Hi
I have a serious problem with my Dell D520 Latitude. In a stupid attempt at reinstalling Windows XP pro, I used KillDisk to wipe the drive. Now I cannot reboot Windows. The exact message I get is 'No boot sector on Internal Hard drive'.
I have all the original disks for the Laptop and pressing Ctrl + F11 on startup does nothing.
Please please please help if you can.
Thankyou
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Answers (5)
0
Votes
Call Dell
They can walk you through reinstalling the factory settings.
You've erased the hard disk, so you will need to reinstall the setup disk.
You've erased the hard disk, so you will need to reinstall the setup disk.
7th Jan 2009
0
Votes
Do you have Windows XP install CD from Dell?
it is bootable, so it will allow you to reinstall windows.
7th Jan 2009
Replies
Thanks for the reply. The problem is that I cannot boot from any windows disc. I know the optical drive still works because I can still use the KillDisk cd I made. Is there a way to set up a partition from another bootable disc? Would this help? The laptop has only a cd/dvd drive. No floppy drive.
conjunktionman@...
8th Jan 2009
0
Votes
Have you created a Recovery CD
as you have wiped the Recovery Partition from the Hard drive you will have to use it to reload the Operating System. Try this and then boot from your Recovery CD. If you didn't create the Recovery CD you will have to contact Dell for a replacement.
The Windows Vista Recovery CD can be used to Boot your PC to enable you to create a Primary Partition and set it active.
Creating a Windows Vista Recovery CD
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=622
Download from here:
http://coblitz.codeen.org/neosmart.net/downloads/guides/Vista_Repair/Vista_Recovery_Disc_x86.iso
Burn it to a CD with Nero or equivalent software.
You have deleted the Primary Partition and you will have to recreate it, try this by pressing Enter after each command. Adjust size=20000 to the required size. 20000=20GB 30000=30GB etc.....or leave it blank to use the full drive.
Boot from the CD and on the first screen click Next, click Repair your computer, click Next and select Command Prompt.
using DiskPart. For example, from a command prompt, type:
diskpart
select disk 0
clean
create partition primary size=20000
select partition 1
active
Now type
EXIT to exit the diskpart session
The Windows Vista Recovery CD can be used to Boot your PC to enable you to create a Primary Partition and set it active.
Creating a Windows Vista Recovery CD
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=622
Download from here:
http://coblitz.codeen.org/neosmart.net/downloads/guides/Vista_Repair/Vista_Recovery_Disc_x86.iso
Burn it to a CD with Nero or equivalent software.
You have deleted the Primary Partition and you will have to recreate it, try this by pressing Enter after each command. Adjust size=20000 to the required size. 20000=20GB 30000=30GB etc.....or leave it blank to use the full drive.
Boot from the CD and on the first screen click Next, click Repair your computer, click Next and select Command Prompt.
using DiskPart. For example, from a command prompt, type:
diskpart
select disk 0
clean
create partition primary size=20000
select partition 1
active
Now type
EXIT to exit the diskpart session
Updated - 7th Jan 2009
0
Votes
So the Big problem is what exactly?
What you are describing is exactly correct after Kill Disc has been run the HDD has been wiped.
What you need to do here is insert the XP Recovery Disc and boot off that. This may involve entering the BIOS and resetting the Boot Order to Optical Drive and then HDD you do need to save the Changes when you exit BIOS and then with the Recovery Disc in the Optical Drive allow the system to Boot up and run off the XP Install CD.
Follow the prompts till the Process is complete and then wait for the system to restart and insert the Driver Disc if you have one and install all of the Dell Drivers. That should return your Computer to the As New Condition that it was when you originally purchased it.
Col
What you need to do here is insert the XP Recovery Disc and boot off that. This may involve entering the BIOS and resetting the Boot Order to Optical Drive and then HDD you do need to save the Changes when you exit BIOS and then with the Recovery Disc in the Optical Drive allow the system to Boot up and run off the XP Install CD.
Follow the prompts till the Process is complete and then wait for the system to restart and insert the Driver Disc if you have one and install all of the Dell Drivers. That should return your Computer to the As New Condition that it was when you originally purchased it.
Col
7th Jan 2009
Replies
Thanks for the reply. The problem is that I cannot boot from any windows disc. I know the optical drive still works because I can still use the KillDisk cd I made. Is there a way to set up a partition from another bootable disc? Would this help? The laptop has only a cd/dvd drive. No floppy drive.
conjunktionman@...
