Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error

JoffB · 10-17-2008, 08:11 PM

Can anyone help me with a few questions.
Dell Inspiron 6400 , 100gb hard drive, 1 gb ram (2x512mb) Warranty expired. Windows XP
After a rapid increase in BSOD's My Dell Inspiron 6400 finally seems to have died. After the Dell screen it blanks out to a [XLDR] !ATA message. From what I can find this looks like the Hard drive has died. When irun the bios check it shows that I have a hard drive but shows that it is 2199GB capacity but is really only 100GB. When I run the preboot diagnoistics the hard drive short test comes up "not applicable" for some reason. As the drive slowly started to die I was able to run the test and get a "drive not detected" error but it would then eventually reboot, not anymore. I've tried booting up from a disk dell sent me but it gives me a no hard drive message at the end. So unless anyone can think of anything else i think it mught be poked.

To my next question I am going to buy a new hard drive. I can't really find much information on how big my laptop can take and I was hopeing to get a 2.5" 320gb sata ddr2 pc5400 which from what I can tell will fit my laptop. Is there a problem with going too big ? I had the OS preinstalled on my laptop so i assume that I willhave to try to get that again or will dell have to give me a copy.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions

**BCCOMP** · 10-17-2008, 08:46 PM

Hi JoffB,
Have you tried running the diagnostic software from the manufacture of the HD?
Not that I think it will resolve the HD issue seeing it will not boot from the disk you stated.

Was this disc the Dell restore CD?
Does this laptop have Media Direct capabilities?

Bill

JoffB · 10-18-2008, 02:11 PM

Thanks for your quick reply BCCOMP.The disk I was sent is a windows xp reinstallation cd for dell i was trying to use the restore console.

JoffB · 10-18-2008, 02:13 PM

Sorry and it does have media direct

JoffB · 10-18-2008, 02:15 PM

I just tried to start up using media direct and got the screen but with [XLDR] ! DISK error acros the top

**BCCOMP** · 10-18-2008, 05:25 PM

OK,
I think the HD has failed.
Yes, you should beable to install a bigger HD (320GB) and have no issues with this laptop.

The thing you do have to worry about is partitioning the drive.
You could split the hard drive run two seperate partitions (roughly 160GB +155GB)
One for your OS and programs and such.
The other for a backup of documents and pictures etc.etc.
Or just use the whole drive for everything (not a good idea).

The issue here is the Media Direct Application will need atleast 1.5GB (preferably 2.5GB-3GB) of free space to work correctly.
The install of the OS and media direct have to be done in a certain order.
Did you get the reinstall instructions from Dell or with the laptop?
Bill

JoffB · 10-21-2008, 04:36 PM

I havent as yet got reinstall instructions from dell just the disk. I'm not quite sure how to partition the drive but never use media direct anyway so will I still need it?

**BCCOMP** · 10-21-2008, 10:14 PM

I am unsure of the version you have, but the installation is the same.
This may help you:
http://support.dell.com/support/topi...401E0A551752CE
Bill

JoffB · 10-22-2008, 03:02 PM

Thanks for your help I'll see how I go............
Cheers

10-17-2008, 08:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
JoffB Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 6 OS: xp	Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error Can anyone help me with a few questions. Dell Inspiron 6400 , 100gb hard drive, 1 gb ram (2x512mb) Warranty expired. Windows XP After a rapid increase in BSOD's My Dell Inspiron 6400 finally seems to have died. After the Dell screen it blanks out to a [XLDR] !ATA message. From what I can find this looks like the Hard drive has died. When irun the bios check it shows that I have a hard drive but shows that it is 2199GB capacity but is really only 100GB. When I run the preboot diagnoistics the hard drive short test comes up "not applicable" for some reason. As the drive slowly started to die I was able to run the test and get a "drive not detected" error but it would then eventually reboot, not anymore. I've tried booting up from a disk dell sent me but it gives me a no hard drive message at the end. So unless anyone can think of anything else i think it mught be poked. To my next question I am going to buy a new hard drive. I can't really find much information on how big my laptop can take and I was hopeing to get a 2.5" 320gb sata ddr2 pc5400 which from what I can tell will fit my laptop. Is there a problem with going too big ? I had the OS preinstalled on my laptop so i assume that I willhave to try to get that again or will dell have to give me a copy. Thanks in advance for any suggestions

10-17-2008, 08:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
BCCOMP Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New York Posts: 7,101 OS: Win XP SP3 / Windows 7 Beta / Open Suse My System	Re: Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error Hi JoffB, Have you tried running the diagnostic software from the manufacture of the HD? Not that I think it will resolve the HD issue seeing it will not boot from the disk you stated. Was this disc the Dell restore CD? Does this laptop have Media Direct capabilities? Bill __________________ PC Wizard \| Everest \| Power supply info \| Memtest86+ PC Running Slow Speedfan

10-18-2008, 02:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
JoffB Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 6 OS: xp	Re: Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error Thanks for your quick reply BCCOMP.The disk I was sent is a windows xp reinstallation cd for dell i was trying to use the restore console.

10-18-2008, 02:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
JoffB Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 6 OS: xp	Re: Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error Sorry and it does have media direct

10-18-2008, 02:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
JoffB Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 6 OS: xp	Re: Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error I just tried to start up using media direct and got the screen but with [XLDR] ! DISK error acros the top

10-18-2008, 05:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
BCCOMP Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New York Posts: 7,101 OS: Win XP SP3 / Windows 7 Beta / Open Suse My System	Re: Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error OK, I think the HD has failed. Yes, you should beable to install a bigger HD (320GB) and have no issues with this laptop. The thing you do have to worry about is partitioning the drive. You could split the hard drive run two seperate partitions (roughly 160GB +155GB) One for your OS and programs and such. The other for a backup of documents and pictures etc.etc. Or just use the whole drive for everything (not a good idea). The issue here is the Media Direct Application will need atleast 1.5GB (preferably 2.5GB-3GB) of free space to work correctly. The install of the OS and media direct have to be done in a certain order. Did you get the reinstall instructions from Dell or with the laptop? Bill __________________ PC Wizard \| Everest \| Power supply info \| Memtest86+ PC Running Slow Speedfan

10-21-2008, 04:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
JoffB Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 6 OS: xp	Re: Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error I havent as yet got reinstall instructions from dell just the disk. I'm not quite sure how to partition the drive but never use media direct anyway so will I still need it?

10-21-2008, 10:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
BCCOMP Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New York Posts: 7,101 OS: Win XP SP3 / Windows 7 Beta / Open Suse My System	Re: Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error I am unsure of the version you have, but the installation is the same. This may help you: http://support.dell.com/support/topi...401E0A551752CE Bill __________________ PC Wizard \| Everest \| Power supply info \| Memtest86+ PC Running Slow Speedfan

10-22-2008, 03:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
JoffB Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 6 OS: xp	Re: Dell Inspiron 6400 [XLDR] !ATA Error Thanks for your help I'll see how I go............ Cheers