GX 100

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Have a bunch of GX100s and have been trying to get a few up and running.
I've got one that I'm trying to figure out. I booted it up, but there is no
D drive showing on My Computer and no cd drive listed in Device Manager. I
have tried another CD drive from another GX100 and I have tried a few
different belts. I tried it as a slave to the hard drive and I am getting
nothing. Any thoughts. Might it be the Motherbboard in which case, I'll
salvage the parts. I was thinking of trying format, but I am guessing it
really has nothing to do with the hard drive. If I format then I can't get
windows back on, but then again, it is not particularly useful without the
CD drive.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Nate Rosenthal" <ncrose@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:xUL4d.146274$3l3.11579@attbi_s03...
> Have a bunch of GX100s and have been trying to get a few up and running.
> I've got one that I'm trying to figure out. I booted it up, but there is
> no
> D drive showing on My Computer and no cd drive listed in Device Manager.
> I
> have tried another CD drive from another GX100 and I have tried a few
> different belts. I tried it as a slave to the hard drive and I am getting
> nothing. Any thoughts. Might it be the Motherbboard in which case, I'll
> salvage the parts. I was thinking of trying format, but I am guessing it
> really has nothing to do with the hard drive. If I format then I can't
> get
> windows back on, but then again, it is not particularly useful without the
> CD drive.
>
>

How about returning it to IDE2 master, be sure it's jumpered to CS (cable
select), and then boot up into BIOS and verify that the drive is actually
turned on.


Stew

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

If the system boots up with Windows, the motherboard ought to be just fine.

First step is to enter the BIOS CMOS setup (Del key, or maybe F1 or F2 key when
powering up the system. Look thru the CMOS settings for the IDE devices and
verify that both the hard drive and CD-ROM drive show up. If so, the problem is
software-related. If not, proceed to next step.

Check the jumpering on both hard drive and CD-ROM drive. While your at it, make
sure that the IDE cable is a "cable select" type used by Dell originally.
Somebody could have changed the cable. Hold the cable up to a light source and
see if one of the wires in the cable is cut in one place. You should see a
pinhole of light coming thru the cable. With a "cable select" cable, the drives
BOTH need to be jumpered in the cable select or CS position to work properly.
(Yes, yes, yes, I know that other jumper settings will work with a CS cable, but
let's follow the rules here regarding configuring drives according to
specifications.) If the cable has no cut wires, set the hard drive jumpers in
the master position and the CD-ROM drive in the slave position. (Yes, yes, yes,
I know zero-one is more PC, but the drive jumpers are labelled MA, SL, and CS.
No zeroes and ones.)

What is the version of Windows on these systems? 98, ME, 2000, other? If the
problem is software-related, and no driver was ever installed for a CD-ROM
drive, you have a bit of a problem with 98 and ME. Win 2000 and XP will find
the CD-ROM drivers and install them once the CD-ROM drive is correctly installed
physically in the system.

The only straightforward way I know to get CD-ROM drivers onto a system running
Windows 98 or ME is to reinstall, either cleanly or over the top of the existing
OS installation. For any Windows (re)install, you need a valid certificate of
authentication code, and, according to Microsoft's rules, a unique one.

I hope this helps. Depending on the processor speed, these are still pretty
servicable computers as long as the user does not want to push the performance
envelope... Ben Myers

On Fri, 24 Sep 2004 02:46:53 GMT, "Nate Rosenthal" <ncrose@comcast.net> wrote:

>Have a bunch of GX100s and have been trying to get a few up and running.
>I've got one that I'm trying to figure out. I booted it up, but there is no
>D drive showing on My Computer and no cd drive listed in Device Manager. I
>have tried another CD drive from another GX100 and I have tried a few
>different belts. I tried it as a slave to the hard drive and I am getting
>nothing. Any thoughts. Might it be the Motherbboard in which case, I'll
>salvage the parts. I was thinking of trying format, but I am guessing it
>really has nothing to do with the hard drive. If I format then I can't get
>windows back on, but then again, it is not particularly useful without the
>CD drive.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

i have seen this behavior (cd not listed) in windows 98 when the cd drive
was on the primary controller and the hard disk on the secondary controller.
if you press escape when the machine is first started the dell logo will
clear from the screen and unveil detailed messages of the boot process... in
those message you should see the hard disk and cd identified... if the cd is
detected first then that is likely the problem.