8th Jan 2009
The Boot Order is correct so that only leaves your Recovery Disc's as the possible culprit so they are either Damaged and unusable or
If this Recovery Set is one you recorded did you check it for the correct Function after recording it? Was it stored correctly and Sunlight not allowed to reach the Data Surfaces and wipe them. It's also possible depending on who made the Optical Drive that some Cheap Blanks are not compatable with the Optical Drive. What is possible is that the Recovery Set was never properly made to begin with or more likely never compatible with the drive as they have the wrong Dye on the Data Face and do not reflect anywhere near enough Light to allow this Drive to read them though they may work on other Drives. If that is the case here buy some Quality Blanks and copy your Recover Set on a different computer if you have one which I'm assuming you do as you are asking here which required a Net Connection and a Working Computer. But if you don't have a CD Burner available you can either ask a Friend to copy them or pay one of the many business to do the same thing.
You also need to know that Recorded CD's and I suppose DVDs have a limited life expediency Kodak claim that you should recopy your Picture CD's before they reach the 5 Year Mark if you store them under Good Conditions if they are allowed direct Sunlight on them this is a considerably shorter time. But apparently the Dye degrades over time and this causes the Pictures stored to degenerate.
While Kodak has not issued any notifications about DVD Media I would assume that the same applies there as well because the same technology is used to make CD's and DVD Blanks.
Your answer here is to replace the Recovery Set with one fro the Maker and that will cure the problem.
Col
If this Recovery Set is one you recorded did you check it for the correct Function after recording it? Was it stored correctly and Sunlight not allowed to reach the Data Surfaces and wipe them. It's also possible depending on who made the Optical Drive that some Cheap Blanks are not compatable with the Optical Drive. What is possible is that the Recovery Set was never properly made to begin with or more likely never compatible with the drive as they have the wrong Dye on the Data Face and do not reflect anywhere near enough Light to allow this Drive to read them though they may work on other Drives. If that is the case here buy some Quality Blanks and copy your Recover Set on a different computer if you have one which I'm assuming you do as you are asking here which required a Net Connection and a Working Computer. But if you don't have a CD Burner available you can either ask a Friend to copy them or pay one of the many business to do the same thing.
You also need to know that Recorded CD's and I suppose DVDs have a limited life expediency Kodak claim that you should recopy your Picture CD's before they reach the 5 Year Mark if you store them under Good Conditions if they are allowed direct Sunlight on them this is a considerably shorter time. But apparently the Dye degrades over time and this causes the Pictures stored to degenerate.
While Kodak has not issued any notifications about DVD Media I would assume that the same applies there as well because the same technology is used to make CD's and DVD Blanks.
Your answer here is to replace the Recovery Set with one fro the Maker and that will cure the problem.
Col
OH Smeg
8th Jan 2009
Hi Col
According to Dells support website, I have also deleted the Diagnostic Utility partition. When running the diagnostics, it is now giving me error codes for the optical drive as well as the hard drive. Is strange why the Killdisc worked more than once.
I feel like such an effing idiot for using KillDisk in the first place but we live and learn I suppose. I will have to contact Dell in the hope of a solution. Which looks like a replacement more than a fix. But I will give the new recovery disc a go first and see how things go.
Your help and advice has been greatly appreciated though and I thank you.
Cheers
Billy
According to Dells support website, I have also deleted the Diagnostic Utility partition. When running the diagnostics, it is now giving me error codes for the optical drive as well as the hard drive. Is strange why the Killdisc worked more than once.
I feel like such an effing idiot for using KillDisk in the first place but we live and learn I suppose. I will have to contact Dell in the hope of a solution. Which looks like a replacement more than a fix. But I will give the new recovery disc a go first and see how things go.
Your help and advice has been greatly appreciated though and I thank you.
Cheers
Billy
conjunktionman@...
8th Jan 2009
www.goodells.net/dellutility/index.htm
the funny thing is, it's much better than the dell site itself regarding it's usefulness.
the funny thing is, it's much better than the dell site itself regarding it's usefulness.
robo_dev
8th Jan 2009
Wow. Thanks for the link. The problem I have now is not being able to access DOS. Or boot from a floppy. There is no floppy drive. Do these programs boot from a DVD-R? Thats the only media I have except USB memory sticks.
Thanks
Billy
Thanks
Billy
conjunktionman@...
