PC Wont Boot when Hard Drive is Plugged In. Motherboard or Hard Drive Problem?

nightstar · #1 13th Apr 2009, 05:32

Hi,

I have a Dell Dimension 5150, yesterday I returned to my pc (which was turned on and downloading files from the net) to find it had a flashing amber light on the front. Searching through forums, this is usually a hard drive or motherboard problem.
I have tried booting with the hard drive plugged in, but this fails. (flashing amber lights).
When the hard drive isnt plugged in however, i can boot to a usb key (with windows 98 boot files on it).
When i plug in the DVD-RW drive, the bios doesn't recognise this drive (i have 2 DVD drives and have tried both) although i can insert disks into these drives and can hear the disk being read.

I'm assuming this means that my hard drive has given up, but at the same time i am mystified as to why the DVD drives wont work?

Thanks,

Simon

**philthomas** · #2 13th Apr 2009, 05:58

Try replacing the cmos battery ... and check for bent pins (shorting) on the USB ports.

nightstar · #3 13th Apr 2009, 06:06

Hi philthomas,

Thanks for the fast response. I have already tried replacing the CMOS battery and there is are no visible bent pins, any other ideas?

Cheers

**philthomas** · #4 13th Apr 2009, 08:05

Try hooking the HDD up as a Slave to another PC and see if it functions ok.

artpart · #5 9th Nov 2009, 10:30

Amber light is my problem.
I can correct it (see below) and the PC is up and running. The Pc runs perfectly for Hrs, Days or months. Then I try something out of the ordinary and whoops. I have to open up and reset as described below.

Power Problem: The power light (Centre of start button) is steady Amber, (this should be steady Green) the computer is dead. Manual says: “A device might be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed.

Possible solution.
a) Remove and then reinstall the memory modules, if that does not work.
b) Remove and then reinstall the memory modules and any cards, if no success.
c) Remove and then reinstall the graphics card, if applicable.
When the light is steady amber the computer is completely dead, on occasions it returns to life after carrying out, a) above. Sometimes a) does not work and I go for a) and b). This also brings it back to life. As far as I’m aware I do not have a graphic card installed.

Can anyone throw some light on this anomaly? I have a sound card installed. “Creative: Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS” which I suspect. Could this be the problem? Having said that, the music sounds great with the “Dell UK - 5650 5+1 Speaker system”
Cheers Art