Episode #53
Computer Won't Boot Up

I have a friends Dell computer that has stopped working. On start up the computer will not recognize the hard drive. I took the hard drive out, put it in another computer and it works fine. I took an old hard drive with Windows 98, put it in the Dell and then the Dell starts up and works fine. So now I don’t know what is wrong, the drive works in another computer, the Dell works with another drive. How can this be?

Dick, Vermillion, AB



Sounds like the Dell is having trouble recognizing that particular drive. There are a couple of possibilities. Update the ESCD information in the Dell BIOS to let it know that drive exists. Make sure the drive is properly jumpered and that the cables work. It’s possible that the drivers on the drive are damaged and that Windows can’t recognize the drive. There’s also the possibility that the battery on the motherboard has died, especially if the system is a bit older — if you replace it and then update the ESCD information, it may be smooth sailing again.

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