I purchased a used Dell Inspiron 1100 several years ago and it has served me well until yesterday when I tried to turn it on and all I get is an error message that it can't find an operating system.
I've tried to trouble shoot it from the book and it gives NO help, nor does Dell Tech Support.
Does anyone have a clue what can cause this?
My theories are:
1) dead hard drive or
2) corrupted Boot sector
Any other thoughts or things that I can do?
This usually means a dead HD.
Try a boot disk and see if the HD is detected.
I did that last night (after looking high and low for the original disk which I haven't used in three years). It kept giving me the message "no HD installed" but I did it over and over again (can you say insanity) and I DID get different results eventually. After about five tries it suddenly started trying to load Windows and then crashed again, But on the sixth try it went ahead and booted up normally. I kept booting up afterwards for three or four shutdown/startup cycles. I haven't yet tried it today, but will before I head out to SONday services.
Thanks for your comment and suggestion. I guess I'll have to keep the source diskes in the case with the laptop from now on.
By the way, do you have any suggestions as to where I might get a replacement HD if this happens again? I'm going to make an image of the HD onto a USB Aux. HD just in case this happens again.
Thanks again.
I do have to wonder about the reviewers that complain about the dell Inspiron 1100 Series Battery. They are probably the same guys who would buy a inspiron and complian about the mileage. I will carry my extra battery as a badge of honor. Either you get it, or you don't.
Go to Dell and enter your service number to get the specs on your HD.
I like Tiger Direct for hardware purchases.
By the way, do you have any suggestions as to where I might get a replacement HD if this happens again? I'm going to make an image of the HD onto a USB Aux. HD just in case this happens again.
Thanks again.
I don't think any problems about the dell inspiron 1100 battery ( http://www.cheap-laptop-battery.co.uk/dell-inspiron-1100series-battery.htm ) ,I guess the hard drive failed.
Try to have new battery...maybe your battery is broken..exchanged the position of the old ram to the new one..try hooking it up.. hope it helps
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