using both HDs on my Desktop it kept freezing and wouldn't finish loading Windows) - it works fine when I have only my main HD on my desktop... looks like I will begin the year spending more than I was expecting...

I have some "updates" on this topic: http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19315235.aspx