Motherboard-to-HD Help

I have an old Compaq Desktop (7110US) that has had WinXP Pro on it for years. I stopped using it for awhile when I got my laptop, but I recently wanted to start using the desktop as a server.

So, to start off fresh, I began to install XP and I got up to the point where XP had formatted the drive and installed some files, but then it needs to reboot before it completes the install. But when it rebooted, it couldn't find the harddrive. It showed the logo for a few secs, then got stuck and said "operating system not found on any devices"

I've redone the XP setup process a few times, same result. I've done the same setup thing with Linux (CentOS flavor), and I got the same result. I've also reset the CMOS settings by switch the jumper on the motherboard. (it recognizes the hd the first time, so it has to reboot, but when it reboots, it doesn't see the hd!) The harddrive seems to be fine as I can place it into another desktop and it recognizes and reads the HD fine...

Any ideas? Any help? banghead

 

I'm guessing this is an IDE hard drive. Are the jumper(s) set to master and is it connected to the end connector (not middle) of the IDE cable?

 

thanks for replying ... yup, it's an IDE harddrive. The jumper's set to the middle one right now (though i've tried all of them), and it's connected to the end IDE connector (though i've tried the middle connector too)

any ideas as to what's going on?

 

It is usually a jumper problem when XP install can't find the OS during the first reboot on an IDE HD.

What is the model number of the HD? (please post it, just so I can double-check the jumper settings) There should be a diagram on the label on the HD that shows how to set it to Master.

 

hmm, i'm pretty sure i tried all the jumper settings, but i've got no ideas left, so - the HD is a Western Digital, model # WD600AB-60BVA0. There are no jumper diagrams on the HD itself though.

 

Is it 10 pin? Try it as the only HD connected with no jumper. http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/legacy/Legacy.asp?Model=WD600AB

 

yeah, it's a 10 pin, but i just tried it w/out any jumpers and as the only HD ... it still fails to load the OS and complains of the same problem...

:banghead

 

Double check that the IDE cables are connected to the motherboard correctly. There should be small writing saying which IDE connector is for HD/0 and which is for CDROM/1.

Your boot order in BIOS definitely includes HD, correct?

 

the IDE cable is correct at HD/0 and it's snuggly into its slots

when i removed the CMOS, the BIOS went and searched for HD's and CD/DVD drives, found all of them, updated the boot order accordingly and then it needed to reboot. When it reboots, it hangs at the Compaq logo screen for a few seconds and then says it's updated the boot order, this time with just the CD/DVD drives. For some reason, it's not seeing the HD after the first reboot???

 

I had pulled an old Compaq out of storage a few months ago and had a lot of trouble getting it to recognize the HD and CDROM at the same time.

Eventually, I realized I had been using it for parts and that I had misconnected the IDE cables as in my last post.

The point being that it took like 30 tries of booting with different cables attached, different devices unplugged to get it to actually POST properly. Maybe, try a different IDE cable if you have one around. Or swap out the CD and HD IDE cable and connect the HD using the CDROM cable but connected to the motherboard to the HD slot. Or, try connecting just the HD with the CDROM unplugged and see if BIOS will keep it in place through the reboot. Then try adding the CDROM and see what happens.

It could also be a bad CMOS battery. My POST screen was unreadable with no battery installed but some machines may POST with no battery. It sounds like you everything connected properly so I would replace the battery to rule that out and then do a bit more trial and error with the CDROM or HD unplugged.

 

I'll try swapping out the cables tomorrow (when i get a chance to breathe)... but in theory at least, doesn't the cable have to be okay since WinXP setup writes to the HD and the BIOS finds the HD the first time around?

How do you test the CMOS battery (aside from using a voltmeter)?

 

In theory it should make no difference but I can't see anything else to check. My old Compaq was acting the same way. Seeing a change--updating BIOS--rebooting-seeing another change--updating BIOS rebooting. Swapping cables, trying to get one device (HD or CDROM) recognized at a time was they way I eventually got it working. Granted mine had been unused for 2 years but I'm just thinking maybe Compaq Bios is quirky.

I've never tested a battery. For a PC they are easily replaced for less than $5 at a drugstore.

 

hmm ... well, i'm back. I've got similar issues with the same computer...

I replaced the CMOS, reformatted, installed XP and other programs I needed and everything was fine. Then, one time when I turned it on, I got the BSOD. I repaired the XP install with the XP CD and then things were fine... until it happened again...and again...and again... multiple times. It once complained of the "no OS found" problem, so I shut it off and left it alone for a few days cause I was frustrated. The next time I turned it on, it loaded up like everything was fine...

What in the world could the problem be?? Could it be a bad power supply having some voltage spikes or something?? Bad motherboard?? I dunno... how would you test either of those?

btw - I tested the HD w/WD's diagnostic tool and it didn't find any bad sectors or anything, so it looks like the HD is not the issue...

any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Replace the cable connecting the hd to the motherboard.

It would help if rather than just saying you get lots of BSODs, to give the alphanumeric strings that are in the first place, so we'd have an idea if itis hardware or sofware.

 

I can't see what the BSOD errors are because the computer reboots right away. Is there a way to change this even though I can get into XP?

 

If you manage to get it working once without a reboot, turn off the reboot on error.
1. Right click My Computer and select Properties
2. Then Advanced tab and Settings button under Startup and Recovery
3. Under System Failure, uncheck/untick Automatically Restart

Click okay before you close each window so the setting sticks.