[elamaa]

After a power failure this afternoon, my computer will not boot. All I get is a blank screen with two options - strike F1 to re-try boot and F2 for Set-up utility. I am running Windows XP on a Dell dimension 4600.

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Gday elamaa,
Is this your computer, > http://www.pjcompute...uter-black.aspx
When you power on, do you hear any Beeps?
What is the state of the power LED on the front of the case?

[iammykyl]

Gday elamaa,
Is this your computer, > http://www.pjcompute...uter-black.aspx
When you power on, do you hear any Beeps?
What is the state of the power LED on the front of the case?

[elamaa]

Hello,

Yes, that's my computer
Yes, I hear beeps at start-up
yes, the LED lights show green

I see a black screen with "Primary drive 0 not found, Primary drive 1 not found, and Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility

If I strike F1 this message just repeats

If I strike F2 I get a gray screen with various options, e.g. "hard-disk drive sequence or boot sequence

Edited by elamaa, 04 October 2013 - 04:20 AM.

[iammykyl]

Gday.
Thanks for the update.
Please list any discs you have tha came with the computer.
Try the following, if a step fails, please answer the questions.

A. With the computer turned off, > turn of the PSU switch, > unplug from the mains, > press and hold in the start button for about ten seconds, > connect to the mains, > turn on the PSU switch, > press the start button.
Fail? what sequence the Beeps? (e.g., 1 long, 2 short)
What condition the front poser led? > (e.g., solid green, blinking green, solid amber, blinking amber, off)
What message is displayed on the screen?
On the back of the computer, there are 4 LED lights. the image is normal, all green.
How are the lit on your computer?

[elamaa]

beeps = one long then one short

blinking green on front for 3 or 4 minutes & black screen - then solid green and message "Alert! Previous attempts at booting this system failed at checkpoint {size} For help .....contact Dell technical Support
Primary drive 0 not found
Primary drive 1 not found
Error auto-sensing secondary hard disk drive0"

4LEDs A&B yellow C&D green
NOW CHANGED TO A,b,C green and D is yellow
CHANGED AGAIN to A&B yellow C&D green (screen again black)No beeping now

Disc's:
1.Reinstall CD
2.Resources CD (device drivers, diagnostics & drivers, computer documentation)
3.User Documentation(HTML User Documentation & Drivers INF,ICM,& CAT files)
4.CyberLink Power DVD

Thanks but I decided to junk this old computer and get a new one.

Edited by elamaa, 05 October 2013 - 02:20 PM.

[iammykyl]

Gday.
Thank you for the update and information.
Sorry the process is a bit slow, I could give you steps one after the other in the same post but we may then get confused. It is also clearer for anyone else who might help or try the steps.

Please do the following.
Restart the computer and immediately start tapping the Del key.
After the BIOS screen is displayed,
press the F6 key, (if a window asks "load optimized defaults" select yes, > press enter.
Press F10, (if a window asks "Save setting and exit" select yes, > press enter.
Your computer will restart.
Results please.

[elamaa]

Thanks for your help. The computer is gone. Bought a new one. See last sentence in previous reply. I'll keep the info - have a lot of power outages/storms here - may need it in the future.

[iammykyl]

Missed it, and your welcome.
Good luck for the future.