No boot device available

[Littlerooster-125]

Attempting to install Windows XP on a clean hard drive Dell Optiplex-GX-280. First attempt I receive message stating:"No Boot Device found." and second attempt stating "Drive 1 not found" What can I checkout to fix this?

 

[Ubrales]

Welcome to Tom's Hardware Forums!

Repeatedly press F2 during startup. Then make sure that the boot sequence is set in the proper order. HDD, DVD. Activate the SATA port into which the HDD is connected. Now re-boot and install the Operating System.

 

[al man]

On a typical Dell, U can simply go to F12 menu (tap F12 key many times at the Dell logo screen), it's gonna take to boot device menu. Choose the one option that mentions ur CD/DVD ROM (it might even say USB CD-DVD ROM drive), but that's ok.


U may wanna also check HDD is recognized by BIOS. if not u better look at the HDD connection to power & data, & from HDD to MB (the same data cable).

If BIOS doesn't recognize it & connections are good, try a different data port on the MB.

 

[xtreme5]

Get access into the BIOS see below the option called MANTAINANCE, once you select it there are two options (load default, event logs) now select load default option and click continue restart the pc and you will never get that error again i've solved this two time by applying this method and it's work for me...
Thanks.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Post is a year old.

 

[xtreme5]

yeah, but i post might it help someone this issue happened to me yesterday I get in the BIOS and load default factory setting then i reboot it and works fine.

 

[akamau8]

Attempting to install Windows XP on a clean hard drive Dell Optiplex-GX-280. First attempt I receive message stating:"No Boot Device found." and second attempt stating "Drive 1 not found" What can I checkout to fix this?

 

[David RTC]

I have a similar issue with an Optiplex 170L. This has just 1 SATA connector on the motherboard.

I did a clean load of Windows XP and all was fine for a couple of days then the computer froze.

Just pressing the power button until it switched off then pressing again to restart brought up the BIOS message SATA drive 0 not found.

By switching off the mains for a few minutes then restarting the drive was found.

The next time this happened I did the same but only got as far as a Windows STOP BSOD.
Hence the XP installation was now corrupt.

Assuming I had a failing HDD I cloned it to second HDD.
I then connected this drive as a slave in another XP loaded PC and ran check disk. This corrected some errors.

After various posts I also put in a new BIOS battery.

The BIOS is the latest version on Dell's website.

I installed the second HDD in the Optiplex 170 which booted cleanly first time and again fine for a couple of days.

Today for the same problem... computer freezes, turn off with power button the restart SATA drive 0 not found.
Remove mains, wait a few minutes and computer boots .....

Any ideas will be appreciated.