PXE error: Dell XPS 15 L501X HDD error

ruchitkank

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Feb 13, 2014
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I have a Dell XPS 15 L501X that recently stopped working. It was working fine until the screen went blank (due to inactivity) and when I tried to turn it back on, it wouldn't come to life. I restarted the laptop but got a PXE error asking me to check my cable and that the OS wasn't found. I bought an SSD and put an OS on that and replaced the HDD with the SSD but got the same error. SO it's probably an error with the cable I guess. Is there any way I can fix the cable myself, like if it's only loose or something or maybe even replace it myself? Or is there something else wrong with the laptop?
 
Solution
PXE error appears when the system tries to boot through the network adapter inside the laptop, but finds no boot device on the network. It's trying to boot from the network because it can't find boot device anywhere else (ie it can't find the hard drive or the SSD in your case).

You could try looking in the BIOS Setup to see if the SSD is set as the first boot device, and if it isn't, change the setting so it is.

If that doesn't fix it, it may be an internal hard drive connectivity problem, but on a laptop it isn't as simple as just trying a new cable. Laptops do not use standard cables. They have rigid connector pins (which you will have seen when you replaced the old drive) and out of sight are soldered connections and a...
PXE error appears when the system tries to boot through the network adapter inside the laptop, but finds no boot device on the network. It's trying to boot from the network because it can't find boot device anywhere else (ie it can't find the hard drive or the SSD in your case).

You could try looking in the BIOS Setup to see if the SSD is set as the first boot device, and if it isn't, change the setting so it is.

If that doesn't fix it, it may be an internal hard drive connectivity problem, but on a laptop it isn't as simple as just trying a new cable. Laptops do not use standard cables. They have rigid connector pins (which you will have seen when you replaced the old drive) and out of sight are soldered connections and a printed circuit board.

So it's a laptop repair specialist you need or a family member or friend who knows there way around the inside of a laptop.
 
Solution