Hard Drive Gone?

Question

So I have been working all day trying to get into my Dimension 4550...
It was fine this morning, then the wife locked it up and when it came back it would not boot...

I got a blue screen with lovely "A problem has been detected... UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME
STOP: 0X000000ED (0X823A1C08, 0XC000009C, 0X00000000, 0X00000000)

I tried everything I could search on the tech help section... tried the 90/90 test and Drive 0 - Fail - Return Code 4 was the result...

I tried to run the Dell Diagnostics from the CD drive and I cannot run anything from the floppy or the CD... if you select those in the BIOS and run it does nothing... Windows will not run in any mode and all I can do is reboot.
I tried the Dell CD, the Windows CD, a bootable disc and nothing responds...

I bought a new 60gb drive and I am going to try to replace the 0 drive with that one and slave this old drive to it and see if I can install and run windows on the new drive, I may be able to move some data off this drive if it is working at all?
But I am not sure how to install a new drive if I cannot get the system to boot from disc?

anyway, thought I would post, if anyone has any help on this I would greatly appreciate it... I have a ton of work and files on that drive I would like to get off if that is possible.

Thanks

Jim

Jimbo65 · Answer

Can I do a clean install of XP from the Re-install disc from Dell? I have not tried yet, just thought I would ask before I tear into this? Thanks

ejn63 · Answer

Yes. Don't forget to apply Service Pack 2 and all post-SP2 fixes. Before you go online, enable the XP firewall (or install another firewal). If you go online with an unpatched XP system, you'll almost immediately get hit by something malicious, unless the firewall is running.

shesagordie · Answer

Jimbo65.

How to replace the Hard Drive in a D4550 system. Set the drive's jumpers to "Cable Select"

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4550/replace.htm#1152669

After installing the HD, you should carry a clean reinstall of XP.

You start by partitioning and formatting the hard drive that is part of reinstalling the operating system.

First, you make the CD/ROM/DVD the first boot device. Procedures for configuring a Dimension series system to boot to the CD/DVD drive.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=TT1032262

After this you can use the following instructions.

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp

To find the Dell reinstall guide, that's specific to your system, go here

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?c=us&cs=19&DN=1072006&type=SRG&l=en&s=dhs#last

Prior to installing, remember to disconnect all external peripherals from the computer, except the keyboard, monitor and mouse.
While installing, delete all existing partitions (Paragraph 5) when you are prompted, then remake and format
them (Paragraphs 6 & 7), following by installing XP.

You will have to reload the drivers and applications, etc, that should be on the CDs sent with the computer, starting with the chipset driver.
After the installation, you will need to download and install the MicroSoft Critical Updates, plus any other updates you deem necessary, also remember to enable the firewall and install the AV software before going online.
.
Printing a copy of these instructions, as a reference while installing XP could also be a help.

Bev.

Storage, Drives & Media

Hard Drive Gone?

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