Reseat the drive. Is it spinning? If not, it has probably completely failed.
If it is spinning, but still isn't recognized, try booting the Dell diagnostics CD - and if it's still not found, replace the drive and restore your backup.
Before you rush out to buy a new hdd, try one more thing, remove the fixed optical drive ( they share the IDE bus apparently, and if the optical drive fails it takes out the HDD). If the HDD works after removing the fixed optical then try firmly reseating the opt drive
Also try reseating the HDD
If you HDD has failed (I have had 2 HDD fail in my 8100), a good trick, which may or may not work for you is to freeze the drive overnight in the freezer ( inside a ziplock bag!!!). This can temporarily get the drive to work, long enough to retrieve any information you do not have backed up. It may or may not work ( worked for me) but either way it is only a get out of jail card, not a fix, for that you need a new HDD ( if not in warrenty a seagate 40Mb 5400 rpm, 8mb buffer drive is a fine replacement for about $114 at newegg.com or $116 at Buy.com
Message Edited by whymewhynot on 05-29-2004 07:11 PM
I have that exact same problem with my Inspiron 8100. If I turn my computer off for a few minutes and then back on it will work sometimes. I don't know if your computer is still under warranty, but I just got off the phone with Dell and they are replacing my hard drive and my fixed optical drive (which I think is my CD-RW drive).
I must say that I completely share your frustration with this message. Mine would happen every 15 minutes or so, and now they are not going to replace my system with XP, but only with ME!!! This is also my 3rd hard drive...hopefully yours won't be as bad as mine!
Also have the same problem. It used to just crash after 15 minutes now it wont boot up. Also I havent heard my fans kick on either. Might be the cause? I guess I'll join the 8100 Inspiron club and buy a new hard drive and pray. What is the fixed optical drive? anyone know and do I need to take the computer apart to get to it?
ejn63
9 Legend
•
87.5K Posts
0
May 29th, 2004 09:00
Reseat the drive. Is it spinning? If not, it has probably completely failed.
If it is spinning, but still isn't recognized, try booting the Dell diagnostics CD - and if it's still not found, replace the drive and restore your backup.
SJMEPO
6 Posts
0
May 29th, 2004 09:00
whymewhynot
2 Intern
•
174 Posts
0
May 29th, 2004 23:00
Before you rush out to buy a new hdd, try one more thing, remove the fixed optical drive ( they share the IDE bus apparently, and if the optical drive fails it takes out the HDD). If the HDD works after removing the fixed optical then try firmly reseating the opt drive
Also try reseating the HDD
If you HDD has failed (I have had 2 HDD fail in my 8100), a good trick, which may or may not work for you is to freeze the drive overnight in the freezer ( inside a ziplock bag!!!). This can temporarily get the drive to work, long enough to retrieve any information you do not have backed up. It may or may not work ( worked for me) but either way it is only a get out of jail card, not a fix, for that you need a new HDD ( if not in warrenty a seagate 40Mb 5400 rpm, 8mb buffer drive is a fine replacement for about $114 at newegg.com or $116 at Buy.com
Message Edited by whymewhynot on 05-29-2004 07:11 PM
uwhusky
3 Posts
0
July 9th, 2004 20:00
Hey,
I have that exact same problem with my Inspiron 8100. If I turn my computer off for a few minutes and then back on it will work sometimes. I don't know if your computer is still under warranty, but I just got off the phone with Dell and they are replacing my hard drive and my fixed optical drive (which I think is my CD-RW drive).
I must say that I completely share your frustration with this message. Mine would happen every 15 minutes or so, and now they are not going to replace my system with XP, but only with ME!!! This is also my 3rd hard drive...hopefully yours won't be as bad as mine!
Uwhusky
RollingRock
2 Posts
0
July 14th, 2004 02:00