Boot sequence

Hey y'all, let me just first state that I have full rights to use the machine in anyway possible.


I don't know if this qualifies as a Operating system questiong but we can alway's move it ;).
Ok so my dad has this Dell Latitude C500 from his work and he said that I could have a go with it and do a clean install on it. So I used DBAN [1] to erase everything on the HD. But now when I try to get it to boot fron the Windows 98se cd it says no boot sector found on the HD. So I went to boot sequence and its diskette first HD second and Cd last. And I can't seem to be able to change it. I can changes 2 passwords that are inactive but I can't alter anything else. Not time or date. The admin password is still active, wich confuses me a bit but I don't know that much about boot sequences. I tried using a 98se boot disk that I downloaded but that only got me into ms-dos. I used fdisk to make a partition because it said that there wasn't. After I reboot it, I type in e:\setupd.exe to start the setup. It the goes to Initialise the setup, then it scans the register and then I get a broken sentence. The fullest I've gotten to is Windows setup v.

Do any of you have any idea's what so ever to help me clear this problem? I don't want to shortcircuit anything, that my only No-go.

Help is greatly appreciated.

[1]: http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Howdy.

Have you tried using a microsoft ME boot disk.?
That boot disk seems to come with more options to use then the 98 boot disc comes with.

If that fails, then maybe download Hirens Boot CD from HERE

It will need a password to unzip the .Rar file witch is:> www.9down.com

Once it's downloaded unrar it then burn the image to a blank CDR, then put it into the needed machine, and it should load up and just follow the easy to understand menu's.

cheers
acidtone..:)

Well you see the problem is that I can't boot from cd, because the boot sequence is screwed up. I'm willing to give the ME boot disk a try, can't hurt.
The problem with the boot sequence is that I can't change it, neither date or boot order.

Edit: Tried the ME boot disk, same results. It still hangs at scanning the register for the setup.

Second edit: I heared that actually opening it might be the only option to reset the admin password. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Sounds like the harddrive may be failing.

Dell has a manual and some diagnostic tools

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...s/64ptn_en.pdf


MLF

OK DakX would I be right in my guess that your dad works for a major corporate? if so, they may well have a customised Dell installation?............ I haven't come across this with Dell before, but I have with Compaq and HP.

It sounds as if the BIOS is password protected, but it does not come up with a password prompt. There is probably some "secret" hot key sequence to bring this up?

Right! to business................

These are merely my personal suggestions, and may screw your machine, so be warned!

1. Try removing the CMOS battery from the motherboard for 24 hours. It is a button cell on the motherboard. You also need to have it unplugged from the mains, and disconnected from the battery. This might clear the BIOS and allow you to change the boot sequence.

2. If that does not work, disconnect the HDD cable and boot the machine from the CD media...................then reconnect the HDD cable, as you will have booted into the CD. This is a bit risky, as the machine is "on" when you do it.............. it won't kill you, but the machine might die? You need to be confident:D Obviously, if it cannot find a hard drive it will resort to the CD?

If neither of those work, then get back to me............ it means that you have an EEPROM chip problem.

:)

Just another idea on this.

But you said that you are able to get into the BIOS menu..

have you tried pressing CTRL + F1 to make any hidden menu's appear.?
Maybe try that and see if anything pops up from hiding.?

cheers
acidtone.:)

Just curious, why did your dad let your format a machine that he brought home from work? Why did he have it to start with? Did they give it to him because it was broke in the first place?

It sounds to me that if you're running the Windows setup and getting an error there is probably some type of hardware problem with the laptop.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nihil

2. If that does not work, disconnect the HDD cable and boot the machine from the CD media...................then reconnect the HDD cable, as you will have booted into the CD. This is a bit risky, as the machine is "on" when you do it.............. it won't kill you, but the machine might die? You need to be confident:D Obviously, if it cannot find a hard drive it will resort to the CD?
:)

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I've tried plugging in an HDD cable twice in the past while the computer was running and both times it never worked....but HEY!...


also...here is a site with some setup key-combinations...
http://computernotions.com/html/bios_setup.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zENGER

Just curious, why did your dad let your format a machine that he brought home from work? Why did he have it to start with? Did they give it to him because it was broke in the first place?

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its just a machine they gave to him to use, like 2 or more years ago. Its been sitting around gathering dust for more then 3/4 of a year and when I mentioned something about buying a laptop he said that since he didn't use that one anymore I could fool around with it. And if something went wrong he could alway's take it back, or something like that.
The formating was because of a log on procedure wich wouldn't give me any rights.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nihil

1. Try removing the CMOS battery from the motherboard for 24 hours. It is a button cell on the motherboard. You also need to have it unplugged from the mains, and disconnected from the battery. This might clear the BIOS and allow you to change the boot sequence.

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Tried it, didn't work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acidtone

Just another idea on this.

But you said that you are able to get into the BIOS menu..

have you tried pressing CTRL + F1 to make any hidden menu's appear.?
Maybe try that and see if anything pops up from hiding.?

cheers
acidtone

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Nice idea I'l give it a shot tomorow or maybe tonight. Will edit my post with the results.


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Thank you all so far for your helpfull posts.

Signed, DakX
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(results go here :P )

During the very first boot of that box it went to the first partition, that was the 0-partition (39MB of Dell Utilities and files). After agreeing to this and that and pressing enter...from that point on it would boot to Windows via the 1-partition which contained the MBR and all was well. I would suppose that all those instructions and the contents of 0-partition went gonzo when you formated the bugger. There is some discussion regarding the value of that partition after the laptop's first boot, however I’d skip the debate and simply restore that partition and it’s files and then give it a go again, making sure I didn’t make it go bye-bye again.

Anyway here’s a link that describes the process and the critical files necessary to get the bugger back up. (Paragraph 6 – 7 addresses which files etc.)

http://www.goodells.net/dellutility/recreate.htm

cheerz

My first guess would have been what Nihil already suggested and removing the cmos battery. Since that didn't work how about trying to load the manufacturers latest firmware for the board ?

Can you boot from floppy if you remove the HD?

If so get a bios update tool from Dell for the make & model of your laptop and stick it on a bootable floppy & run it. That should put a 'normal' bios on the machine. Re-install the HD, change the boot order & off you go.

Disclaimer: Flashing the bios could FU your machine (although it never has for me)