Power-up shop laptop (Dell Latitude D531)--HD Not Found

[nevetslab]

Well, it's finally happened. I've been getting by for years with a small Dell Latitude D531 Laptop when I'm not at my small narrow/long shop. It's been starting up slow, have had it most recently freeze and none of the keys work, having to press the Start button to shut it off, and hope it comes back up. Late last week, the little GRN icons that light up just below the display hinges...one shows Power, next to it is a cylinder that represents the HD activity, etc....that HD symbol wasn't lighting up, the DELL start-up display would show up, but the load bar would pause before hitting the end, then go black screen, with two lines of message.....the top one reading "HD Not Found" below it, solution was Reseat the HD. I've had to resort to that method, having some success. Cleaned the contacts, both with Caig, then with Gold Wipes.



Today when it happened, I, I had no luck with reseating, and tried shaving a long wooden Q-tip to make a contact cleaner, dipped into Caig to wipe the mating contacts in the throat where the HD connector plugs in. And, used the Gold Wipes for the first time, but, none of those got me the HD Cylinder ICON to light up and see the computer light back up.

I had already backed up all my data to my portable WD HD, though there's the National Instruments Multisim 11.0 Schematic Capture and PCB layout software that I don't have the installation package for. And, while I do have an XP O/S install disc from my tower DAW machines, it's been years since I've started from scratch reloading a new HD. And, not sure what I need for bios on this laptop.



So, contemplating the solutions. First, I doubt if there's any way to recover what's on that HD that's not being recognized, and load it in an operational state onto another HD. Buy a replacement HD for this machine. Buy another suitable laptop. I did already buy an HP ProBook 5670B Laptop with 500G SSD with Windows 10 loaded on it.

I'm still using XP due to some software I have on this machine, and don't have the funds to spend to upgrade to a later O/S.

I found thru Parts People...the Dell Laptop Experts website, after loading my Service Tag code into their little box, a number of HD options to restore this machine. I found a 256GB SK Hynix Sata III SSD 6GBp/S drive for $50....under $59 with shpg and bought that to see if I can restore this. It's been a good 10 years since I've built a HD from scratch, and needed my computer guru who lives in Flint, MI to walk me thru the steps on the phone as I stumbled thru the process. I did download the Service Manual on this laptop.

I haven't yet started looking at alternative used working Laptops that already have XP O/S loaded. Meanwhile, the desktop that I'm left with did manage to fire back up when I had to move back into this small shop from the main CenterStaging warehouse where all the gear I service for them is located. It's on borrowed time, and no doubt not long before it stops running.

[J M Fahey]

Ouch!!!!
My old not-trusty-any-more Toshiba NB505 (about as old as yours, some 10 years or more) murdered its HD which I had NOT backed up.

Trying not too think too much about it, but really lost A LOT.

Oh well.

[nevetslab]

In formatting an SSD Hard Drive, instead of a Hard Disc Drive, is there anything I need to know that's uniquely different in the procedure? I'll have to do some reading to re-educate myself in the procedure, as it's been too long, and I never was a whiz in the care and feeding of computers. I have built a couple DAW's from scratch, though was back-seat driven by my good friend Ray Harris in Flint MI getting the HD set up and running.

Hopefully nothing has happened to the motherboard interface with the 80GB HDD that has failed to run anymore. Mechanically, the SSD drive looks like it just attaches to the computer's HD mtg frame, and plugs in the same.

[Pixel]

In formatting an SSD Hard Drive, instead of a Hard Disc Drive, is there anything I need to know that's uniquely different in the procedure? I'll have to do some reading to re-educate myself in the procedure, as it's been too long, and I never was a whiz in the care and feeding of computers. I have built a couple DAW's from scratch, though was back-seat driven by my good friend Ray Harris in Flint MI getting the HD set up and running.

