black screen on boot up no ide found

This is not my computer the previous owner replaced this one it is a dell 2400 desktop. When computer is booting up it goes to screen that says no driver 1 found (press f1 to continue) or (press f2 to run utility) if i press f1 it goes to windows xp screen like normal but never loads desktop and just has black screen with mouse cursor. I f i run the utility it tells me there is no ide found and i cant seem to get anywhere, what could have caused this computer to not be able to find hard drive? and can it be fixed easily? Thanks

 

Hi, rickspeedee. Welcome to Windows BBS!

Please forgive me for asking the obvious questions...

Have you verified there indeed is a hard drive inside the box?
(Perhaps the previous owner removed the hard drive for privacy purposes.)

Have you checked to be sure all cables are firmly and properly attached?


EDIT: Wildfire politely let me know via PM that I should read more carefully. Thanks, wildfire!

It seems you DO indeed have a hard drive present inside the box. Otherwise, you would not even see the Windows logo during boot.

I apologize.

 

As well as mailman's suggestions, is the current drive PATA or SATA, XP will recognise PATA but may need additional drivers for certain SATA controllers.

 

Hi rickspeedee (nice name )

The family's sleeping now and as far as they're concerned Santa's travelling the world, I type this one handed with tape in the other busy wrapping presents

Anyway back on topic,

My suggestion regarding drivers is probably wrong too

Are you comfortable looking inside the case for motherboard model (usually printed between the expansion slots) and perhaps the HD model (either looking at the label on the hard drive or using BIOS to determine)?

If you can provide this information I may be able to help. If you're worried let us know and we'll try to help gather this info or work without it.

 

Ok i took cover off the only number that i found on a sticker is cn-0g1548-70821-42I-c1ot it was on motherboard right above processor, i had already checked wires and everything is in tact and there

 

i also forgot to mention b4 that i cannot start computer in safe mode it just ignores the command, it lets me go to boot menu, and system startup but no matter what it will not let me access safe mode

 

Can you look between the expansion slots, it won't be a sticker but will actually be printed on the motherboard.

 

i really appreciate your help this is driving me nuts, i found this printed on motherboard p/n 41172600004 i hope thats the one, thanks

 

It probably is but the only hits I get are ebay or others trying to sell me the bloody thing. Do Dell not ID their boards correctly?

Sorry Rick, not your fault but it's this kind of nonsense that annoys me

Can you do me a favour and look (don't touch) at the hard drive and let me know if there's a wide (40/80) ribbon data cable alongside a 4pin (chunky) power cable or two reasonably small cables?

 

yes there is a wide ribbon plug and a 4 wire plug, its weird almost like the motherboard cannot locate hard drive, could a virus have done this?

 

So it's PATA, therefor not a driver issue.

The motherboard can, or you wouldn't see the XP bootup screen.

Yes, but let's not jump the gun several other things could cause it as well. You mentioned you cannot get into safe mode, does the menu appear and safe mode is not an option/fails to start or do you not get the menu at all?

 

i can get to boot menu and set up menu but i cannot find safe mode on any menu nor does it appear when holding down f8 during boot up these are what i can access:
Root Device Menu
1.Normal
2.Hard -Disc Drive C:
3.IDE CD-rom Device
4.system setup
5.IDE drive diagnostics
6. Boot to Utility Partition

enter choice here_ (this is what i see on the screen) i get this by pressing F12 during boot up and I can get System setup by pressing F2 which allows me to change things and turn drives off and on and etc.... (I made no changes)these are the only functions that I can access

 

Ok, this beleive it or not is good.

It's a pre bootup menu if you like, but it also suggests a system recovery (we'll keep that for later though )

Restart your system and press f8 as you did before but this time when you see the above menu select 1 then tap f8 again, you should see another menu, select "last known good configuration" (or words to that effect).

If that doesn't work do exactly the same but select Safe Mode.

Le me know what happens (before the kids wake up and catch Santa wrapping the presents )

 

haha good luck not getting busted by your kids, I will try and see wat happens, thanks a ton

 

ok i followed wat you said and i got the second menu i found safe mode tried that and it went like normal and says safe mode on four corners of screen but does not finish loading desktop or even start to actually just a black screen.... and if i use last known cofiguration that worked it seems as if it is going to work but then just loads black screen after xp logo with mouse cursor only??? I feel like i am almost there, or on the right track anyway

 

Ok, Option 5 on the first menu (Drive Diagnostics) what are you offered?

BTW Kids, I was only helping Santa. It's a big world and he's very busy today all moms and pops help honest.

 

ok it says: Primary IDE
Drive 0: ST340014A

 

Drive 1: NO IDE device

 

ok this is odd i clicked on allow VGA mode and the log in screen came up but icons are alot bigger but its working????? Any idea wat i did?

 

Rick,

You have a seagate drive so the next thing I suggest is to download sea tools from here and run a non-destructive diagnostic. I can't talk you through it because I haven't had to use it for years and there's little chance the current version is the same as any I've used. I will say it will explain step by step what is happening so read the screen and follow instructions.

This may take some time and it's 5:45am here and Santa's got to go before the kids get up but I'll check in later today and see how you get on.