(*sigh*) Yeah. Me too.

I've got a Dell 4300; it complains, "F1 to retry, F2 to enter setup".
No help here. Same thing, when I tried in a different Dell.

I thought that MAYBE, it was the controller. 'cept, the controller is
specially configured for Dell, and Dell doesn't sell the drive
anymore. Can't get the Dell controller, neither.

I bought a 60GXP off eBay on a lark, even though the controller wasn't
configured for a Dell -- hoping against hope that swapping the
controller from it would work. (*sigh*, again)... Nope. Same
complaint.

I really would like to get some car pix I've saved on this drive. I
don't really care about anything else, the drive has long since been
replaced. I saw something about a BIOS upgrade for this drive, but
applying it's predicated on the computer being able to boot with the
drive in the system -- which, I've not been able to accomplish.

Anything left for me to try? Failing that -- can anyone recommend a
reasonable (read: cheap) data recovery service?

adTHANKSvance
Dan

On 22 Nov 2003 15:14:15 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>(*sigh*) Yeah. Me too.
>
>I've got a Dell 4300; it complains, "F1 to retry, F2 to enter setup".
>No help here. Same thing, when I tried in a different Dell.
>
>I thought that MAYBE, it was the controller. 'cept, the controller is
>specially configured for Dell, and Dell doesn't sell the drive
>anymore. Can't get the Dell controller, neither.
>
>I bought a 60GXP off eBay on a lark, even though the controller wasn't
>configured for a Dell -- hoping against hope that swapping the
>controller from it would work. (*sigh*, again)... Nope. Same
>complaint.
>
>I really would like to get some car pix I've saved on this drive. I
>don't really care about anything else, the drive has long since been
>replaced. I saw something about a BIOS upgrade for this drive, but
>applying it's predicated on the computer being able to boot with the
>drive in the system -- which, I've not been able to accomplish.
>
>Anything left for me to try? Failing that -- can anyone recommend a
>reasonable (read: cheap) data recovery service?
>
> adTHANKSvance
> Dan

Having an F1 message from a system with unknown behavior is not enough
to determine if a disk is broken. You could examine if the disk can be
recognized by the BIOS in another system using another cable, or if
that system will boot to floppy with the disk set to none in BIOS. If
yes, you can run Hitachi Drive Fitness Test.
--
Svend Olaf

(E-Mail Removed) (Svend Olaf Mikkelsen) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
> On 22 Nov 2003 15:14:15 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>
> >(*sigh*) Yeah. Me too.
> >
> >I've got a Dell 4300; it complains, "F1 to retry, F2 to enter setup".
> >No help here. Same thing, when I tried in a different Dell.
> >
> >I thought that MAYBE, it was the controller. 'cept, the controller is
> >specially configured for Dell, and Dell doesn't sell the drive
> >anymore. Can't get the Dell controller, neither.
> >
> >I bought a 60GXP off eBay on a lark, even though the controller wasn't
> >configured for a Dell -- hoping against hope that swapping the
> >controller from it would work. (*sigh*, again)... Nope. Same
> >complaint.
> >
> >I really would like to get some car pix I've saved on this drive. I
> >don't really care about anything else, the drive has long since been
> >replaced. I saw something about a BIOS upgrade for this drive, but
> >applying it's predicated on the computer being able to boot with the
> >drive in the system -- which, I've not been able to accomplish.
> >
> >Anything left for me to try? Failing that -- can anyone recommend a
> >reasonable (read: cheap) data recovery service?
> >
> > adTHANKSvance
> > Dan
>
> Having an F1 message from a system with unknown behavior is not enough
> to determine if a disk is broken. You could examine if the disk can be
> recognized by the BIOS in another system using another cable, or if
> that system will boot to floppy with the disk set to none in BIOS. If
> yes, you can run Hitachi Drive Fitness Test.


