No Boot Device Detected

[EnzoMatrix]

I was recently reading a post here regarding the wonderful Dell Dimension series. This is an 8200 Bios A01. (Old old I know) However, I have done the following with no positive results.

1. Checked cables
2. Checked bios settings (more on this later)
3. Swapped IDE cables
4. Slaved the drive on an existing system (works fine)
5. Reseated the RAM
6. Changed CMOS Battery
7. Installed IDE Interface PCI Card (Will not recognise HD nor Boot)

all that being said, my bios settings are auto in all the correct places. I have also tried unplugging both CD Devices and try to boot with only the HD connected. In the bios, it recognizes the HD in the IDE device list, however in the boot sequence it will only give me the option of Processor. I'm not sure what that means but it will not use ANY device to boot.

I have also attempted to update the bios to rev A09 but it will not boot from the floppy either. If anyone else has any suggestions on this I would most appreciate it.

[Sylvander]

In the BIOS Setup...
Are all your IDE controllers [2?] enabled?

Try to simplify things at first, so...
Disconnect the HDD and all optical drives and try to boot a bootable floppy in the FDD.
Make the FDD and optical drives before the HDD in the boot list [they can be changed around later].
Make sure all the FDD settings are good.
e.g.
In "Standard CMOS Setup"...
Drive A : 1.44M, 3.5in

"BIOS Features Setup"
Boot Up Floppy Seek : Enabled
[You should then hear the FDD being accessed during POST]

"Integrated Peripherals Setup Menu"
Onboard FDD Controller : Enabled

Make sure the FDD signal cable is connected the correct way round.

[EnzoMatrix]

I have tried a floppy only boot to attempt a bios update however it will not even boot to that. The FDD states that there is a floppy drive recognized in the bios, but in the boot sequence it still only gives me the "processor" option. I have unplugged and reseated all cables to see it that was one of the problems.:confused:

[Sylvander]

"there is a floppy drive recognized in the bios"
Even so, if the FDD Controller is disabled the FDD isn't going to function. :(
And if the BIOS is being told that it's a 5.25in drive it isn't going to function.
You didn't answer on these points.

"in the boot sequence it still only gives me the "processor" option"
Huh? I've never heard of this.
The BIOS cannot load an Operating System from the "processor"; it loads from some drive, or network source.

How far does the Startup sequence get in the following?
All the way to step 15, or does it stop short?

A typical and successful startup sequence
1. Start of Boot Troubleshooting Walkthrough
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/index.htm
2. Yes: The system power supply is functioning
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/power1.htm
------------------------------------------------------
You should hear a single short beep at about this point indicating the successful running/completion of the POST.
Some PC’s beep much later, possibly as late as just before step 12.
------------------------------------------------------
3. Yes: Something is being written to the screen during boot up [This may be only a flashing cursor]
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/video1.htm
4. The video BIOS message is displayed on the screen for a few seconds and then clears from the screen, or more messages display under it
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/vbios1.htm
5. Yes: The system BIOS startup screen is appearing
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/bios1.htm
6. The memory test completes successfully
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/ram1.htm
7. The BIOS accesses the floppy drives and the boot continues
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/seek1.htm
8. The system is able to autodetect IDE devices successfully
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/auto1.htm
9. The system is not Plug and Play compatible, has no Plug and Play devices, or has PnP devices but identifies them properly
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/pnp1.htm
10. Boot sequence is A: before C: (floppy disk first)
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/seqAC.htm
11. The floppy disk makes a noise and the light comes on
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/fd1.htm
12. The floppy disk light goes off and the hard disk light comes on as it starts booting
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/fd1hdd.htm
13. The hard disk boot process will continue here, if you want to follow it.
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/hd1.htm
14. The system continues booting from the hard disk and the message "Starting MS-DOS" or "Starting Windows 95" is displayed
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/hd1os.htm
15. Operating System Loaded From Hard Disk. The system has found a boot sector on the hard disk and is now starting the load of the operating system. The hard disk is working. You have successfully completed the hardware part of the boot process. Any problems encountered after this point should be diagnosed by looking for a more specific problem with a component, or under the section that contains run-time error messages.

[Sylvander]

From step 12 I got to No Boot Device Available (http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/booterr.htm) on the menu on the left.

[EnzoMatrix]

FDD Controller is enabled in the bios, it's stating the 3.5" floppy at the Diskette Drive A.

IDE Drive interface = Auto
Diskette Interface = Auto

I don't believe this to be a simple bios configuration problem as most of the options are set to auto.

As far as the processor selection in the boot sequence, I've never heard of it either. Seeing as how I can not boot from any device attached, I'm not certain what the next step is.

