PC Does Not Recognize HD???

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

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

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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