PC Does Not Recognize HD???

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I had to have a Computer shop erase the HD in my Dell Dimension 8250
because Windows XP gave me an error message that Windows Explorer was
closing down. That put me in a loop I couldn"t get out of. The error
message kept coming back and I couldn't access the START menu. I had 2
partitions(C&D) on the PC. Tried to reformat(erase) the C partiton
using FDISK but that wouldn't work. I wanted to try a clean install.
Took the HD to a computer place where they reformatted the entire HD. I
thought I could then use FDISK to repartition, reformat and do a clean
install but my PC will not even recognize my HD at all now. I am backed
up on an ext. HD so I have my data accessable through my laptop but I
want to get my Dimension 8250 going again and don't know what I should
do.
Maybe the computer place erased something that Dell put on the HD which
is why the computer won't recognize it. There are 4 lights on the back
of my computer which should all be green after boot up but one stays
orange. I have thoroughly checked cable connections, etc. I don't know
if the HD has gone bad, but am afraid that if I buy a new HD the PC may
not recogize it either. All comments, suggestions would be appreciated.
Robert

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

You took the computer for repair and they gave it back to you in a non
functional state?

Bring it back to them and tell them to fix it right this time!

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard 🙂

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!


"robert t" <nodak2000@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:MWJfe.4115$Fn1.90@trnddc03...
>I had to have a Computer shop erase the HD in my Dell Dimension 8250
>because Windows XP gave me an error message that Windows Explorer was
>closing down. That put me in a loop I couldn"t get out of. The error
>message kept coming back and I couldn't access the START menu. I had 2
>partitions(C&D) on the PC. Tried to reformat(erase) the C partiton using
>FDISK but that wouldn't work. I wanted to try a clean install. Took the HD
>to a computer place where they reformatted the entire HD. I thought I could
>then use FDISK to repartition, reformat and do a clean install but my PC
>will not even recognize my HD at all now. I am backed up on an ext. HD so I
>have my data accessable through my laptop but I want to get my Dimension
>8250 going again and don't know what I should do.
> Maybe the computer place erased something that Dell put on the HD which is
> why the computer won't recognize it. There are 4 lights on the back of my
> computer which should all be green after boot up but one stays orange. I
> have thoroughly checked cable connections, etc. I don't know if the HD
> has gone bad, but am afraid that if I buy a new HD the PC may not recogize
> it either. All comments, suggestions would be appreciated.
> Robert

 

[Jim]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

"robert t" <nodak2000@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:MWJfe.4115$Fn1.90@trnddc03...
> I had to have a Computer shop erase the HD in my Dell Dimension 8250
> because Windows XP gave me an error message that Windows Explorer was
> closing down. That put me in a loop I couldn"t get out of. The error
> message kept coming back and I couldn't access the START menu. I had 2
> partitions(C&D) on the PC. Tried to reformat(erase) the C partiton
> using FDISK but that wouldn't work. I wanted to try a clean install.
> Took the HD to a computer place where they reformatted the entire HD. I
> thought I could then use FDISK to repartition, reformat and do a clean
> install but my PC will not even recognize my HD at all now. I am backed
> up on an ext. HD so I have my data accessable through my laptop but I
> want to get my Dimension 8250 going again and don't know what I should
> do.
> Maybe the computer place erased something that Dell put on the HD which
> is why the computer won't recognize it. There are 4 lights on the back
> of my computer which should all be green after boot up but one stays
> orange. I have thoroughly checked cable connections, etc. I don't know
> if the HD has gone bad, but am afraid that if I buy a new HD the PC may
> not recogize it either. All comments, suggestions would be appreciated.
> Robert
The light color is supposed to be yellow. However, it seems that three
green lights and one yellow one indicated a loose cable, etc. But you have
already checked that. My suggestion is to take it back to the repair place.
The manual says contact Dell in this case.
Jum

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Several comments - do not know if any will help:
1. Previous file system may have been NTFS - problems for
FDISK.
2. Evidently you took the HD to the shop - not the computer?
3. Were system files installed at time of reformatting?
4. If not- HD will not boot - message to insert system disk
usually pops up.
5. Message at boot that an operating system was not found
usually indicates failure of BIOS to recognize the HD.
6. I believe Dell used boards by "MSI" with the diagnostic
leds - usually used at times when computer will not boot
and usually indicates presence (or not) of pre-post and
post voltages.
7. Dell service may tell you significance of leds - keep in
mind they follow scripts.
8. An example of when a Win ME startup disk is worth its weight
in gold - even with NTFS
--
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AL(KB3U) & Darlene Romanosky N. Ft.
Myers, FL
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