8th Jan 2009
Scrap that last question. This problem has taken me down a path of discovery. I am hopeful I can fix it. I know where to come if I am still having trouble.
Thanks for all your help folks. This might just be my new fave website. ;>
Thanks for all your help folks. This might just be my new fave website. ;>
conjunktionman@...
8th Jan 2009
0
Votes
OK the reason why this happened is that Kill Disc looks at the Entire Disc
Where as Windows only looks at the Main Partition in this case here.
So when you instructed Kill Disc to Wipe the HDD it wiped the entire HDD not just the Partition that Windows was located on. Dell like other System Makers have started to incorporate Recovery Partitions to save money in not having to supply install Media. to the individual the cost isn't much but to a place like Dell that's a lot of money when you consider that it is spread over the entire life of that Model.
When I worked as a Design Engineer the Car companies where desperate to save a fraction of a cent per unit as this was a major saving to them. Here with a Recovery Partition the savings are measured in a $1.00 or more per unit so that is a Massive Saving to a place like Dell. Say they make half a million units of this model that is the best part of a Million Dollar saving to the company.
So Kill Disc didn't work twice on the one pass it is to do with the way that the different utilities address the HDD.
But none the less the Recovery Partition while being nice isn't Important and the one big problem with this is that when the HDD Fails you also loose the ability to reinstall the OS as a new HDD doesn't come with the Recovery Partition already installed. So consider this as a New HDD having been fitted here what you have is the same as a Brand New Totally Blank HDD to work with. As you can Boot off a CD the Optical Drive is working and if necessary you can make a Boot CD or DVD to run some Applications off. However as there are already pre-made ones grab yourself a copy of the Ultimate Boot CD from here
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Burn it to a CD and drop it into the Optical Drive of this computer and start the thing. It will display the Ultimate CD's Menu and you can use this to do quite a lot of things like Test all of the Hardware with the proper Tools instead of those supplied by Dell Format the HDD in the form that you want as apposed to what the Slipstreamed Recovery Disc allows and other really useful things like that.
Also you can enter the BIOS here and change the Boot Order to Optical First then USB and finally HDD. That will allow you to Boot off a CD/DVD, a USB Thumb Drive and finally the HDD. While it will slow down the Boot procedure every time you boot the system it will only be a few seconds max and more likely a fraction of a second every time but you get a far more versatile system which does as you want instead of how the Makers believe you need to use it.
Even if you buy a New HDD from Dell here you will have exactly the same conditions as you currently have so there is no benefit unless the HDD has suffered some form of damage as stated by it's Makers Testing Utility these are also on the Ultimate Boot CD so it doesn't hurt to test things while you are waiting.
Also because this is a NB you should buy a Cool Pad to go under it. These do two things they keep the Airways inside the NB clean and allow far better cooling as there is no dust and other rubbish getting sucked into the when it is running and they insulate the Air Intakes from anything left on the desk top so that things like pieces of paper Can Not[p/b] get sucked up and block the Air Intakes. A Cool Pad looks something like this and is powered from a USB Port
http://www.antec.com/uk/productDetails.php?ProdID=75004
While I personally use the one listed above if you look on E Bay I'm told you can pick then up for about $20.00 they will extend the life of the NB considerably and easily outlast the NB. They also help prevent the HDD's in NB's from overheating which is one of the biggest killers of NB HDD's.
If you want to boot off a USB Thumb Drive you need to copy the Actual Boot Files to the Root of the Thumb Drive so do not copy them into a Folder or the Computer will not be able to find them so it can start running off them. You can however leave the Utility Executables in Folders and using the DOS Command Prompts CD Change Directories and access & run these Utilities although it is probably just as easy to copy everything required to the Root of the Thumb Drive as none of these need to be Installed as such like what happens in Windows. All you need do is type in the Files Name at the DOS Prompt and press the Enter Key and that Utility will start to run.
I think I covered all of your questions here but if I missed something or you want more help just post back and I'll see what I can do to help.
Cheers
Col
So when you instructed Kill Disc to Wipe the HDD it wiped the entire HDD not just the Partition that Windows was located on. Dell like other System Makers have started to incorporate Recovery Partitions to save money in not having to supply install Media. to the individual the cost isn't much but to a place like Dell that's a lot of money when you consider that it is spread over the entire life of that Model.
