# Startup issue on Dell Dimension



## nathaliev (Aug 12, 2005)

Hi everyone,

I've having trouble booting up, not sure if it's a BIOS issue (probably) 

My system is the following

Dell Dimension 8100 (Bios A09)
WindowsXP Professional
1GB RAM
3 IDE hard drives (all over 40GB)
Maxtor Ultra100 ATA Controller (Bios 2.01)
Maxtor Ultra100TX2 Controller
CD-ROM drive


My computer crashed (I think Windows got corrupted). I reformatted the C: drive, reinstalled WindowsXP, and everything worked (for a couple of days anyway)

Then, out of no where, it wouldn't start up, it would keep re-booting itself while loading the bios (or just after that, but before trying to go to Windows)

I ran the 'Dell System Utilities' off diskettes and after hours of checking it didn't find any hardware or drive problems.

I don't know why, but I tried to see if upgrading the Bios would help, since the Bios was A02 and there was A09 available. I upgraded the BIOS and it reset my BIOS settings, which may be the problem.


When I start up the computer, this is what I now see:

Pheonix EOM Bios plus 1.10 a09

Primary Hard Disk Drive 0 Not Found
Primary Hard Disk Drive 1 Not Found
Secondary Hard Disk Drive 0 Not Found
Secondary Hard Disk Drive 1 Not Found

(I'm not sure that I used to see the above when booting up before but maybe it just used to go by quick)


Ultra100TX2 (tm) BIOS Version 2.0.0210.2
Detecting...

D0 Not Detected
D1 WDC WD2000JB-00DUA3 LBA 186GB Ultra DMA 5
D2 Not Detected
D3 Not Detected

IDE BUS Master Enabled


Ultra100 (tm) BIOS Version 2.01 (Build 27)
Maxtor UltraATA 100 Controller by
(c) 1999-2000 Promise Technology, Inc. All rights reserved.

D0 Maxtor 6Y120L0 LBA 117246MB Ultra DMA 5
D1 Not detected
D2 Maxtor 6L060L3 LBA 57259MB UltraDMA 5
D3 Not detected

IDE BUS Master Enabled

Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility


(if I press F1 I get an error "Error Loading OS")



Below are my current relevent BIOS settings, which are probably not correct. I've played around and tried different settings but so far nothing got me any further.


.. (time, date, floppy settings..)
..
..
Primary Drive 0 Unknown Device
(see below for list of other options)

Primary Drive 1  Unknown Device 

Secondary Drive 0 Unknown Device

Secondary Drive 1 Unknown Device

('unknown device' above appears when I select "Auto" in the above settings. The other options are "Off" , and then a series of Drive Type numbers (1, 2, 3,..) with different Capacity, Cylinders, Heads, and Sectors amounts. None show a Drive Capacity greater than 528MB). Other than that there are some screens where it appears I can configure all this data custom.

So currently I have all the above on 'Auto' which shows 'Unknown Device' in the bios screen.



Other settings in the Bios Setup:


Hard-Disk Drive Sequence 
(this is set in this order

1. System BIOS boot devices
2. Ultra D1 WDC WD2000JB-00DUA3
3. Adapters wtih no ID support

(I've also tried it with #2 at the top)


Boot Sequence:
1. Diskette Drive
2. Hard Disk Drive C:

(isn't my CD-ROM drive supposed to show up here?)


Integrated Devices:

Network Interface Controller: On
Mouse Port: On
USB Emulation: On
USB Controller: On
Serial Port 1: Auto
Parallel Port: <ENTER>
IDE Drive Interface: Off (I've also tried this as AUTO)
Diskette Interface: Auto
PC Speaker On
Primary Video Controller AGP
Video DAC Snoop Off



If anyone has any ideas that might help I would be so! grateful. I'm really at a loss of what to try next (other than tossing it out the window, which has crossed my mind a few times)

Thanks in advance,
Nathalie


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

Are your boot drives set up on add-in cards?


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## nathaliev (Aug 12, 2005)

Yes I am 99% sure that it's the Western Digital that's on the Ultra100TX2 controller.

Nathalie


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## MD_Willington (Jan 11, 2005)

Check the mainboard for bad capacitors..there were a few DELL's that received a bad batch...The SC400's and the GX270's are known to have been visited by the "bad cap fairy", so there may be other DELL's with the same problem.


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