New Disk Drive

[KenP]

I installed new hard drive and loaded/formated drive from XP installation CD.
Each time system comes up, it comes up with Press F1 or F2 key. When I press
F2 to go into setup and check Drive Config hard drive shows as Pri HD. Does
anyone know how to resolve this issue? Should I have run a Maxtor utility on
the drive before loading XP or is there a way to get it to boot automagically
from HD with coming to press F1 / F2 screen. I have BIO set to boot from HD.

Thanks in advance.
K

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I installed new hard drive and loaded/formated drive from XP installation
CD.
Each time system comes up, it comes up with Press F1 or F2 key. When I
press
F2 to go into setup and check Drive Config hard drive shows as Pri HD.
Does
anyone know how to resolve this issue? Should I have run a Maxtor utility
on
the drive before loading XP or is there a way to get it to boot
automagically
from HD with coming to press F1 / F2 screen. I have BIO set to boot from
HD.

Thanks in advance.
K

If the system is forgetting the CMOS configuration, it will prompt you into
the BIOS to re-detect hardware.

The reason for the problem is usually a faded or dead battery, and the fix
is to replace it. It's on the motherboard, looks like a nickel or quarter.
Read the battery type from the top of the battery and go get another for a
few dollars. Shut the system down, remove the old battery, put in the new
one. You will be prompted one more time to go into the CMOS, but that
should be it for a couple of years.

HTH
-pk

 

[KenP]

Hi Patrick, I put in known working battery and that did not change anything.

Has anyone got any other ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

[R. McCarty]

What Vendor/Model PC ? - Some Dell Dimension computers have an
issue where BIOS setup or prompting occurs on every boot. However,
if this didn't happen before you changed drives you may have an issue
with the Autodetect of IDE devices. How did you jumper the drive -
Master/Slave or Cable Select ? Also is the IDE channel using just the
single drive or do you have devices on both taps ? Sometimes using a
combination of certain devices on a single IDE channel causes problems.

 

[KenP]

It's a Dimension 4600. I do not know if it was working properly before I
replaced the HD or not. I tried setting the drive for master and CS but get
same result.

 

[R. McCarty]

OK - Unfortunately, that PC is ranked as the 10th Worst PC of all time.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,129857-page,2-c,desktoppcs/article.html
You might want to check and see what the current BIOS firmware is and
compare to the latest/last available from Dell. I'd be reluctant to suggest
you flash the firmware ( somewhat risky ) on that particular PC. Maxtor
drives sometimes have a more complicated Jumpering scheme that just a
simple Master/Slave/CS. I'd suggest you get the Maxtor jumper settings
and make sure if it's a single device on the IDE channel that you match
the jumper settings from Maxtor's documentation.

 

[KenP]

Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read. Remember when bacon
was the worst heart medicine on the market?

Here's the fix: Press F2 to go into setup. With CAPS lock, NUM lock and
SCROLL on, press ALT+F (you should hear a beep but will not see anything)
then press ALT + E (you should hear a beep but will not see anything). Press
ESC and save changes. It works like a champ.

Thanks to everyone and I hope this helps you if it ever happens to you.
Ken

 

[WaIIy]

Top post - bottom post - what a screwed up thread.

Anyway, the issue with the 4600 was the power supply, not the rest of
the computer.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Can you try another IDE cable?

It's a Dimension 4600. I do not know if it was working properly before I
replaced the HD or not. I tried setting the drive for master and CS but
get
same result.

 

[KenP]

The problem was as follows:

Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read. Remember when bacon
was the worst heart medicine on the market?

Here's the fix: Press F2 to go into setup. With CAPS lock, NUM lock and
SCROLL on, press ALT+F (you should hear a beep but will not see anything)
then press ALT + E (you should hear a beep but will not see anything). Press
ESC and save changes. It works like a champ.

Thanks to everyone and I hope this helps you if it ever happens to you.
Ken

 

[KenP]

The problem has been resolved as follows:

Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read. Remember when bacon
was the worst heart medicine on the market?

Here's the fix: Press F2 to go into setup. With CAPS lock, NUM lock and
SCROLL on, press ALT+F (you should hear a beep but will not see anything)
then press ALT + E (you should hear a beep but will not see anything). Press
ESC and save changes. It works like a champ.

Thanks to everyone and I hope this helps you if it ever happens to you.
Ken