HD not in BootOptions.

[forsalot]

Dell Inspiron 2500

I deleted 'Harddrive' from the boot order screen in my BIOS. I did this by hitting Shift+1, now I am not able to bring it back using any of the commands it recommends. Such as:

Ctrl+Enter - Expands All
Shift+1: Enables or disables a device.
etc...

How can i re-add the option of Harddrive to this list ?

The harddrive is fine, it is recognized in the BIOS. I am also able to use this harddrive if i follow the following steps:

1) Have Windows XP CD1 in the CD-ROM Drive
2) Have Boot from CD enabled
3) Fail to 'Press any button to Boot from CD' when prompted

After following those options, I am able to use the Windows installation on that harddrive with no problem. I have already tried FIXMBR, along with trying every command that i am able to try in the Bios Boot screen.

Any help would be forever appreciated.

[Bob_180_Bob]

Dell Inspiron 2500

I deleted 'Harddrive' from the boot order screen in my BIOS. I did this by hitting Shift+1, now I am not able to bring it back using any of the commands it recommends. Such as:

Ctrl+Enter - Expands All
Shift+1: Enables or disables a device.
etc...

How can i re-add the option of Harddrive to this list ?

The harddrive is fine, it is recognized in the BIOS. I am also able to use this harddrive if i follow the following steps:

1) Have Windows XP CD1 in the CD-ROM Drive
2) Have Boot from CD enabled
3) Fail to 'Press any button to Boot from CD' when prompted

After following those options, I am able to use the Windows installation on that harddrive with no problem. I have already tried FIXMBR, along with trying every command that i am able to try in the Bios Boot screen.

Any help would be forever appreciated.

I am lost somewhere... Your BIOS recognizes your hard drive, but it is not in the boot order? BUT.. if you have the Windows CD in the CD drive and have the first boot as CD, but just boot normally windows will load and work. Therefore I assume that if the CD is not in the drive or the BIOS is not set to CD as first boot it will not load windows. Is that what you have said? What is second boot devise?
If you can get to your BIOS battery, remove your machines battery, press the on button a few times, remove you BOIS battery for three minutes short out the two contacts in the battery holder and then refit and try it again.
Please tell us how you go or correct my understanding of you problem.

[forsalot]

I am lost somewhere... Your BIOS recognizes your hard drive, but it is not in the boot order? BUT.. if you have the Windows CD in the CD drive and have the first boot as CD, but just boot normally windows will load and work. Therefore I assume that if the CD is not in the drive or the BIOS is not set to CD as first boot it will not load windows. Is that what you have said? What is second boot devise?
If you can get to your BIOS battery, remove your machines battery, press the on button a few times, remove you BOIS battery for three minutes short out the two contacts in the battery holder and then refit and try it again.
Please tell us how you go or correct my understanding of you problem.

Yes, you have it right. Thats the scenario. The ONLY option in my Boot list in my Bios, is CD-ROM. I get the error message 'Operating System not Found' if i do not have the XP cd in the cd-rom drive.

I decided to try removing the battery. It took me a couple of hours piece by piece taking apart the laptop. When i finally got to the battery, it was soldered to the mother board. Due to my experience level, i did not try to remove it. So I put the laptop back together, and was quite surprised it was still working! So now I am attempting a flash bios through a software method.

Any tips/advice/suggestions ?

[Bob_180_Bob]

Check and make sure you have the correct details before you flash.
re check and then check again.

[forsalot]

Well, after searching the internet for an appropriate resolution of this problem, I found it. Shorting the BIOS battery was the solution. I did not know how to short it, so i looked upon my cabling experience to help me. I grabbed a piece of cross connect, stripped back the casing, so i was just left with a piece of copper about 2 inches long, rested one side of the copper on + and the other side on -. After a few minutes took off the copper, re-assembled the laptop and started it back up. Worked like a charm! Had to reset the date/time, and now the option of boot from hardrive was now available in the boot options. I am very surprised i was able to accomplish this without hardware damage. I appreciate your help bob180.

[Bob_180_Bob]

I am glad that you have things working again and I, like the others are only too happy to assist and we appreciate the thanks of the posters we are able to help. Unless you have continuing concerns, please mark this thread as solved.

Bob

[caperjack]

resetting bios to defaults [in the bios ]should have put it back in the boot list ,same effect as shorting battery