jzbig,

Thanks for using the Dell Community Forum.

What is the exact error message you are getting.  What hardware/software have you added to the system?

Hello

Are you sure he try to boot from the Harddisk and if it so if the c: Partition an aktive System Partition?

Greets Maik

When I bootup I get the error: no HD found, press f1 to continue or f2 for setup. Nothing happen when I press f1. F2 take me to setup, an I set the primary to auto an save but when I boot I get the same error.  My system is the optiplex sx260. Any suggestion on how to get it to see the HD an bootup. I hope I posted this right first time posting

Thanks

Dbyod

You can try to reseat the flat gray cable and the 4-wire power cable connected to the back of the hard drive. Just power off the system, unplug it, and open the case. Then remove and replace each connector one at a time, making sure they are firmly seating in the sockets. Then replace the cover, plug the computer in, and restart to see if this helps the issue.

If it does not, are you able to run the hard drive tests within the Dell Diagnostics? If the Diagnostics will not recognize the presence of the hard drive, the hard drive itself may have failed, and will require replacement. Please visit this link to submit a report. Ensure that you include a detailed description of the problem and all the troubleshooting that has been done to date to try to resolve the problem. Please note that there may be additional troubleshooting that the technician you contact may request you to perform.

I did the diagnostic, an it still come back no HD found then go back to the press f1 or f2 to continue.. If I press f1 it just keep reppeating same error. F2 takes me to the setup screen I set the HD to auto an save but nothing, also did the alt f to try to set the default but still nothing. Also if I go down to the boot sequence it don't even show the HD just the CD. Do you think it could be the battery or HD as you said, I have checked allthe cables. Thanks for any help

Charles

 

Have the same problem, the harddrive is seen in the bios, but when I boot up the pc, i get the message pri drive not found along with ither drives not found, at the momment the pc has nothing in it, I have added no cards or anything like that,, the harddrive is clean, therfore no os on it, I can reformat the hd using fdisk, but once I boot up,, no hardrive found,, I even updated the bios to a03 no help.. even tried another hd, samething...unplugged and repluged all ide cables,,same, any ideas

If you can get to the HD, to format it an bootup but say no HD found, then you just need to install operating system. But I can not get my system to boot pass where it say it can't find the HD. Press F1 to continue or F2 to setup, I go to setup an it say unknown drive. Set to auto an re-boot but still no HD. Sent Dell Tech a E-Mail but no help they just told me to do what I had already done. Do you have the optiplex sx260.

Thanks

I have the optiplex 270,, even though there is no os on pc yet, it should still reconiz the hard drive when the sytem boots up...the pc keeps telling me no hard drive found even though its there in the bios..

It seems that Dell systems are having alot of this problem. As I said I sent them afew E-Mail to Tech, but they have not came up with a solution. You would think that they have got alot of complaints about this an came up a way to solve it, it makes me not want to get another Dell. Have tried all that I know to try but nothing works. If anyone do come up with away to correct this problem, please let me know , one thing I have not tried is taking the battery out for awhile to see if this would reset the conf. Anyone have any ideals about this

Thanks

Charles

I am having the same exact problem...the suspense is killing me.  Help Dell....tell us how to fix this..

I have a 260. I have changed hard drives; reset bios; reseated cables....all of it.  Help