Actually, I *did* try it in another Dell (as I state above) -- with
the same result; "F1 to retry, F2 for setup". I'm still willing to
give the Drive Fitness Test a go, however. If I poke around on the
Hitachi web site, will I find it there?

adTHANKSvance
Dan

On 22 Nov 2003 15:14:15 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>(*sigh*) Yeah. Me too.
>
>I've got a Dell 4300; it complains, "F1 to retry, F2 to enter setup".
>No help here. Same thing, when I tried in a different Dell.
>
>I thought that MAYBE, it was the controller. 'cept, the controller is
>specially configured for Dell, and Dell doesn't sell the drive
>anymore. Can't get the Dell controller, neither.
>
>I bought a 60GXP off eBay on a lark, even though the controller wasn't
>configured for a Dell -- hoping against hope that swapping the
>controller from it would work. (*sigh*, again)... Nope. Same
>complaint.
>
>I really would like to get some car pix I've saved on this drive. I
>don't really care about anything else, the drive has long since been
>replaced. I saw something about a BIOS upgrade for this drive, but
>applying it's predicated on the computer being able to boot with the
>drive in the system -- which, I've not been able to accomplish.
>
>Anything left for me to try? Failing that -- can anyone recommend a
>reasonable (read: cheap) data recovery service?
>
> adTHANKSvance
> Dan

Dan, have you tried mounting the HD in question as a "slave" in a
bootable friends machine? (Change the jumpering to "slave"....or
cable select if suitable) . Go into the BIOS on boot-up and make sure
that the slave is autodetecable. Exit, saving changes.
You could also use the Secondary port if that is more convenient.

I have looked at HDs from machines as old as "486DX" and examined and
used their files in the above fashion on my Dell 8200 (and WIN XP).

Of course if the drive is toast, this will not work.

Richard

Richard L Gabriel <**rlgabriel**@charter.net> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
> On 22 Nov 2003 15:14:15 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>
> >(*sigh*) Yeah. Me too.
> >
> >I've got a Dell 4300; it complains, "F1 to retry, F2 to enter setup".
> >No help here. Same thing, when I tried in a different Dell.
> >
> >I thought that MAYBE, it was the controller. 'cept, the controller is
> >specially configured for Dell, and Dell doesn't sell the drive
> >anymore. Can't get the Dell controller, neither.
> >
> >I bought a 60GXP off eBay on a lark, even though the controller wasn't
> >configured for a Dell -- hoping against hope that swapping the
> >controller from it would work. (*sigh*, again)... Nope. Same
> >complaint.
> >
> >I really would like to get some car pix I've saved on this drive. I
> >don't really care about anything else, the drive has long since been
> >replaced. I saw something about a BIOS upgrade for this drive, but
> >applying it's predicated on the computer being able to boot with the
> >drive in the system -- which, I've not been able to accomplish.
> >
> >Anything left for me to try? Failing that -- can anyone recommend a
> >reasonable (read: cheap) data recovery service?
> >
> > adTHANKSvance
> > Dan
>
> Dan, have you tried mounting the HD in question as a "slave" in a
> bootable friends machine? (Change the jumpering to "slave"....or
> cable select if suitable) . Go into the BIOS on boot-up and make sure
> that the slave is autodetecable. Exit, saving changes.
> You could also use the Secondary port if that is more convenient.
>
> I have looked at HDs from machines as old as "486DX" and examined and
> used their files in the above fashion on my Dell 8200 (and WIN XP).
>
> Of course if the drive is toast, this will not work.
>
> Richard

Yup, as a slave in my machine at home, and in two at work. Seems to
drag the whole IDE down; nothing is detectable in the BIOS, which you
are forced to enter.

Not a good sign.

Dan

(E-Mail Removed) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
>
> Yup, as a slave in my machine at home, and in two at work. Seems to
> drag the whole IDE down; nothing is detectable in the BIOS, which you
> are forced to enter.
>
> Not a good sign.

Whether it issues any sounds?

Leonid