no boot device found

Question

After installing a new systemboard, my dimension 2350 powers on but I receive an error message that no boot device was found, insert boot disc and press F1 or press F2 for system setup. Please help.

ssnowbarger · Answer

p.s. I did not do anything to the jumper settings. I don't even know what they are! HA!

ssnowbarger · Answer

okay, I tried that and still get the same message. are there changes i need to make to they system setup? or do you have other suggestions?

Majestic · Answer

Double check all your cables to insure they were correctly installed.  If you played around with any of the drives' jumper settings then recheck those to see that they are correct.  Then try clearing the NVRAM (CMOS) which is useful in resolving boot up issues.  The link here explains how to clear the NVRAM (CMOS) on your model. Message Edited by Majestic on 09-02-2004 12:15 PM

ssnowbarger · Answer

I have tested the cables and power source. As far as I can tell, they are okay. I have been able to determine the hard drive is not listed on the system setup. So, does that mean my hard drive needs to be replaced? I can't boot from the cd-rom drive either, it is not detected either as far as I can tell.

Majestic · Answer

If the system will boot with a floppy drive then try the floppy drive version of the Dell Diagnostics and test the hard drive.  An message of this type at boot up could mean a hard drive failure.  In your situation where the motherboard was replaced it could also mean the motherboard IDE controller maybe bad on the replacement board.  If you are unable to resolve the problem then I would consider returning the motherboard to the place of purchase for another.  This link here is for the Dell Diagnostic program.  Follow the directions on the download page for use.

Majestic · Answer

When you removed the hard drive did you clear the NVRAM to insure it was updated with the hardware change?  If so and the problem still exists then I would suspect the motherboard and I would have it replaced.

ssnowbarger · Answer

Thanks so much for your assistance. I tried removing the Hard Drive and I still get the same thing. I have only the floppy dirve and the cdrom drive plugged into the systemboard. Does this lead you to believe there is a problem with the systemboard? It is one that I ordered from Dell.

Majestic · Answer

I was rethinking this and you might consider try a couple of tests first before calling Dell.  Try re-attaching the hard drive and disconnecting the floppy.  Then see if you get the same error message when it is booted up.  If you still get the same message then try re-attaching the floppy and disconnecting the CD drive and see how it boots.  I was thinking that possibly one of the other drives could be a fault thus creating the problem.

ssnowbarger · Answer

how do i clear the NVRAM?

Majestic · Answer

My posting earlier had a link to your model's User Guide and the section detailing how to clear the NVRAM (CMOS).   If you've never done it before a corrupt NVRAM (CMOS) could be cause of all your problems.

ssnowbarger · Answer

Okay. I did all of that. Still the same result. See if this give you some other ideas. On the system setup. In the IDE Configuration...the Primary Master says NONE, the Primary Slave says whatever my hard drive is. The Secondary Master says NONE and the Secondary Slave has my CDRW drive listed. Is taht how it should be? If so what else could be causing the boot problem? If not, does that lead us to some other solution?

By the way, I appreciate you help!

ssnowbarger · Answer

Let me add one more piece of info. Prior to the No Boot Device Detected message, it says 'PXE-E61 Media test failure, check cable'. Any idea to which cable it might be referring to?

Majestic · Answer

Sounds to me like either the drives are jumpered wrong or they are attached to the wrong connector on the ribbon cable.

The hard drive should be the Master on the Primary ribbon cable and should be on the end connector. The CD drive should be the Master on the Secondary cable and again be attached on the end connector. Both drives should either be jumpered as Cable Select or Master. If you never touched the drive jumpers then they should still be set for Cable Select as that is Dell's preference when the system is shipped from the factory.

Majestic · Answer

@ssnowbarger wrote:
Let me add one more piece of info. Prior to the No Boot Device Detected message, it says "PXE-E61 Media test failure, check cable". Any idea to which cable it might be referring to?

Check out this link here for an explanation although I don't believe your BIOS Setup has the PXE feature in the boot order. You might double check to see for sure.

ssnowbarger · Answer

Okay, I've tried everything! I can't figure out why the hard drive and cdrom drive are detected on the secondary and not the primary. they are plugged in where they are supposed to be and the cables seem fine. any last suggestions? could a bad hard drive be causing all of this? I can't run the dell diagnostic because it won't read anything from the cd rom only the floppy and all I have in floppy is the windows 98 boot disk, not windows xp that was originally loaded on the pc.

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no boot device found

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