[carrottop]

The issues with my computer all started after an attempted BIOS update. I did use my Dell ID tag to obtain the proper download for my system. The next time I powered up my computer, I recevied the error message: Error auto-sensing secondary master hard disk drive. Sometimes it would not boot and other times it would boot and load Windows. I wrote to a Dell tech and he told me to reseat my memory. I have also removed and reinstalled the battery and removed all cables with the exception of the keyboard and monitor. It continued to repeat the above error message and would not load. Yesterday I powered it up to copy the error message for you and to my surprise it booted and loaded Windows. I had no problem with any of the operations of Windows. Now that I have shut it down, when I power it up it is repeating the error message and will not load Windows. I have lights 1,2 and 3 lit on the front panel of the computer with one beep prior to the error message. Help!

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Go into the BIOS. Depending on the type of Dell you have there's either a big string of menus down the left hand side (dark blue screen) or a load of "Press Enter" options on a grey screen. Somewhere in one of these menus will be the hard drive options, and one of the entries will be either "Unknown Device" or "No drive present" or something like that. Need to change it's detection type from Auto to None. Without a specific model number one cannot be specific.

[Neil Jones]

Go into the BIOS. Depending on the type of Dell you have there's either a big string of menus down the left hand side (dark blue screen) or a load of "Press Enter" options on a grey screen. Somewhere in one of these menus will be the hard drive options, and one of the entries will be either "Unknown Device" or "No drive present" or something like that. Need to change it's detection type from Auto to None. Without a specific model number one cannot be specific.

[carrottop]

Thanks Neil...I have a Dell Optiplex GX520. I went into the BIOS and under Boot Sequence it is showing that my SATA HD as (not present). Boot order is Onboard Floppy Drive, Onboard SATA Hard Drive, IDE Hard Drive, Onboard CD-ROM Drive.

Under Drives category:
Drive 0: SATA-0
Controller Details:
Controller = Serial ATA
Port = SATA-0
Drive Details:
Drive ID = (blank)
Capacity = Unknown
BIOS = This drive is controlled by the system BIOS
Link Speed = 3.0Gbs


Drive 1: SATA-2
Drive ID = Unknown

Drive 2: PATA-0
Controller Details:
Controller = Parallel ATA
Port = PATA-0 (PRI IDE Master)
Driver Details:
Drive ID = CRD-8322B

Drive 3: PATA-1
Drive ID = Unknown

The only option I have for the above drives is On or Off. I have one Floppy drive, one SATA HD and one CD-ROM drive onboard. There is no IDE Hard Drive in my system. I upgraded my hard drive to SATA two months ago and it was working fine untill the BIOS update. I am hoping these additional details can better enable you to suggest a solution. Thanks a bunch.

[Neil Jones]

Your BIOS setup seems to suggest either there's an issue with that hard drive or there's an issue with that SATA 0 drive. Either the drive's dead or its on the way to dying, as the PC doesn't know how big the drive is.