"Nate Rosenthal" <ncrose@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:xUL4d.146274$3l3.11579@attbi_s03...
> Have a bunch of GX100s and have been trying to get a few up and running.
> I've got one that I'm trying to figure out. I booted it up, but there is
no
> D drive showing on My Computer and no cd drive listed in Device Manager.
I
> have tried another CD drive from another GX100 and I have tried a few
> different belts. I tried it as a slave to the hard drive and I am getting
> nothing. Any thoughts. Might it be the Motherbboard in which case, I'll
> salvage the parts. I was thinking of trying format, but I am guessing it
> really has nothing to do with the hard drive. If I format then I can't
get
> windows back on, but then again, it is not particularly useful without the
> CD drive.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Did you check your bios settings?
Are the drives showing there?
Checked for loose cables?
Tried swapping drives on cables to see if you have a bad cable?
Tried swapping cables on IDE ports to see if you have a bad port?
Tried debugging the hard drive(s) to wipe off boot sector virus(es)?
etc., etc., etc.!

"Nate Rosenthal" <ncrose@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:xUL4d.146274$3l3.11579@attbi_s03...
> Have a bunch of GX100s and have been trying to get a few up and running.
> I've got one that I'm trying to figure out. I booted it up, but there is
> no
> D drive showing on My Computer and no cd drive listed in Device Manager.
> I
> have tried another CD drive from another GX100 and I have tried a few
> different belts. I tried it as a slave to the hard drive and I am getting
> nothing. Any thoughts. Might it be the Motherbboard in which case, I'll
> salvage the parts. I was thinking of trying format, but I am guessing it
> really has nothing to do with the hard drive. If I format then I can't
> get
> windows back on, but then again, it is not particularly useful without the
> CD drive.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

alternatively, try these two things...

1) reset the bios to factory defaults as follows:

Restart the computer.
At the first text on the screen, or the Dell logo, press the <F2> key every
three seconds until the message Entering Setup appears.
When the System Setup screen appears, press the <Alt> + <F> keys
simultaneously to load the factory defaults.
There should be a beep that sounds when the defaults have been loaded.
NOTE: You will notice two changes. The first is the time, date, and year.
The second is the CD-ROM is now set to None. Before proceeding, change the
time, date, and year. Also change Secondary Drive 0 to Auto.
Press the <Alt> + <B> keys to save changes and reboot.
Proceed with the installation or troubleshooting that you were attempting.
NOTE: When you restart back into the Windows® operating system, A New
Hardware Wizard window may appear. Follow the on screen instructions to
finish loading.

2) clear nvram as follows:

Restart the computer.
At the first text on the screen, or the Dell logo, press the <F2> key every
three seconds until the message Entering Setup appears.
The System Setup screen appears.
Press the <Caps Lock>, <Scroll Lock>, and <Num Lock> keys to light up all
three lights on the keyboard.
Press the <Alt> + <E> keys simultaneously.
The system emits a beep tone to indicate that NVRAM has been cleared.
Press the <Esc> key and then press the <Enter> key to save the changes and
reboot the computer.
Proceed with the installation or troubleshooting that you were attempting.

"Christopher Muto" <muto@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:c0N4d.5523$Ec4.3902@trndny04...
> i have seen this behavior (cd not listed) in windows 98 when the cd drive
> was on the primary controller and the hard disk on the secondary
controller.
> if you press escape when the machine is first started the dell logo will
> clear from the screen and unveil detailed messages of the boot process...
in
> those message you should see the hard disk and cd identified... if the cd
is
> detected first then that is likely the problem.
>
> "Nate Rosenthal" <ncrose@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:xUL4d.146274$3l3.11579@attbi_s03...
> > Have a bunch of GX100s and have been trying to get a few up and running.
> > I've got one that I'm trying to figure out. I booted it up, but there
is
> no
> > D drive showing on My Computer and no cd drive listed in Device Manager.
> I
> > have tried another CD drive from another GX100 and I have tried a few
> > different belts. I tried it as a slave to the hard drive and I am
getting
> > nothing. Any thoughts. Might it be the Motherbboard in which case,
I'll
> > salvage the parts. I was thinking of trying format, but I am guessing
it
> > really has nothing to do with the hard drive. If I format then I can't
> get
> > windows back on, but then again, it is not particularly useful without
the
> > CD drive.
> >
> >
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Dick Silk" <dick_silk@anti-spam.net> wrote in message
news:41542c16$1_3@newspeer2.tds.net...
> Did you check your bios settings?
YES

> Are the drives showing there?

