Sec19Row53
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|  #1 Posted on 5.2.14 2036.44
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2038.15 | So I woke up yesterday to a PC with a screen informing me that it had no boot drive available. If I attempt to reboot, I get two beeps, and nothing more. I don't get to an option to attempt to start Windows in Safe Mode -- nothing.
Any ideas? If I throw in the XP CD to reload Windows, will my data still exist from before the re-install (if it comes to that)? | Promote this thread! |             | Leroy
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| #2 Posted on 5.2.14 2050.30
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2054.39 |
Make and model of the computer? Desktop or laptop?
The more info the better. | Sec19Row53
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| #3 Posted on 5.2.14 2055.28
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2059.01 | Yeah, I should know better.
Dell Optiplex GX520 desktop. Running Windows XP.
I get the Dell splash screen, then two beeps, and
No boot device available - strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility
F1 results in the same message
F2 gets me into the setup utility
ETA - I replaced the battery on the motherboard, as that was something I had found as an option. It made no difference
(edited by Sec19Row53 on 5.2.14 2058) | Leroy
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| #4 Posted on 5.2.14 2103.49
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2103.56 |
That model should have 4 lights somewhere on either the front or back of the computer, labeled 1 2 3 4. When you turn the computer on and get to that F1/F2 screen, are any of them lit? | Sec19Row53
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| #5 Posted on 5.2.14 2108.20
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2108.49 | | Lights 1, 2, and 3 are lit, as well as whatever it is that is below 1. | Leroy
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| #6 Posted on 5.2.14 2130.11
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2133.15 |
First thing I'd do is check all of the cables inside the chassis - make sure nothing came loose or is partially detached. I'd even reset the cable to the hard drive.
Next, try to boot up from the CD Rom drive, but don't install anything. Just see if the installation disk sees the hard drive.
Two beeps doesn't seem to indicate anything - are you certain it's just two beeps?
| Sec19Row53
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| #7 Posted on 5.2.14 2132.58
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2133.29 | Yep - just two beeps. I had already checked for good connections inside and out.
I found my Kaspersky Rescue Disk that was created as a result of this thread http://the-w.com/ransomware and it is running right now. Doing a scan as we speak.
ETA - Kaspersky isn't helping. It doesn't seem to recognize any hard drives.
(edited by Sec19Row53 on 5.2.14 2154) | Leroy
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| #8 Posted on 5.2.14 2200.55
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2206.11 | So the three lights apparently indicate that "a failure has occurred"... which is AWESOMELY descriptive and almost makes you wonder why they bothered to have that indicated at all.
I'm not optimistic about your hard drive. If you're lucky, you may just be looking at a hosed boot partition - but I think you might want to be prepared for something worse. I *really* hope I'm wrong.
I'm not going to be awake much longer tonight, but a list of color and beep codes (as well as where to find other diagnostic info) can be found here (manualslib.com). Yeah, it a manual, but it might be helpful.
Edit: So yeah, I would also try a Linux LiveCD. And maybe try a USB enclosure if you *need* the data. But I think you may need a new hard drive.
(edited by Leroy on 5.2.14 2303) | Alex
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| #9 Posted on 5.2.14 2338.09
Reposted on: 5.2.21 2338.56 | | My immediate thought is a hard drive gone bad, which isn't the most expensive thing on your computer to replace, thankfully. | Guru Zim
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| #10 Posted on 6.2.14 1150.31
Reposted on: 6.2.21 1157.41 | It sounds like a hard drive issue.
The hard drive could be bad (80%)
The hard drive could be disconnected (10%)
Bad cable (10%)
HD Controller issue (low)
If you want to try the most likely fix, go buy a new HD and install it, boot with your Windows CD and reinstall the OS. You can then decide if your backups are good enough (You have backups, right?) or if you want to muck around with the other drive.
If the new drive isn't detected, you're on one of the lower probability issues. Cables and HD Controllers on motherboards don't generally go bad, but this is an older PC if it came with Windows XP, so maybe its hardware. You can always try cables from a different PC if you have one laying about.
You can probably get a surplus PC with better specifications than the one you are trying to fix for under $50, if that helps your decision making process at all.
Here's a price comparison for your PC from a random site from Google. Don't pay more than this to fix the old one.
http://www.computerrefurb.com/discount-pc-desktops/dell-optiplex-gx520-celeron-2-53ghz-sff-1gb-40gb-xp-pro/?gclid=CPqR762IuLwCFY17fgodaGQA4w Under $68.
(edited by Guru Zim on 6.2.14 0952) | Sec19Row53
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| #11 Posted on 6.2.14 1756.11
Reposted on: 6.2.21 1757.09 | Yes to backups. Only in November, so not bad all things considered. E-mail, nto so much I fear.
I don't have the spare parts to check, but I've got somewhere to fuss with it next week.
Thanks for the help - any additional theories or saving graces are still welcome. | Oliver
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| #12 Posted on 7.2.14 1116.04
Reposted on: 7.2.21 1116.22 | | Why not get a portable hard drive case, hook it up as an external drive to another computer and see if it's recognised? | | ALL ORIGINAL POSTS IN THIS THREAD ARE NOW AVAILABLE |
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