Serious No Operating System Found

[Richard in AZ]

I am trying to fix a Dell Inspiron 2500 laptop.
It has a fan failure and requires F1 to initiate the boot.
(There are two fan at the rear and both start, but one quits right away.)
Upon booting it immediately reports "No Operating System Found" and stops.

I can get into the BIOS and it recognizes the Hd, floppy drive and CD Drive
I have it set to boot first to the CD, then external drive, then HD.
I have tried the Dell Windows Disk, a Linux CD, and a diagnostic CD.
I have tried a Windows 98 Boot floppy.
I have re-seated the memory cards.
I have re-seated and replaced the CD drive.
I pulled the Hard Drive and with it in an external case, read the files on it. I appears to be a
valid XP OS on it.

Any other suggestions?
I am guessing a major system board problem. May be more $$$ that the laptop is worth.

 

[DL]

CPU / mobo failed
RIP

 

[Bill in Co.]

If he can get into BIOS it seems his CPU is at least working, right? So
I'd think it's more likely the mobo.

 

[Brian A.]

I am trying to fix a Dell Inspiron 2500 laptop.
It has a fan failure and requires F1 to initiate the boot.
(There are two fan at the rear and both start, but one quits right away.)
Upon booting it immediately reports "No Operating System Found" and stops.

I can get into the BIOS and it recognizes the Hd, floppy drive and CD Drive
I have it set to boot first to the CD, then external drive, then HD.
I have tried the Dell Windows Disk, a Linux CD, and a diagnostic CD.
I have tried a Windows 98 Boot floppy.
I have re-seated the memory cards.
I have re-seated and replaced the CD drive.
I pulled the Hard Drive and with it in an external case, read the files on it.
I appears to be a
valid XP OS on it.

Any other suggestions?
I am guessing a major system board problem. May be more $$$ that the laptop
is worth.

Will it boot to the desktop if you set the HD as the first boot device? If
yes, use a CD drive lens cleaner or try another CD/DVD drive.
Will it boot if you disconnect the fans? If yes, replace the fans unless
there is some type of failsafe involved that keeps the laptop from booting when
there are no fans detected. If that were to be the case, test with known good
fans or replace them.

--


Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Richard in AZ]

| | >I am trying to fix a Dell Inspiron 2500 laptop.
| > It has a fan failure and requires F1 to initiate the boot.
| > (There are two fan at the rear and both start, but one quits right away.)
| > Upon booting it immediately reports "No Operating System Found" and stops.
| >
| > I can get into the BIOS and it recognizes the Hd, floppy drive and CD Drive
| > I have it set to boot first to the CD, then external drive, then HD.
| > I have tried the Dell Windows Disk, a Linux CD, and a diagnostic CD.
| > I have tried a Windows 98 Boot floppy.
| > I have re-seated the memory cards.
| > I have re-seated and replaced the CD drive.
| > I pulled the Hard Drive and with it in an external case, read the files on it.
| > I appears to be a
| > valid XP OS on it.
| >
| > Any other suggestions?
| > I am guessing a major system board problem. May be more $$$ that the laptop
| > is worth.
| >
| >
|
| Will it boot to the desktop if you set the HD as the first boot device? If
| yes, use a CD drive lens cleaner or try another CD/DVD drive.
| Will it boot if you disconnect the fans? If yes, replace the fans unless
| there is some type of failsafe involved that keeps the laptop from booting when
| there are no fans detected. If that were to be the case, test with known good
| fans or replace them.
|
| --
|
|
| Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience }
| Conflicts start where information lacks.
| http://basconotw.mvps.org/
|
| Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
| How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
|

It will not boot from the Hard Drive. I don't even get as far as the Dell flash screen.
It shows the basic BIOS information (HD drive ID, CD drive ID, etc)
Then it reports the fan failure and tells me to press F1 to continue.
Then immediately displays "no operating system found" and that is the end.
I am going to tell the owner That I think the System Board is DOA.