Floppy Disk Seek Failure

Just go into your BIOS Setup and turn Off the option for Diskette Drive.  That option is located in the Drives sub-menu.  On the next reboot the floppy error message will be gone.

Pressing the F2 key at boot up will cause the system to enter the BIOS Setup program.  From there you can make the change.  For more information click here for the on-line version of your model's Service Manual and the section pertaining to the BIOS. 

I agree with the above post.  I had the same problem (press F1 to continue....) but couldn't resolve it with the solutions answers offered that I had reviewed.  I tried most of them including changing the boot sequence.  I happened to try the very solution offered here before seeing it and it worked.  I wish I had seen this post previously.  It seems the "press F1 to continue" situation can be caused by countless problems.  The text preceding this this error message likely gives a clue to the problem in most if not all cases.  The "floppy disk seek failure" was the clue here.  I didn't have a floppy disk either but it somehow became enabled.  I had never entered the Bios or setup and I didn't get this error message when I first bought my dell 8400.  (Maybe it had something to do with leaving it in the boxes for a year before opening it.).

SOLUTION: (it is already stated above)

1-Press F2 to enter setup.      

2-On the left side there are 9 entries: 1-System, 2-Drives, 3-Onboard Devices, etc.

3-Use the down arrow to highlight "Drives". 

4-Press the plus sign (+) on the right side of the keyboard which will expand the drive 

   subcategories.

5-Press the down arrow to highlight "Diskette Drive".

6-Press enter.

7-Use the left and right arrows to highlight "Off".

8-Press enter.

9-Press escape.

10-Use the left and right arrows to select exit.

11-Press enter.

12-Your system will reboot and the Press F1 command will be gone.

 

Forgive me if this is too detailed but I wanted my grandmother to understand it.

 

Good Luck.

 

adeneve  

 

 

Adeneve,  if the system sat unused for a year you might consider replacing the motherboard battery.  A failing battery can cause the system to lose the BIOS option settings which would have defaulted your Diskette Drive to On.  A new 3-Volt, CR2032, coin cell battery can be purchased for around $3 (US) and is available at any Radio Shack, computer stores and most discount stores like Wal-Mart.  You can click here for instructions on how to replace the battery from your model's on-line Service Manual.