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Inspiron 9300, how to boot 2nd HD from modular bay?

post #1 of 37
9/11/09 at 4:13am
Thread Starter 
Hi all,

I'd like to ask if anyone knows how to boot from a 2nd hard drive installed in the modular bay.

I've searched prior to posting but I couldn't find a definite answer.

The manual says to choose the option in bios but there is no such option.

Thanks in advance
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post #2 of 37
9/11/09 at 9:51am
do you see the option for Booting off the CD ROM in the BIOS ?
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post #3 of 37
9/12/09 at 2:28am
Thread Starter 
Yes, I have options to boot from just about everything except the modular bay.

Page 106 of the manual clearly shows the boot option "Modular Bay HDD". Obviously they thought about it otherwise it wouldn't be printed on the manual.
I wonder if the option got lost along the way from A01 to A05 bios.

Do you know if the bios for the XPS Gen 2 has a working option? or if I can find a raw bin I could try to enable the option myself.
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post #4 of 37
9/13/09 at 4:07pm
Thread Starter 
bump
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post #5 of 37
9/14/09 at 1:00am
Well it should show up there without a hack

have you formatted the drive yet ?

Can you see it if you boot off the internal drive ?
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post #6 of 37
9/14/09 at 8:55pm
Thread Starter 
I know it should but it doesn't. The disk is formatted and loaded with XP
Yes, I can see it and work on it. In fact, I'm using it as my backup drive. It just won't boot from it.

I get the following error:
INTERNAL HDD HARD ERROR!
STRIKE F1 KEY TO CONTINUE, F2 KEY TO RUN THE SETUP UTILITY

After hitting F1 key I get:
NO BOOTABLE DEVICES--STRIKE F1...

Do you know a bios guru around here? maybe he can help me. I have a feeling that the option just needs to be turn on.
If I can boot from a CD-ROM I should be able to boot from a HD
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post #7 of 37
9/14/09 at 11:44pm
With the error you mentioned above, I would install another hard drive, then try again with the CD boot up.

cheers ...
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post #8 of 37
9/14/09 at 11:50pm
Thread Starter 
The HD it's fine. I can boot and run XP without any errors if I install it on the regular HD bay.
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post #9 of 37
9/14/09 at 11:53pm
I see. Only the modular bay that is giving you issues.
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post #10 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:00am
Thread Starter 
Yeah exactly but the main issue is not having the option to enable booting from the modular bay when the manual clearly shows that option available.

Do you know a bios guru around here?

Thanks in advance
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post #11 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:05am
Let me dig into it some more. Hopefully other Dell users here will see this and shred some light soon.

cheers ...
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post #12 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:07am
I know others here in these forums have used the Modular bay for a second drive, try searching the Dell Forums here.

What options do you see listed in the BIOS for Boot Devices ?
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post #13 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:18am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-p View Post
I know others here in these forums have used the Modular bay for a second drive, try searching the Dell Forums here.

What options do you see listed in the BIOS for Boot Devices ?
I've searched but couldn't fine a definitive answer because most posts relate to dual boot. I don't want that, I want to boot Windows 7 without contaminating XP with boot files.
I see ALL other options: HD, CD, USB, NIC, CB and DISKETTE
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post #14 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:35am
Have you tried selecting CD (since this is in place of the CD ROM)
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post #15 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:39am
Thread Starter 
Yes Dave, that's the first thing I tried because I figured if the machine can boot from a CD it sould boot from a HD right?
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post #16 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:43am
yes exactly, it a strange one,

What size is the hard drive ?
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post #17 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:48am
and your running XP on the internal drive, and Windows 7 on the Modular bay ?
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post #18 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:49am
Thread Starter 
It's a Toshiba MK1032GAX 100GB 5400 rpm
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post #19 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:53am
Thread Starter 
Yes but I have to switch drives every time and it's getting annoying
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post #20 of 37
9/15/09 at 12:58am
how did you install the OS on each drive ?

Did you do so as the internal drive then move the drive into the Modular Bay adaptor?

Did you ever try to install the second OS from the Modular drive of course you would have to setup the CD ROM as an external drive

I am thinking the drive parameters were not set correctly during the install.
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