When I worked as a Design Engineer the Car companies where desperate to save a fraction of a cent per unit as this was a major saving to them. Here with a Recovery Partition the savings are measured in a $1.00 or more per unit so that is a Massive Saving to a place like Dell. Say they make half a million units of this model that is the best part of a Million Dollar saving to the company.
So Kill Disc didn't work twice on the one pass it is to do with the way that the different utilities address the HDD.
But none the less the Recovery Partition while being nice isn't Important and the one big problem with this is that when the HDD Fails you also loose the ability to reinstall the OS as a new HDD doesn't come with the Recovery Partition already installed. So consider this as a New HDD having been fitted here what you have is the same as a Brand New Totally Blank HDD to work with. As you can Boot off a CD the Optical Drive is working and if necessary you can make a Boot CD or DVD to run some Applications off. However as there are already pre-made ones grab yourself a copy of the Ultimate Boot CD from here
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Burn it to a CD and drop it into the Optical Drive of this computer and start the thing. It will display the Ultimate CD's Menu and you can use this to do quite a lot of things like Test all of the Hardware with the proper Tools instead of those supplied by Dell Format the HDD in the form that you want as apposed to what the Slipstreamed Recovery Disc allows and other really useful things like that.
Also you can enter the BIOS here and change the Boot Order to Optical First then USB and finally HDD. That will allow you to Boot off a CD/DVD, a USB Thumb Drive and finally the HDD. While it will slow down the Boot procedure every time you boot the system it will only be a few seconds max and more likely a fraction of a second every time but you get a far more versatile system which does as you want instead of how the Makers believe you need to use it.
Even if you buy a New HDD from Dell here you will have exactly the same conditions as you currently have so there is no benefit unless the HDD has suffered some form of damage as stated by it's Makers Testing Utility these are also on the Ultimate Boot CD so it doesn't hurt to test things while you are waiting.
Also because this is a NB you should buy a Cool Pad to go under it. These do two things they keep the Airways inside the NB clean and allow far better cooling as there is no dust and other rubbish getting sucked into the when it is running and they insulate the Air Intakes from anything left on the desk top so that things like pieces of paper Can Not[p/b] get sucked up and block the Air Intakes. A Cool Pad looks something like this and is powered from a USB Port
http://www.antec.com/uk/productDetails.php?ProdID=75004
While I personally use the one listed above if you look on E Bay I'm told you can pick then up for about $20.00 they will extend the life of the NB considerably and easily outlast the NB. They also help prevent the HDD's in NB's from overheating which is one of the biggest killers of NB HDD's.
If you want to boot off a USB Thumb Drive you need to copy the Actual Boot Files to the Root of the Thumb Drive so do not copy them into a Folder or the Computer will not be able to find them so it can start running off them. You can however leave the Utility Executables in Folders and using the DOS Command Prompts CD Change Directories and access & run these Utilities although it is probably just as easy to copy everything required to the Root of the Thumb Drive as none of these need to be Installed as such like what happens in Windows. All you need do is type in the Files Name at the DOS Prompt and press the Enter Key and that Utility will start to run.
I think I covered all of your questions here but if I missed something or you want more help just post back and I'll see what I can do to help.
Cheers
Col
Updated - 8th Jan 2009
Replies
Hi Col
You have been most helpful so far. Thanks. I have used some software on the ultimate boot cd to create a partition on the drive. Thats as far as I can get.
Any advice on setting up Windows from a CD? When I try to boot from the Windows CD i am getting the message 'Missing operating system'.
I am stuck on waht to do next.
Thanks
Billy
You have been most helpful so far. Thanks. I have used some software on the ultimate boot cd to create a partition on the drive. Thats as far as I can get.
Any advice on setting up Windows from a CD? When I try to boot from the Windows CD i am getting the message 'Missing operating system'.
I am stuck on waht to do next.
Thanks
Billy
conjunktionman@...
9th Jan 2009
It is bypassing the optical Disc and ignoring it. Either the Disc is damaged or the Recovery set was never correctly made. I could have that fixed and working within a few minutes as I would use one of my Windows Install Disc's but as you're not in Brisbane there isn't much I can do to help.
That error message appears when you have a Blank HDD and since you can Boot off the Ultimate Boot CD and Kill Disc that only leaves the Install Media for Windows as the suspect here.
Col
That error message appears when you have a Blank HDD and since you can Boot off the Ultimate Boot CD and Kill Disc that only leaves the Install Media for Windows as the suspect here.
Col
OH Smeg
9th Jan 2009