Hopefully nothing has happened to the motherboard interface with the 80GB HDD that has failed to run anymore. Mechanically, the SSD drive looks like it just attaches to the computer's HD mtg frame, and plugs in the same.

SSD is finicky about the alignment of partitions when you format the drive. Also there is a TRIM function that modern OS' will automatically invoke in order to kick off the SSD's built-in housekeeping functions. So ideally you need to partition the drive with SSD alignment in mind and also find a way to TRIM the drive once in a while, I do it once a week in Windows 10. Having said that, the SSD is so much faster and bigger than your old drive that even a misaligned partition is gonna be sooo much faster than your old drive. I don't know what you can do about TRIM on XP. Maybe you can boot a different OS like Ubuntu from an optical drive or USB stick and run TRIM from there. Unfortunately XP is probably going to do stuff in the background that isn't good for SSD lifetime.

I'm trying to be thorough in listing the possible concerns about using an SSD on XP. I've never installed one on XP. I think ideally it would be easier to use a regular HDD. Since you already have the SSD I would go ahead and use it. Probably the only big issue is how to run a TRIM once in while. The drive is so big compared to the old one you could probably get away without using TRIM for a long time. Not trimming may have performance and longevity issues.

[Pixel]

So, contemplating the solutions. First, I doubt if there's any way to recover what's on that HD that's not being recognized, and load it in an operational state onto another HD. Buy a replacement HD for this machine. Buy another suitable laptop. I did already buy an HP ProBook 5670B Laptop with 500G SSD with Windows 10 loaded on it.

You might be able to mount the drive on another computer and run recovery software from there. It isn't good that the laptop BIOS isn't recognizing the drive but I would see if another computer can mount the drive.

[nevetslab]

Before I had this freebe Dell Laptop, I had another freebe Gateway Laptop. I've no idea where that is...probably someplace in my storage lockers. Not sure what our IT man here at the complex has. If the drive does run on another machine, wouldn't that point to the interface on this Laptop being what took a dump? What led up to the eventual failure was the system would pause, not allowing keystrokes to be acknowledged, or hang up when running an MP3 old radio broadcast, and get stuck in a loop, stuttering. No keys would respond, only way out was hitting the power button. I changed to using the Ext HD to run those MP3's, but still would periodically find it getting stuck in a loop. Finally it wouldn't recognize the HD, and give me that black screen message to reseat the HD. Soon that no longer worked, and here I am less one working computer.

I'll be using XP due to too much software and programs I use are running on it (or predecessors to XP). I thought perhaps going the SSD route, not knowing about the TRIM function and other unknowns might not be suitable for XP. I hadn't thought about that Gateway Laptop. It's possible it made it's way out to my apartment when I moved in 2015, though I tend to doubt it. I moved too much stuff from that apartment into storage, and only brought essentials, though I did bring all of my computers, expecting to rebuild one or two of those. Laterman projects....still to be done. All towers.

I just looked at another retired Dell that our IT guy gave me for the PS, popped the cover, but found the HD in it is the conventional size, not the tiny format like I have in this Laptop.

[Pixel]

You CAN get to the BIOS menu so my guess is that the laptop is ok and the HDD is shot. If you have a bootable DVD or USB stick you can see if the laptop itself is ok. Perhaps someone can make you an Ubuntu boot dvd or USB stick. At a minimum you could see if the Windows installation disk can get to the point where it complains that there is nowhere to install the OS.

If you plug the SSD into the laptop, even without an OS, the BIOS menu should let you "see" the SSD. That will tell you if there is a chance of getting this working.

[tedmich]

Sorry for you're loss,
On a related note there are two kinds of old school magnetic rotational HDs: ones that are failed and ones that are about to fail.

IME Never EVER keep a computer with a HD boot drive; SSDs are cheap, make the boot time ~10-30s and apps open way faster, Samsung software mirrors all the HD drive I've tried flawlessly, 1h later the computer is reborn.

