Keyboard failure...cannot boot

Question

Since it happened again I called Dell. 1st, I am listing the exact sequence of events. Mouse freezes on desktop with no keyboard function, have to turn off PC with front button   Upon bootup, I get the following error message Keyboard Failure Drive 0 not found, Serial ATA, SATA-0 Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run setup utility   I use a Dell XPS 400 with Windows XP Media Center. Unplugging the machine for several minutes fixes the problem, but it does keep occuring, usually after I have used the CD drive or my USB card reader. I called customer service, they had me unplug the machine, unplug and reseat the hard drive cables, and hold the power button on the front for 30 sec. She said if it happened again to get a new hard drive cable (the blue cable) which could be losing connectivity. I'll keep you updated if it happens again. It is a very strange error, that's for sure. When it first says keyboard failure the 2,3 lights on the front are lit, when it says it cant find the HD, than I get 2,3,4. All I know is I hope the problem won't return, but if it does, I won't be suprised. I need some more advice.

DELL-Chris M · Answer

userinthepines, List all the software and/or hardware changes made to the system BEFORE this issue arose.

Radman99 · Answer

I received a similar message when booting "

Drive 0 not found, Serial ATA, SATA-0

Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run setup utility"

I had just installed a new video card and figured it had something to do with that. When I hit the F2 key everything booted up, and my computer worked fine. I figured it couldn't be a loose connection, or I wouldn't be able to access my programs on the hard drive. After reading your post, I opened up my computer, and low and behold, a loose hard drive cable connection to the mobo. I reseated it, and now no more error message. I still can't figure out how I could still access the drive with a loose connection, but in any case, it all works fine now.

XPS 600
Windows XP Media Center
Pentium D 830 3.0 GHz
2 GB 667MHz DDR2
GeForce 7900 GTX

250 gig Maxtor HD 7200
16X DVD+/-RW Dual Layer
16x DVD Rom Drive
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum THX
Dual Dell 2005FPW Digital Flat Panel
Logitech MX-1000 mouse

userinthepines · Answer

However in my case the cable wasn't loose. That's why they think it is a bad cable. But if it was a defective cable, why would unplugging the machine for 5 minutes fix the problem? Also I could not use the keyboard, so F1 or F2 was useless.   Message Edited by userinthepines on 12-04-200606:49 PM

userinthepines · Answer

I haven't made any major changes to the system since I got it. When I got it in the summer I installed some new programs, but I did that right away. The problem didn't start until October. The only new program that was 'modified' was Internet Explorer, I was using an old version (6..I think) and upgraded to the new IE7. I believe I did that after I started having the problem. Like I said, it seems to happen after I have used the CD/DVD drive or the USB Memory card reader. After I shut it down it either will give the error on restart or get frozen after windows has started. Then I just unplug it for 5 mins and it boots back up normal. I have done virus scans as well, nothing has been found. IMaybe there's an error in the BIOS? But wouldn't that be happening all the time?

Radman99 · Answer

______________________________________________________________________________ However in my case the cable wasn't loose. That's why they think it is a bad cable. But if it was a defective cable, why would unplugging the machine for 5 minutes fix the problem? Also I could not use the keyboard, so F1 or F2 was useless. _____________________________________________________________________________   Yah, that doesn't make much sense to me as well. I kept getting a similar keyboard failure on my old 8200. F1 and F2 were useless as well.  I tried my best to reformat my hard drive and start over with a fresh OS and couldn't for the life of me even do that.  It was so frustrating, I finally gave up and bought the 700:smileyvery-happy: I'm giving my 8200 to a friend who has an even older XPS-B series computer.  He's going to rip out my HD and put his in, update drivers, etc.  I sure hope he doesn't have keyboard failures as well.

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Keyboard failure...cannot boot

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