Dell INSPIRON 8000- problems

[mk]

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

I have this laptop for 5 years now- out of warranty now!
When you boot up- sometimes it just wont instructing that there is no hard
drive to be found as well as no optical drive. After failing to re boot a
few times, it boots back without any problems. Dell says that I need to
replace the mother board (very expensive).
Has any in this group had faced similar problem? How to rectify it without a
MB change?
P.S: I did scan and defragmenter the hardrive. I have no viruses on the PC.
The registry is clean.

 

[Guest]

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

Could be a sign of a failing hard drive - run the Dell diagnostics on it,
including a full surface scan.
It cannot be five years old - the 8000 systems came out in late 2000/early
2001, so it's more like 3-4 years old or so.




"MK" <MichaelKiss@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:xeRMc.6117$oB6.624@fe37.usenetserver.com...
> I have this laptop for 5 years now- out of warranty now!
> When you boot up- sometimes it just wont instructing that there is no hard
> drive to be found as well as no optical drive. After failing to re boot a
> few times, it boots back without any problems. Dell says that I need to
> replace the mother board (very expensive).
> Has any in this group had faced similar problem? How to rectify it without
a
> MB change?
> P.S: I did scan and defragmenter the hardrive. I have no viruses on the
PC.
> The registry is clean.
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

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

On Sun, 25 Jul 2004 12:34:57 -0400, "MK" <MichaelKiss@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>I have this laptop for 5 years now- out of warranty now!
>When you boot up- sometimes it just wont instructing that there is no hard
>drive to be found as well as no optical drive. After failing to re boot a
>few times, it boots back without any problems. Dell says that I need to
>replace the mother board (very expensive).
>Has any in this group had faced similar problem? How to rectify it without a
>MB change?
>P.S: I did scan and defragmenter the hardrive. I have no viruses on the PC.
>The registry is clean.
>
>

The optical drive is a slave to the hard drive. Sounds like you may
want to remove and re-seat the hard drive. When doing so, you may want
to check the connector for dirt or corrosion. Clean it up and
re-install it. After five years, it may just be loose.

 

[mk]

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

well- this current hard drive is a replacement (refurbished-it says) since
the original died after an year and a half.
I will do this surface scan!
"Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.com> wrote in message
news:2miav6Fn71vbU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Could be a sign of a failing hard drive - run the Dell diagnostics on it,
> including a full surface scan.
> It cannot be five years old - the 8000 systems came out in late 2000/early
> 2001, so it's more like 3-4 years old or so.
>
>
>
>
> "MK" <MichaelKiss@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:xeRMc.6117$oB6.624@fe37.usenetserver.com...
> > I have this laptop for 5 years now- out of warranty now!
> > When you boot up- sometimes it just wont instructing that there is no
hard
> > drive to be found as well as no optical drive. After failing to re boot
a
> > few times, it boots back without any problems. Dell says that I need
to
> > replace the mother board (very expensive).
> > Has any in this group had faced similar problem? How to rectify it
without
> a
> > MB change?
> > P.S: I did scan and defragmenter the hardrive. I have no viruses on the
> PC.
> > The registry is clean.
> >
> >
> >
>
>

 

[mk]

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

I have tested the hard drive using MICROSOFT (W2K) scan as well as Hitachi's
DFT (Drive Fitness TEST- the drive being Travelstar and IBM re-sell of
Hitachi Drive). The HARD DRIVE passed without any hitch!

As we speak right now- MY DELL has gone into "NO bootable devices mode".
When I tried to run the DFT with a floppy, it cannot DETECT THE HARD DRIVE
now!

I have cleaned the pin on the Hard drive end with a cleaner. I am not sure
how to clean the 'female' end in the laptop bottom.

Any ideas ?


"MK" <MichaelKiss@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ZxVMc.6134$oB6.3465@fe37.usenetserver.com...
> well- this current hard drive is a replacement (refurbished-it says) since
> the original died after an year and a half.
> I will do this surface scan!
> "Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.com> wrote in message
> news:2miav6Fn71vbU1@uni-berlin.de...
> > Could be a sign of a failing hard drive - run the Dell diagnostics on
it,
> > including a full surface scan.
> > It cannot be five years old - the 8000 systems came out in late
2000/early
> > 2001, so it's more like 3-4 years old or so.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "MK" <MichaelKiss@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:xeRMc.6117$oB6.624@fe37.usenetserver.com...
> > > I have this laptop for 5 years now- out of warranty now!
> > > When you boot up- sometimes it just wont instructing that there is no
> hard
> > > drive to be found as well as no optical drive. After failing to re
boot
> a
> > > few times, it boots back without any problems. Dell says that I need
> to
> > > replace the mother board (very expensive).
> > > Has any in this group had faced similar problem? How to rectify it
> without
> > a
> > > MB change?
> > > P.S: I did scan and defragmenter the hardrive. I have no viruses on
the
> > PC.
> > > The registry is clean.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

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

MK wrote:
> I have tested the hard drive using MICROSOFT (W2K) scan as well as
> Hitachi's DFT (Drive Fitness TEST- the drive being Travelstar and IBM
> re-sell of Hitachi Drive). The HARD DRIVE passed without any hitch!
>
> As we speak right now- MY DELL has gone into "NO bootable devices
> mode". When I tried to run the DFT with a floppy, it cannot DETECT
> THE HARD DRIVE now!
>
> I have cleaned the pin on the Hard drive end with a cleaner. I am
> not sure how to clean the 'female' end in the laptop bottom.
>
> Any ideas ?
>
>
> "MK" <MichaelKiss@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:ZxVMc.6134$oB6.3465@fe37.usenetserver.com...
>> well- this current hard drive is a replacement (refurbished-it says)
>> since the original died after an year and a half.
>> I will do this surface scan!
>> "Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.com> wrote in message
>> news:2miav6Fn71vbU1@uni-berlin.de...
>>> Could be a sign of a failing hard drive - run the Dell diagnostics
>>> on it, including a full surface scan.
>>> It cannot be five years old - the 8000 systems came out in late
>>> 2000/early 2001, so it's more like 3-4 years old or so.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "MK" <MichaelKiss@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>> news:xeRMc.6117$oB6.624@fe37.usenetserver.com...
>>>> I have this laptop for 5 years now- out of warranty now!
>>>> When you boot up- sometimes it just wont instructing that there is
>>>> no hard drive to be found as well as no optical drive. After
>>>> failing to re boot a few times, it boots back without any
>>>> problems. Dell says that I need to replace the mother board (very
>>>> expensive).
>>>> Has any in this group had faced similar problem? How to rectify it
>>>> without a MB change?
>>>> P.S: I did scan and defragmenter the hardrive. I have no viruses
>>>> on the PC. The registry is clean.

Check also that the drive is not loose in the cradle (usually 4 screws
on the side) and not making connection.

Q