The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Need help getting my 1330 working again

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by PingPong, Oct 17, 2008.

  1. PingPong

    PingPong Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I just had the motherboard replaced this week and now my OS won't boot.

    Here's what I do get: The Windows XP splash screen (I had been using sp3) that always quits out and goes to a message saying that Windows didn't start successfully. I'm able to get into the BIOS and Boot menus but they haven't been any help yet.

    I tried using my installation disc and it says it can't even find a hard drive. Well, the BIOS can find the HD so I'm stumped why the CD disc can't.

    Any ideas on what I need to be trying next?

    TIA
     
    PingPong, Oct 17, 2008
    #1
  2. Halkar

    Halkar Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Change your hard drive setting to ATA from Ahci or something like that. Check your Bios, can't remember exactly but XP will not start unless you have the Ahci drivers installed.
     
    Halkar, Oct 17, 2008
    #2
  3. PingPong

    PingPong Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    That did the trick. Actually I figured that out just before checking back on this post.

    It's puzzling why Dell Tech support didn't bother to try this before shipping my laptop back to me.
     
    PingPong, Oct 17, 2008
    #3
  4. Halkar

    Halkar Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I guess that is because Dell does not really support XP on 1330. Bios probably updated and Ahci is enabled by default for Vista. I had Windows 2008 when my motherboard died. Tech only ran the diags, did not boot to OS after replacing motherboard. They are very strict on what they support or not support :D
     
    Halkar, Oct 18, 2008
    #4