[TomCarlos]

It has been awhile since I did this... but watch this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QldyxaIghr0

There are other videos that show you how to reinstall XP onto a new hard drive (and where SSD is the same thing).

I had a Latitude laptop that developed a serious issue when trying to move from XP with Win 10. Dell instructions where to install the updated drivers from the DELL web site before going to Win 10- bad idea. I pretty much hosed the computer and it would not start. So I decided to try and rebuild from scratch using a new SSD and the installation discs.

Install the SSD
Change the boot sequence so that the computer will start with the CD
Insert the Dell O/S installation CD
Start computer and use F8 when the Dell image appears
The computer will try to start from the CD
Watch the video and follow the on screen instructions for the install.
Once the O/S is installed, the computer should boot up.
Once the O/S is installed, you might have a Dell Drivers CD. It is important to install the drivers in the correct order - get instructions for this.
If you do not have the Apps for some of the programs you were running, that could be a problem.

I am now using EASEUS backup. It makes a single image of the ENTIRE computer, including the System Files. I learned the hard way that just because you backup the entire C drive, that does not mean you can restore. It is all about bringing back the Registry too.

Anyway, see if you can at least get the O/S installed from the Dell CD.

[big_teee]

As an option to XP on a hard drive?
You could run XP Virtual Machine, or Virtual Box, on Win 10.
Lots of videos on youtube showing how.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvbfpUH-hco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GYeqWEHzZI
GL,
T

[nevetslab]

After watching the videos, then some additional findings on the internet with regards to making XP install onto an SSD, just to be safe, I ordered a 500GB SATA drive, which I know I can at least install and get the Laptop back up, assuming there's not a problem with the interface to the HD. I've been noticing the Display LID has been feeling stiffer and stiffer to open it up, and yesterday, opening it up, I heard a crack from one of the plastic hinges. YUP...there's now separation from where the mating part should be and where it is now, and tried to clamp it back into position with my small machinist vise, but got nowhere with that. I tried seeping Singer Sewing Machine oil lightly into the pivot joints, though that might be the wrong thing to use.....didn't have any graphite (nor tried to make some by shaving a No 2 pencil) to apply.

I did think about selecting a different OS for the SSD, and doing what big_tee suggested XP Virtual Machine.

I'm guessing (not knowing) that one can't do a full re-install on a new HD, then remove that drive, and do an install with the SSD for later O/S or multiple O/S provisions. Can one make both happen by removing/swapping the HD, once each install has been completed?

[The Dude]

Yes Nevets, you can just swap drives after they are setup (format, OS, etc.). FWIW, if you can get the SSD installed and formatted, it will vastly improve the performance of the machine. Well worth the effort.

Edit: FWIW: You should be able to install the new drive, insert the OS installation CD, and the install will guide you through everything including formatting the drive.

[nevetslab]

Yes, Nevets. You can just swap drives after they are setup (format, OS, etc.).

Ah....good to know. I was wondering what to do with that SSD that I had ordered, not yet aware of the XP install issues. Next trip to my lockers, I ll see if I can find the predecessor Laptop I was using prior to obtaining this now-failed Dell D531. I think all that was wrong with that was a broken 'G' keytop. Don't recall the HD size, but know I did have XP loaded on it.

[The Dude]

Just a heads up, you can install a working HD from another computer into this one, but there will be some issues unless it is the exact same model. You'll have to load/swap drivers for the new hardware. It can be done, though.

[TomCarlos]

Programs like EaseUS Backups allow you to "Clone" an entire drive. I did this on a Dell Inspiron. I "cloned" the entire C drive (a 256GB HD) onto an SSD that was slightly larger (500GB). I then swapped the HD with the SSD. The computer fired right up!! So I have the original HD, as a backup you might say. Should I ever decide to sell that computer, I will sell it with the HD and base install (the O/S, no apps other than free stuff you can get like Adobe Reader, etc). As most of you know, Dell and others no longer provide installation disks- bummer.