Error at reboot - Can't get into Windows

What system model and number? What version of Windows?

 

 

If you can manage to get into the BIOS, try the reset listed by my name. If you can't, try reseating the keyboard connection.

If he has an older Dimension with the Award type multi-page BIOS, he's gonna need to use F9 to default, and 'reset configuration data = yes" to clear the NVRAM.

That's why I was asking him the model.  In any event, he'll get there....

Sorry about that, would help huh?

It's a Dimension 8100 running Windows ME.

No probs, but that helps a ton.

Dageezerus' keystroke instructions are correct for your BIOS.

Are you seeing any other messages on the screen above or prior to the "F1 / F2" message?

(i.e.- "primary drive 0 not found' , 'previous fan failure', 'time of day not set', etc.)

 

Sorry, I posted the model number earlier for the one that's working...the one having the problem is a Dimension 4300 running Win ME.

I did the Alt-E, Alt-F, Alt-B thing, and it said "Detecting IDE configuration" and then went back to the "Strike F1 to reboot or F2 to enter setup" message. There aren't any other messages besides that one, and that's all it does. Is the whole thing trashed? Is this recoverable?

 

There's not much you can do at this point; your hands are tied.

If it were mine, I would pull all cards out other than video, and disconnect all drives from the mb in an effort to simply get it to produce an error different than what you're seeing.

Try booting with the cards removed first (and disconnect any external devices other than your monitor)

If no go, then try booting will all drives disconnected from the mb as well, including the floppy. All you're trying to do is produce a different error, or one that might show BIOS recognizes the drives as missing.

If you were to see a change, you might then begin re-connecting the drives one at a time, floppy first, then the hard disk, then the opticals - then ultimately the cards one-by-one.

It sounds as if your CMOS may be corrupted, but that's only a guess.

yeah that happened to me, called the service center and they told me to reformate the hard-drive... lead me through it fine, but my computer has not worked right since.  Maybe you will have better luck, but based on my experiences so far I doubt it.  Best of luck to you though.

In the system BIOS, is the hard drive being properly detected??  The IDE redetection should have identified all hard drives & Optical drives.  If something is listed as unknown, then the next step is disconnect all IDE devices, then try connecting them 1 at a time, then back to the BIOS for the keboard lights on ALT+E  ALT+F  ALT+B. 

If the system will not boot to the hard drive, by it's self, odds are that you data is lost unless you fell like paying for data recovery.  If it doesn't boot to the hard drive, see if it will boot to the CD-ROM with the HDD disconnected.

You can also run diagnostics on the Hard Drive with CNTL+ALT+D at the Dell screen.  If the hard drive gives any error code, it is time for a new drive.