Jumper the hard disk to the cable select position (as the CDROM should also be jumpered), put it on the IDE cable connector furthest from the motherboard, then make sure it is detected OK in the bios when you boot.  In the bios, set to AUTO those IDE devices you have present, and NONE those you haven't.  Set the boot order to boot from CD first.  Boot to the XP Home CD, and format the drive when prompted during the XP install.  All the drivers you need for a GX110 without extra hardware is included in the Windows disk. 

Regarding the bios flash, which I would NOT do until you sort the above out and then only if you really must (don't do it if you have upgraded the processor either, use only A05), download the version of the bios starting with BR to your hard disk, then run it to create a set of bootable floppies.  Then boot from the floppies, making sure you have a stable power source, and follow the on-screen instructions.  IF the version with BR isn't available for the bios version you want, use any BR version and delete the flash bios file from the floppy; then copy the non-BR exe file to the floppy and boot from it; finally run the exe file to flash the bios.

 

What do you mean when you say "put it on the IDE cable connector furtherst from the motherboard?"  I have IDE1 and IDE2 and they are both directly behind the hd at the edge of the mother board.  I have it on the IDE2 as a primary.

Please sir, I understand that there are a lot of people who post questions that truly do not have a clue.  However, I do have an Optiplex G110, I know all about the cable select setting and my cable isn't original because as I said before this came with no hd and no system disks, but I didn't mention that it didn't come with any cables either.  The cables I do have only insert one way and it is being detected.

Since I posted my first question, I have been searching the other forums and am sure that I will resolve this problem.  I don't think this a hard drive problem now.  I've looked under the bios and the CD-ROM forums and have found similar questions.  My quest goes on.

Thanks for your time though.

OK, but your initial post was mainly about firstly HDD problems and secondly about bios problems; I responded about the hard disk problem.  If you post what exactly the current problem is, someone here can help. 

PS As far as I know, Dell never made an Optiplex  "G110"!

I'm sorry.  I typed it incorrectly.  It is a GX110.

I've just created a setup boot disk set for WinXP and haven't had a chance to try it yet.  So hopefully, that will allow me to open my cdrom without having to use the paperclip method so I can then load the os. 

Sorry about my attitude.  I really do appreciate your help and time and I believe I'm going to resolve my issues (computer and otherwise :smileywink:)

OK, so you are having problems with accessing the CD.  Without wishing to labour the point, the CDROM is also set for cable select?  And does the bios detect it OK? 

The problem with ALLOWING people to think that MASTER OR SLAVE is ok is that the
SFF systems for dell have the laptop size cdrom PERMANENTLY SET CABLE SELECT.

You cannot have one controller set master/slave and the secondary set for cable select.

This means CABLE SELECT IS REQUIRED.

I did find a useful graphic though.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/59273/Graphics.htm

 

 

Message Edited by SpeedStep on 01-05-2006 07:47 PM

It is up and running.  I had to use the paperclip method to open the cdrom and I now have a second computer that will hopefully be used to network.

Thank you all for your help.  I'm sure I will be back in the future for something else.  I really don't think I could have done it without you.  I didn't know anything about the paperclip method.

Carry on your humanitarian work as far as the world of Dell is concerned.