[Sylvander]

"How far does the Startup sequence get in the following?
All the way to step 15, or does it stop short?"
No answer received. :(

[EnzoMatrix]

Your boot sequence page is not going to apply well to a Dell computer. The POST actually takes place behind a Dell splash screen so that you are unable to see if any drives are detected, memory checked, or if there are any errors. Once the POST completes, it continues on to access the devices for a boot. When it gets to this point, it will display the message Strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for Setup. If you press F1, it will display no boot devices detected. If you press F2, you go into the bios and it will clearly show that you have a floppy disk drive, CD-Rom Drives, Hard Disk. They are there, however in the boot sequence it gives you no option what so ever to use any of these devices. Which is the main problem so far. This step/problem is not listed in your boot troubleshooter.

[Sylvander]

"The POST actually takes place behind a Dell splash screen"
Can you close that splash screen?
I hit "Esc" to close my HP splash screen.
And then I can normally see my various drives being correctly detected and identified.
Sometimes my CD-RW drive isn't detected.
This I suspect because of a shortage of power output capability of the PSU, so the drive is disabled or not enabled .
Then when Windows "resumes" from hibernation [because it has "resumed" not reloaded it expects to see all hardware still there] it complains that the drive has been improperly "removed".

How about trying this [if you ever get the FDD to boot, but how?]...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[b]How to make a free “Smart Boot Manager” bootable floppy
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41498
This makes it easier to boot a chosen drive.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
...And see if it detects the presence of your HDD, and lists it in the menu so you can choose it to be booted.

[jlreich]

There should be an option in the BIOS to disable the splash screen and/or show the POST details or similar.

[EnzoMatrix]

There is no option to disable splash screen with dell bios, and can you can not remove it. Dell creates it's own bios that runs with a "simple" course so as not to confuse the general PC user with all the numbers and confusion. That way you have to take it to a Dell certified technician in order to fix it should it break.

As stated, the bios is configured correctly. No drives or interface is disabled. The main problem, is that the devices are detected and shown in their proper location in the bios. IDE and FDD interfaces are enabled. In the boot sequence, it will not allow you to select any device to boot. The only option it gives you is processor. I have reset the bios several times without any positive results. If this were a matter of an error in bios configuration, then resetting to factory defaults (which you have no option in the bios to do. You much pull out the Cmos battery because there is no Jumper to reset it.) would fix any setting that was wrong.

I honest need to know if someone has dealt with a dell bios that has done the same thing. I'm certain if I updated to Rev A09 it would fix it, but I can not boot to anything to flash it. I've even tried using a PC IDE interface card, but it will not boot from that either.

[Sylvander]

Is there a "Disable Quiet Boot" option?

QUOTE [here (http://www.motherboardpoint.com/t41175-how-to-replace-dell-splash-screen-on-startup.html)]
The quiet boot option shows a BIG dell logo until the Windows logo comes up (usually).
By disabling it, you get a small dell logo with a bunch of POST info.

Still searching. :(

[Sylvander]

Perhaps you need to "Force Update the ESCD" whilst the drive controllers are ENABLED.
Do you get what I'm thinking?

If [at some time past] the ESCD was force updated whilst the drive controllers were disabled, then no resource allocations would be made and recorded in the ESCD, so the drive controllers wouldn't function, and therefore no drives would be functional.

Is PnP resource allocation on "Auto"?
Set "PnP OS Installed = No".

See HERE (http://users.iafrica.com/c/cq/cquirke/startup.htm#Power_supply) about where it says...
BIOS boot device
Having finished POST, built an equipment list, and optionally done PnP management, the BIOS then seeks a boot device according to settings held in CMOS. Traditionally, the first boot device was either a LAN boot ROM or the first diskette drive

[EnzoMatrix]

Yes I think I see what you're saying. That might work with the onboard controllers however why would that apply to a PCI IDE controller?

[Sylvander]

1. The "PCI IDE Controllers" ARE "Onboard Controllers". :confused:

2. The ESCD records hardware resource allocations for PCI Hardware.
i.e It applies to [ONLY] PCI hardware.
And the IDE controllers ARE PCI hardware.

3. If you want to see identified ALL the PCI hardware on any PC...
Go into Windows Device Manager on any PC | view devices "By Connection" | hit "Numlock + *" [to expand all of the tree] and "Numlock" again [to reset Numlock on], and scroll down to the "PCI Bus" branch of the hardware tree.
All items listed there [it includes the IDE controllers and HDD's] are PCI hardware items.

4. View the "Properties" of an IDE controller and look at the resources allocated.
These resources seen here were originally determined by the BIOS and recorded in the ESCD [possibly by a "Forced Update" of the ESCD] after the BIOS made "non-conflicting resource allocations".
These allocations are then used at each/every startup, and [provided Windows agrees with them and doesn't decide to over-ride them and make new allocations] will be used by Windows and displayed as those used.

