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I'm not sure if this problem is related to installing Linux, but I have a Dell desktop from many years ago (I can look up the model number if it's important) on which I installed Bodhi Linux a few years ago before preparing to sell/give the system away. I recently got an extra monitor and was rechecking the system to see if it was still working. I had to replace the system battery, but then it seemed happy.

However, I wanted to see if I could install Windows XP off the disc that came with the system and I can't even get the drive to open without a paperclip. When I look in the CMOS setup utility at the boot sequence, it lists the optical drive as "not installed". Was there possibly a partition on the hard drive with optical drivers that got deleted when Linux was installed? I know when I tell the boot menu to boot to the utility partition, it boots to the same default Linux installation instead.

Is there any way to get this drive working again? I suspect if I plugged in an Ethernet cable I would be able to connect to the internet with Linux. The system also has a 3.5" drive, BTW.

BlueMonkMN
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1 Answers1

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This is a hardware fault. There are 2 implied indicators in your post -

  1. Its not showing in BIOS - BIOS is separate to and loaded before Linux. If the drive is not found here, the computer does not recognise its existence, and this has nothing to do with hard drive partitions.

  2. (This may be irrelevant on CD drives without a button on the front, but most old desktop PCs have one). Pushing the eject button should work regardless of the state of the OS.

It might be that the power cable has become dislodged/partially dislodged. I might be inclined to open the PC and reseat the power cable.

davidgo
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