YES

> Checked for loose cables?

YES

> Tried swapping drives on cables to see if you have a bad cable?

SEVERAL

> Tried swapping cables on IDE ports to see if you have a bad port?

YES
> Tried debugging the hard drive(s) to wipe off boot sector virus(es)?

NO
> etc., etc., etc.!
>
> "Nate Rosenthal" <ncrose@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:xUL4d.146274$3l3.11579@attbi_s03...
> > Have a bunch of GX100s and have been trying to get a few up and running.
> > I've got one that I'm trying to figure out. I booted it up, but there
is
> > no
> > D drive showing on My Computer and no cd drive listed in Device Manager.
> > I
> > have tried another CD drive from another GX100 and I have tried a few
> > different belts. I tried it as a slave to the hard drive and I am
getting
> > nothing. Any thoughts. Might it be the Motherbboard in which case,
I'll
> > salvage the parts. I was thinking of trying format, but I am guessing
it
> > really has nothing to do with the hard drive. If I format then I can't
> > get
> > windows back on, but then again, it is not particularly useful without
the
> > CD drive.
> >
> >
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Ok, here we go with a FEW ASSUMPTIONS:

"Nate Rosenthal" <ncrose@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:fZ05d.103901$MQ5.45981@attbi_s52...
>
> "Dick Silk" <dick_silk@anti-spam.net> wrote in message
> news:41542c16$1_3@newspeer2.tds.net...
>> Did you check your bios settings?
> YES
>
>> Are the drives showing there?
>
> YES
>
ok, confirming that you DO see the CDROM *in the bios* -- ergo, good cables,
good IDE port.

>> Checked for loose cables?
>
> YES
reaffirming the cables are not the problem.
>
>> Tried swapping drives on cables to see if you have a bad cable?
>
> SEVERAL

>> Tried swapping cables on IDE ports to see if you have a bad port?
>
> YES

good cables, good ports, etc.

>> Tried debugging the hard drive(s) to wipe off boot sector virus(es)?
>
> NO

OK: it's rare that a hard drive boot sector virus would hide a cdrom, but
it's possible.
Here's your next step:

1) remove all hard drives,
2) put ONLY the questionable / mystery CDROM drive on the cable, plug, and
port where you booted from the hard drive.
3) put in a bootable cdrom, such as W98SE or XP or Dell diagnostics CDs,
etc.
4) set your bios to boot to that device FIRST.
5) save the bios setting, and reboot.
-- IF you can boot from your cdrom, the drive is good, and you're down to
making sure the jumpers are correct:
for instance:
Dell *LIKES* for all drives to be jumpered as CS (cable select) although
that is not required. Master / slave jumpers are a tad old fashioned, but
still work in worst case scenarios.

Let me know if you can boot from the CDROM or not, as described specifically
in step 2 (above).


>> "Nate Rosenthal" <ncrose@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:xUL4d.146274$3l3.11579@attbi_s03...
>> > Have a bunch of GX100s and have been trying to get a few up and
>> > running.
>> > I've got one that I'm trying to figure out. I booted it up, but there
> is
>> > no
>> > D drive showing on My Computer and no cd drive listed in Device
>> > Manager.
>> > I
>> > have tried another CD drive from another GX100 and I have tried a few
>> > different belts. I tried it as a slave to the hard drive and I am
> getting
>> > nothing. Any thoughts. Might it be the Motherbboard in which case,
> I'll
>> > salvage the parts. I was thinking of trying format, but I am guessing
> it
>> > really has nothing to do with the hard drive. If I format then I can't
>> > get
>> > windows back on, but then again, it is not particularly useful without
> the
>> > CD drive.
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>