1.
Enter
system setup
and make sure the problem drive is configured correctly. Make any necessary changes, and reboot the system.
Is the drive operating properly?
Yes
. The problem is resolved.
No
. Go to
step 2
.
2.
Test the hard drive by using one of the following methods:
l
Test the hard drive by using one of the following methods:
¡
For Windows XP and Windows 2000, run the chkdsk utility by clicking the
Start
button, selecting
Run
, and then typing
cmd
in the dialog box. At the
C:
prompt, type
chkdsk
and press <Enter>.
This utility creates and displays a status report, and lists and corrects errors on the disk.
¡
For Windows NT, run the error-checking utility by double-clicking
My Computer
and selecting the hard drive that you want to check. Click the right
mouse button, select
Properties
, then click
Tools
, and select
Check Now
in the
Error Checking
section.
¡
For Windows 98 SE and Windows 98, run the ScanDisk utility by clicking the
Start
button, pointing to
Run
, typing
scandskw
in the dialog box,
selecting the type of test to run, and then clicking
Start
.
¡
For MS-DOS, type
scandisk x:
at an MS-DOS prompt, where
x
is the hard drive letter, and press <Enter>.
Is the drive operating properly?
Yes
. The problem is resolved.
No
. Go to
step 3
.
3.
Run the appropriate test group in the
Dell Diagnostics
:
l
For an integrated drive electronics (IDE) hard drive, run the
IDE Devices
device group.
l
For a small computer system interface (SCSI) hard drive, run the
SCSI Devices
device group.
Did any of the diagnostics tests fail?
Yes
. Go to the next question.
No
. Go to
step 4
.
Did any of the diagnostics tests indicate a faulty drive?
Yes
. The hard drive may be faulty.
Contact Dell
for technical assistance.
No
. Go to the next question.
Did any of the diagnostics tests indicate a faulty drive controller?
Yes
. The system board may be faulty.
Contact Dell
for technical assistance.
No
. Go to
step 4
.
4.
Turn off the computer and peripherals, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, wait at least 5 seconds, and then
remove the computer cover
.
5.
Make sure the DC power cables from the power supply are firmly connected to the connectors on each drive. Also verify that the interface cable for each
drive is firmly connected to the drive and to the system board.
6.
Make sure the control panel cable is firmly connected to the system board. The control panel contains the hard drive activity indicator. To locate the
control panel system board connector, see "
System Board Components
."
7.
Replace the computer cover, reconnect the computer and peripherals to their electrical outlets, and turn them on.
Does the hard drive activity light blink during the boot routine?
Yes
. Go to the next question.
No
. The system board may be faulty.
Contact Dell
for technical assistance.
Does the computer display a drive error message?
Yes
. See "
System Messages
" for an explanation of the message. If you cannot correct the problem by performing the action described in the table, then
contact Dell
for technical assistance.
No
. Go to the next question.
Is this the primary hard drive that contains the operating system?
Yes
. Go to the next question.
No
.
Contact Dell
for technical assistance.
CAUTION:
Before you perform this procedure, see "
Safety First
—
For You and Your Computer
."
