Computer won't boot to hard drive

Original Message

Name: Humphrey
Date: September 27, 2003 at 16:28:32 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive
OS: Win 3.1
CPU/Ram: Dell486D/50

Comment:

The computer runs through it's initial checks but when it gets to the C: drive (hard disk) it beeps twice and displays the message:
'hard disk failure
Strike the F1 key to continue,
F2 to run the setup utility'
On checking the setup, all the information seems to be correct.
This all happened after the battery lost power.
What could be the problem? HELP>>HELP>>HELP
Thanks

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Response Number 1

Name: SkipCox
Date: September 27, 2003 at 18:47:10 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

Sounds like your machine lost it's mind. Get into bios and at the first screen (standard cmos setup or something like that) your hdd should be identified. If not you'll need the hdd parameters and enter them manually. When the battery dies and you turn the pc off all config info is lost. Your machine doesn't know there's a harddrive in it.

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Response Number 2

Name: Humphrey
Date: September 27, 2003 at 19:06:09 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

I did that and it still did not work.
I changed the battery again, reset the hdd parameters and it still did not work.
??????? What's with that?

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Response Number 3

Name: SkipCox
Date: September 27, 2003 at 19:29:35 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

What are the parameters or model number of your harddrive?

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Response Number 4

Name: Humphrey
Date: September 27, 2003 at 20:10:32 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

SkipCox:
The hdd is a Dell 230-MB IDE and the parameters:
Drive type - 40
Cylinders - 723
Heads - 13
Sectors - 51
I have tried everything suggested from many sources, I hope you can help.
Thanks you.

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Response Number 5

Name: SkipCox
Date: September 27, 2003 at 21:18:29 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

So type 40 won't work and setting C,H,S doesn't work either?
Try setting,
Cyl 723 - Head 13 - Precomp 65535 - LandZ 722 - Sector 51 if the Dell bios allows.
If no help, let us know the exact model of your machine and service tag number if there is one. In the meantime, I'll do a little more research.

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386 MCW computer won't boot Can't access my hard drive. win3.11 installed won't boot to windows water damage.. won't boot up PC won't boot	replacement drive won't boot win 3.1 won't boot to desktop Hard drive doesn't work... Won't boot up at all computer won't boot up

Response Number 6

Name: SkipCox
Date: September 27, 2003 at 21:34:38 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

This should be your drive:
http://support.ap.dell.com/docs/dta/23540/
and
http://th99.pley.org/h/txt/3414.txt
May need to dig up the Dell Software Utilities Diskette for your particular machine to get this thing configured.

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Response Number 7

Name: Humphrey
Date: September 27, 2003 at 21:56:29 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

Dell bios only allow setting 40 and that does not work.
I have checked and the drive is a Quantum ProDrive 240MB.
I just happen to have 2 of the same computers with different problems. So I have taken one apart to help with diagnosing the problem and finding a solution.
The computer I'm trying to get working has a Model # 486D/50, with a Serial # 2D55K. I do not have a service tag #.
Thanks again for your time and help.

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Response Number 8

Name: SkipCox
Date: September 27, 2003 at 22:14:28 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

Sure; if I find anything else, I'll post it.

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Response Number 9

Name: SkipCox
Date: September 27, 2003 at 22:31:38 Pacific
Subject: Computer won't boot to hard drive

Reply: (edit)

Here's Dell's page for a 486D/xx with links:
http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=dhs&k=486d&cat=all&eh=4&c=us&l=en
and this may help
https://support.dell.com/filelib/format.aspx?releaseid=r19170
and the last thing I could find
http://support.dell.com/filelib/Devices.aspx?Category=0&OS=DOS++&OSL=EN&SvcTag=&SysID=OTH_486_0XX_486D__
Good luck Humphrey,
Skip

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