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.

    Inspiron 8000...can't install WinXP, blank HD

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by shokan, Mar 14, 2009.

  1. shokan

    shokan Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    OK, here is as far as I have gotten:

    I power up the Inspiron 8000 with a full install CD of WinXP Pro in the CD-ROM module and a new blank HD. The computer recognizes the CD and I then get a BIOS-like screen which says:

    Hard disk #***01063458-D35B, the system primary HDD, is protected by a password authentication system. You cannot access data on this hard drive without the correct password. Please type in the hard-drive password and press<ENTER>.
    Wait... checking.

    Invalid password [Press ENTER to retry]

    so, since I do not know of any such password for the new blank hard-drive, I pressed ENTER and got:

    Invalid password [press ENTER to Abort].

    A blue BIOS-like Windows Setup screen appears and the loaded XP installation CD starts loading files (adapters, drivers, controllers, etc).

    Next, I get a similar BIOS-like screen headed Welcome to setup.

    I press ENTER for To setup Windows now. The two other choices are to repair and to quit.

    I get a screen then that says Setup did not find any hard disc drives installed on your computer. Make sure any hard disk drives are powered on and properly connected to your computer, and that any disk-related hardware configuration is correct. This may involve running a manufacturer-supplied diagnostic or setup program. Setup cannot continue. To quit setup, press F3.

    I tried the whole procedure again but there is still that first screen that asks for a password for the primary HDD like the beginning I described above.

    How can a blank hard drive have a password? It's never been used before. It's brand new. Do I need a Dell boot disc to do this? BTW, I could hear the HD running during the process above, so I know it is running. The pins are all the same as the old hard drive, which works but has Win2000 on it and requires a password that my friend can't remember. I can't figure this out.
     
    shokan, Mar 14, 2009
    #1
  2. Commander Wolf

    Commander Wolf can i haz broadwell?

    Reputations:
    2,962
    Messages:
    8,231
    Likes Received:
    63
    Trophy Points:
    216
    Try re-seating the HDD. Re-seat the interposer as well if there is one (pretty sure there is). On older Dells, I've gotten this message from poorly connected hard drives. I've also gotten the message from bad hard drives, so you might have something like that as well.
     
    Commander Wolf, Mar 15, 2009
    #2