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Boot failure

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by dseaman_797

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Ok so a client brought this pc to me (Dell Dimension 8400) I get the msg "We apologize for the inconvenience windows did not start successfully ...etc.etc and a bunch of options ...safe mode , start normally etc.No matter which option I choose the machine magically restarts itself :).My next line of attack was to run a windows repair....but...it can't see the drive which is SATA by the way.I also tried all the SATA controllers on the board and the result was the same.
Then I tried using another sata drive that I had (and I know it works) but it fails to see that one also.
My conclusion is there is something wrong with the controllers on the board .What do you guys think?

I should also mention that i also replaced the cmos battery cause the old one was well .....old :)

13 replies

by cmiller5400

I have seen stubborn dell machines with bad memory puke at just about anything you throw at it.

by dseaman_797

I didn't think of that at all!! I'll give it a shot ....now I just have to find some extra memory :S

Thanks I'll let you know how it goes

by dseaman_797

I remembered something while trying to run the windows repair.The dell pc uses a sata drive and I'm wondering if it can't detect the drive because of the lack of these sata drivers.So my next question is,and pretty much my last straw with this pc is how can i get those drivers onto a windows disk.I've slipstreamed an sp3 onto awin xp disc hoping it would have the drivers but that didnt work.I used Nlite which is really cool .

by snuffy09

Yeah it sounds like a motherboard problem to me too.

Sometimes Power supplies can give you weird problems. do you Have a Power supply tester? or spare you can swap with?

Did you ask the user if they had any power outages lately?

Good Luck

by dseaman_797

I actually just got off the phone with the client and that was one of the questions I asked her :) Her response was no. I can get my hands on a tester.

Thanks I'll keep you posted :)

by larryd4

You can download the Diagnostic from the Dell web site and it will test the drives and the contollers, as well as all the other hardware and tell you where problem is.

by dseaman_797

Remember the pc won't even boot so downloading and installing or even running the dell diagnostics is impossible :)....Unless I do it from another dell pc hmmm I wonder if I can install the HDD in another dell pc and run that diagnostic to test the drive?

Thanks for the advice ...I'll keep you posted

by snuffy09

you could pull the drive and install in another pc and run the test... But you already know that the Mobo wont even see a good SATA drive. so the drive shouldnt be the problem.

Im intrested to hear about the outcome :)

Good luck

by thumbsup2

... did you go into the BIOS to make sure the settings are all correct so it detects the drive correctly?

by dseaman_797

Oddly enough it sees the drive in the bios and it gets to the point where the windows slash screen comes up but only for a split second and then the machine reboots.

by 1bn0

Have you eaxmined the board for failied capacitors?

This is not a frequent problem any more but the symptom of rebooting during the boot process is a common indicator.

Look at the larger capacitors near the power connector. Check for leaks or bulging tops on the capacitors.

by dseaman_797

I'm taking a few steps back from the troubleshooting path that I took and I remembered when i ran the windows xp repair it could not detect the sata drive. I remember having this kind of problem before and it ended up being the sata drivers.So this is what I'm thinking,something is wrong with the current xp installation and the xp disc cannot detect the drive to repair it...which is kinda wierd :S
I had previously tried using an ide drive and that wasnt detected either but I think I'm gonna try it again and see what happens

Also if it is indeed a driver issue that causes the xp repair to not detect the drive , how can i inject that driver to a winxp installation so that it see that sata drive.
More imporantly where can I find that driver.I've used Nlite before and I'm thinking along those lines.

thanks :)

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