Hard Drive Boot Problem

[asubaseball727]

So I installed a new HD, but in order to make it to the spare dock, I had to switch out the cables with the ones that came in the box. So it wasn't a big deal, but now after I tried to boot I got the "primary drive not found. Secondary Drive not found" Is there a way that I can make it boot up the other drive that has windows on it first?

Thanks with any help.

[FallowEarth]

You would probably have to set that in the BIOS.

[asubaseball727]

Ok, Can you give me a hand with that. What happens is the Dell screen comes up, and then the bar loads. However, after that it waits about 10 seconds then makes that beep beep sound.

Thank You

[FallowEarth]

Here's a good page to determine the keystroke to access the BIOS setup screen, depending on the OEM:  http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

You will need to access the Boot settings, and set the drive you want as primary.

[asubaseball727]

IDK what to do in the BIOS. It seems like the hard drive(s) aren't spinning or booting when I turn on the PC. Any Ideas why this is or how I can fix it IN the BIOS?

[cholla]

asubaseball727 ;Probably should check FallowEarth's link .On my IBM the double beep means it want's the BIOS administrator password.If you use the BIOS user password you really can't do anything. Dell may be different.These are completly different from Windows passwords.

You last post came up when I was posting.

Are you in your BIOS ?

You don't even need a HD for BIOS. It is all on your CMOS chip I think.

It should have Something about HD,s it should be in the same area as floppy,cd,dvd drives.

[asubaseball727]

Well I guess it doesn't have anything to do with finding the master drive. I unplugged the cords to the slave drive, and it still doesn't boot. Does anyone have an idea of what could be causing this?

I have even replaced the OLD chord, and unplugged the new HD, so it is how it WAS(workin) but now it says no primary drive found!

So frustrating.

[FallowEarth]

You have to set the drive with the OS on it to be the primary boot disk.  There will be a way to do this in the BIOS.  There are many different layouts to BIOS's, so you will just have to root around until you find it.

[asubaseball727]

In the BIOS it says unknown drive in the area where it should list my hard drives. But now it isnt recognizing EITHER

[FallowEarth]

In the BIOS it says unknown drive in the area where it should list my hard drives. But now it isnt recognizing EITHER

The BIOS does not seem to recognize this device.  How does it connect to the motherboard?

[asubaseball727]

I'm not too good in describing it with the techincal terms. But there is the cable with 3 ends that each have a set of pins. The one with a blue end goes to the motherboard, the black end goes to the master drive with windows. And I did have the grey ended one to the slave drive.

[asubaseball727]

Is there a probability that I messed up the hard drive?

The Drive does make some noise before it tells me that no primary device is found

[basic]

Sense you didn't say so,I'm going to assume that the hard drives are ide.

First make sure you have the cable going to pin 1 on the hard drive to pin 1 on the ide connector,pin 1 is the one on the red stripe on the cable,this is for the master hard drive.

Try this first and let me know if the bios recognizes the hard drive.

[asubaseball727]

I'm not quite sure what you mean but It looks like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.asp?Image=22%2D144%2D122%2D06%2Ejpg%2C22%2D144%2D122%2D07%2Ejpg&CurImage=22%2D144%2D122%2D07%2Ejpg&Description=Western+Digital+Caviar+SE+WD800JB+80GB+7200+RPM+IDE+Ultra+ATA100+Hard+Drive+%2D+OEM

I have the ATA cable connecting to the right spot on the mother board, and in that location + the power supply plugged into the right spot.  I really hope something didn't break

Thanks

[asubaseball727]

Well I gotta get up @ 6 AM tomorrow, so I'm callin it a night. But I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I'll get it working then.

Thanks all

[basic]

Ok,pin 1 is next to the jumper pins.

You need to go to the bios and run auto-detect ,probably found under standard CMOS settings.

See if this detects,your windows(master)drive,also are  both drives Western Digitals?

[asubaseball727]

Both of the drives are  Maxtor.

And it doesn't recognize them when set to auto.

[asubaseball727]

Ok, here is the BIOS menu + options that I think have to deal with the HDD.

Drive config:

    Sata Primary Drive: (auto or off)

    Sata Secondary Drive:  (A o O)

    Primary Master Drive: (A o O)

    Pimary Slave Drive (A o O)

    Secondary Master: (A o O)

    Secondary Slave (A o O)

 

    IDE Drive UMDA

    Hard Drive Acoustics Mode = Bypass

Under Hard Disk Drive Sequence:

    1. System BIOS boot Devices

    2. USB Device (not installed)

And under boot sequence:

    1. Hard Disk Drive (not installed)

    2. Diskette Drive

  3. CD-ROM Device ( not installed)

_______________________________________________________

All of that is with JUST the old drive in, attached as it was before I tried to install the slave drive. P.S. I had both the slave and the master working at the same time before I decided to move it into the bay for protection to overheating.

[netmasta]

I'll go through a quick rundown.

I'm not too good in describing it with the techincal terms. But there is the cable with 3 ends that each have a set of pins. The one with a blue end goes to the motherboard, the black end goes to the master drive with windows. And I did have the grey ended one to the slave drive.

It's called an IDE cable.

Sense you didn't say so,I'm going to assume that the hard drives are ide.

First make sure you have the cable going to pin 1 on the hard drive to pin 1 on the ide connector,pin 1 is the one on the red stripe on the cable,this is for the master hard drive.

Try this first and let me know if the bios recognizes the hard drive.

Like Basic said, make sure the red stripe on the IDE cable is on the correct side, next to the power connecter. Although, since it's keyed, you shouldn't have to worry about it.

Also make sure every connection is tight. Check for bent pins. It's extremely easy to bend a pin and not even know it. I know, I've done it.

Make sure only one drive is master. Or set both to CS.

You said you could hear the HDD, so the power works.

[asubaseball727]

OK All connections are tight. How can I make sure that they are not both master other than by making sure one is plugged into the grey end of the IDE cable and the other to the black end?

Thanks

[netmasta]

Check the jumper settings on your HDD's. It's located where it says 'jump' on the pic below. A diagram on the HDD should show what the settings are.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.asp?Image=22%2D144%2D122%2D06%2Ejpg%2C22%2D144%2D122%2D07%2Ejpg&CurImage=22%2D144%2D122%2D07%2Ejpg&Description=Western+Digital+Caviar+SE+WD800JB+80GB+7200+RPM+IDE+Ultra+ATA100+Hard+Drive+%2D+OEM

Also it's usually "better" to have the master, the one with Windows, plugged into the end of the cable. It would be required on a cable select setup.

[asubaseball727]

I think it MIGHT have something to do with the power, because I can't open my CD drive when I'm booting either. That should be able to open right? And I got the drives working, at the same time, before with the current jumper location, so I don't think thats it. But I TRULY appreciate you trying to help:)

[asubaseball727]

Can anyone verify or disprove that?

[Rangerapr]

Are both drives new?  Did you make the partition and formatted then?

                                                                      Ranger

[asubaseball727]

I've concluded it has something to do with the power, so I'm going to have my dad's friend look @ it.

Thanks to all who tried to help.