Mainmat :
dfk :
Windows 8 might not load if it was installed in different mode, so probably worth a try if AHCI doesnt work for you. Also would help if you could provide info on what Dell laptop model is that and drive model info if possible, thanks.
yes, pardon me, its a Dell inspiron 15 core i3 it has 1 terebyte HD.
Steps to check if the drive is installed properly: see different instruction depending on drive height, 9.5mm or 7mm.
http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN142653/en
Try tapping <F12> quickly at the Dell splash screen to see if you can run diagnostics.
http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN155163/en
Reset the BIOS to Default Values
If your computer is set to first attempt to boot to another device, this may cause issues with successfully booting to Windows. To reset your computer's BIOS to factory defaults, perform the following steps:
Restart the computer.
- At the Dell logo during restart, tap the <F2> key repeatedly until you see Entering Setup in the top right corner of the screen.
- Depending on the BIOS, you may need to press a key listed at the bottom of the screen to load default settings. For example, <F9> on the Inspiron N5110.
- Press ESC to exit the BIOS, and be sure to select Save and Exit to save your changes.