[EnzoMatrix]

I'm not able to do this as I can not boot from the main disk which is my main problem. Windows is unavailable.

The PCI IDE Controller is an expansion card, such as the Adaptec that I've attempted to use to bypass this boot problem...

[Sylvander]

"I'm not able to do this as I can not boot from the main disk which is my main problem. Windows is unavailable"
You surely didn't think I was telling you to do this on the problem PC whilst it was failing to boot did you?
I was trying to explain about PCI hardware and how if you want to see typical PCI hardware identified, and I quote...
"If you want to see identified ALL the PCI hardware on any PC...
Go into Windows Device Manager on any PC"

"The PCI IDE Controller is an expansion card"
This controller card provides ADDITIONAL IDE CONTROLLERS [How many? Two?] that supplement the [two?] on-board IDE controllers.
Do you only have a single HDD?
To which controller is it connected when the BIOS attempts to boot a drive?
One of the controllers on the card?
It's not so simple to transfer to a card.
To bring the controller card into use the HDD must initially be in its normal arrangement [controller, cable, jumper etc].
Then you should have done the following...
a. Connect the new card.
b. Boot into Windows and have Windows detect the card and install the driver and any software needed [As per the cards instructions. Do you have those?]
c. Shut down and swap the HDD from the boards' own controller to one of the card's controllers.
d. Before allowing the BIOS to attempt to boot that new setup, go into the BIOS setup and configure the BIOS to boot SCSI [as per the card's instruction info?].
e. Save and exit setup and hope it all works and the BIOS boots successfully from the new arrangement.

See this thread (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=55477) on the same or similar problem.

[EnzoMatrix]

already done with the PCI IDE Card.. You are able to boot from it if you set it up that way, however it will not allow you to. It displays the same information as if trying to boot from the onboard controller. Even AFTER shutting the IDE controller off on the board itself, it will not boot. It will not recognize the HD, however I think this may have something to do with the MBR or security of the NTFS format. It will however recognize both CD Devices. I am allowed to set up the CD devices as boot drives in the Card's setup interface, but the system still does not recognize it. I am thinking that it still will not boot to ANYTHING including an expansion IDE Controller.

As far as which controller I have tried every configuration. Using both Onboard and Card, Just Card, Only HD on Card, Only CD on Card, CD on Card HD onboard (swap.) The system will just plain not boot period. There are very few options to work with in this bios. I was looking for a pic or flowchart online so that you could see what I'm working with, but unfortunately nobody has done this. If you would like, I will type out a flow chart of the Dell Dimension 8200 Rev A01 Bios to give you an idea how very much my hands are tied when it comes to settings on this motherboard.

[EnzoMatrix]

Actually.... I have just come up with a theory that may explain what has happened. The south bridge is messed up somehow. As I was thinking, the south bridge controls not only the on board controller, it also handles the I/O which would explain why I'm able to identify the devices in the Bios but not use them.

[Sylvander]

"It displays the same information as if trying to boot from the onboard controller"
That's the cards' own internal BIOS working OK.
Is the information it displays showing/identifying the HDD that's connected?

"it will not boot. It will not recognize the HD"
It certainly won't succeed in loading Windows because there has been no driver installed in Windows for the card.
In the other thread, Mini-Me has managed to get his system working again.
He did it by...
a. Going back to the original hardware setup.
b. Resetting the BIOS defaults.
c. Restoring the Windows "Last known good configuration".
d. Then in his own words..."XP hummed and whirred for a minute or so, and then everything came back normal again".

"I think this may have something to do with the MBR or security of the NTFS format"
What do you get at this point?
Any errors displayed? Black screen?

"It will however recognize both CD Devices. I am allowed to set up the CD devices as boot drives in the Card's setup interface, but the system still does not recognize it"
On my system...
I have an optical drive on each of the two internal IDE controllers, and they will work perfectly well with the HDD connected to one of the 2 the controllers on the card.
I just had to make sure that before switching the HDD with its Windows installation from the internal controller to the cards' controller...
The cards' presence had been detected by Windows and its driver and other control software had been installed.
Only then would Windows load from the HDD whilst the HDD was connected to the controller on the card.

"If you would like, I will type out a flow chart of the Dell Dimension 8200 Rev A01 BIOS to give you an idea how very much my hands are tied when it comes to settings on this motherboard"
If it isn't too much work, that might help both you and me.
In doing that you might make a discovery of new understanding.

[COMPMASTER16]

OK i dont know if this was said already, Either A, Restore BIOS settings to default, Or B Remove CMOS backup battery, Remove all power, let it sit for a while, Or even more "Into it" Look for a CMOS clear jumper on the board,