BIOS dont detect HardDrives

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MikeSalZap

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well i am not sure if it has something to do but here goes the full story...
i have a computer dell pentium 4 with 1.5gb ram... and i had it very dusty, so... i move it from place, to use it (cause i didint use it in like a year) and i could not conect it to the internet so o got a wireless network card, and so i clean up the computer with Compressed Air, so i can install the network card, i install it conect the computer to internet and run an online antivirus from panda, it was taking a LONG time, so i took a nap, and i wake up and the computer was turn off, and i turn it on and the BIOS didnt detect the hard drives...
any ideas what could happen???
 
Try to reconnect the drive, make sure all cables are snug. Could have dislodged it when you cleaned it out. You hear the HDD spin up? Try it in another computer.
 
i JUST try that XD ... i change the cable with the dvd drive and also it didnt work... i will try to use the hard drive as an external...
 
It could be that the drive was on it's last legs (I'm gonna venture a guess that the computer is a Dimension 8200) and it just crapped out.

Did you change the IDE cable or 4-pin molex power cable from the DVD drive to the HDD or both?
 
Since this computer sat in storage for a long time, the CMOS battery may be bad. Unplug the computer from the wall, pull the battery and get another. You can get a new battery for a couple dollars at just about any battery/watch/camera counter at your local home improvement or discount store. Most likely it is a CR2032 or equivalent but take the old battery with you as many battery counters recycle. Do NOT touch the new battery with your bare skin as skin oils promote corrosion and attract dust. I put a clean sock over my hand. Upon first boot, go straight into the BIOS Setup Menu and set your date and time, and verify your drives are detected, then Save and Exit to boot normally. The "Save" part is very important.
 
Wouldn't BIOS see the drives even though the battery is dead? A dead battery makes BIOS lose its settings, not what it detects.
 
That is right. But if the battery is bad or so weak it cannot keep the charge (holding voltage) on the CMOS chip, the settings will not be saved and the BIOS will be reset or get corrupted every time the system is shutdown or rebooted. Then the drive is never properly recognized when it comes to actually attempting to boot from it.

Since the cost of a battery is so little, and since they are easy to replace, even if the it is not the cause of the problem, little is lost and it is a lot cheaper than a new boot drive and a lot easier than all the hassles associated with replacing a boot drive.
 
It could be that the drive was on it's last legs (I'm gonna venture a guess that the computer is a Dimension 8200) and it just crapped out.

Did you change the IDE cable or 4-pin molex power cable from the DVD drive to the HDD or both?

only the IDE cable...

i just conected both hard drive to other pc by a IDE-USB converter... and the both work...
so i put one of the HDD, and format it with LinuxFedora, and it worked, but i reboot the PC and it didnt detect the hard drive at all...
my guess it's the power source ...
but i dont know i have to get another one right ???
 
i'm not sure really...
cause its a Dell Pentium4PC, like from 2006 i guess.... XD
and i look for the brand and i didnt find it...
but...
i wannt to built another computer (to throw this one away)...
i can start with the Power Sourge ??? (could you suggest it ?)
 
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