Unsolved
This post is more than 5 years old
14 Posts
0
31819
Dell Dimension 5100 Diagnostic Lights 2 and 3. Please help.
Hello, I am in a very tough situation right now. It says on the troubleshoot guide to reset all power and data cables, I've unplugged and re-plugged every cord I could find visible. Please tell me where all these cables are.
Davet50
14.4K Posts
0
April 21st, 2012 19:00
Lights 2&3 indicated a floppy or harddrive failure. Unplug the floppy drive and boot into to the bios to turn it off. If the lights still stay the same the harddrive is shot. You will need to get a new drive and reinstall windows. After you do that you can try plugging in the original drive into the system and see if you can access it in window to recover your data. Note that depending on the reason the drive failed this may not work.
Go HERE <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell> for the instructions on removing and installing parts.
clientguy
14 Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 08:00
My data cable goes to a rectangle insertion (no clue what it's called) near the power box, not the far end of the computer. Should I change the place?
clientguy
14 Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 08:00
Also, how do I boot it into the bios? I'm still learning at computers. :)
Davet50
14.4K Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 09:00
OK that is my bad I see by your error that you most likely cannot boot into the bios. using the link i sent you about removing and replacing parts find the part about the floppy drive. On the back will usually be a white connector this is the power connector. Unplug that and see if it will boot. IF not find the hard drive, and disconnect the two connections on the back of that. then see if will boot up without the error codes.
Davet50
14.4K Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 09:00
What do you mean by it didn't work? Are you still getting the same error codes with both of the drives disconnected? If you are then most likely it is a bad motherboard and you will need to either replace it or start looking for a new system.
As to recovering your data from the hard drive, once you have a working computer or perhaps even the one you are using to post you can purchase and external enclosure to house the drive and connect that to the computer where you can access the drive and possible recover your data.
Using the picture of your motherboard HERE <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell> can you provide the number of the connector that your harddrive is connected to
clientguy
14 Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 09:00
It didn't work, please give me a link to a new drive and please give me a tutorial on recovering data, this is really important to me. D:
clientguy
14 Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 10:00
Yup, hard drive AND floppy drive are plugged out, I'm still getting the error. This sucks, then, would it be cheaper to fix or would it be better just to buy a new computer? I found an 800 dollar Alien ware, I'll use that if I have to.
Davet50
14.4K Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 10:00
found THIS with prices for motherboard. Looks like less than 100 for one.
rdunnill
6 Professor
6 Professor
•
8.8K Posts
0
April 22nd, 2012 12:00
Here's a used mainboard: www.ebay.com/.../390287984560
$66 + $10 in shipping.