Dell Desktop Won't Boot Up

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 11 Apr 2011 1:24 pm

from Richard Sinkler:

I have a Dell Dimesion 9100 desktop computer that died on me recently. After about 2 months in storage, I set it up and used it flawlessly for 2 days. The next morning I started it up and this is what I get on the display.

X300 SE 128mb Bios p/n 113-A33406-100

Under that, a flashing cursor. It will not boot any further. No beep codes. I opened the case to see if anything came loose (nope). I checked the power supply, and it appears to be functioning. The fan comes on and all hard drives and CD/DVD drives spin. The voltage readings I get from the power supply are strange though. Instead of 12vdc and 5vdc, I get .012vdc and .002vdc. I do not claim that I am testing it correctly though. Is it possible that the battery on the mother board died and I lost my CMOS? How do I check for sure and how do I fix it (after replacing the battery)? On the front panel, there are the numbers 1, 2, 3 lit up as well as the hard drive image. What else could it be?

Unfortunately, my living situation right now has no phone or internet access. I have to find WiFi spots I can use, so I can't really get on forums while I work on it.

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 11 Apr 2011 2:40 pm

reflash bios? or was this meant to be in another thread

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Apr 2011 2:15 am

The BIOS wouldn't "fail". If the CMOS backup battery (CR2032 coin cell battery on motherboard) you would just get the wrong time and posibily some drive not found and option to press F1 to continue.

The "X300" is the video card. Since that displays it's getting to that initial part of the Power On.

The diagnostic lights 1,2,3 lit isn't much help. The Dell listing shows this as "another failure".

What color is the power light? such as blinking amber, steady amber, green.

Suggestion would be, with the PC powered off, to reseat any cards, such as the video card, memory and reseat internal cables as a start.

HERE is the Dell troubleshooting section of the manual

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 13 Apr 2011 10:45 am

Thanks to b0b for helping me get this posted.

Thanks Jack,

I managed to download that service manual after I emailed Bob to post this. And, you're right. The manual isn't a lot of help. I read about the power on light and the different colors, but haven't checked that out yet. I am having to go to the library to get internet access with my laptop, so I can't run and check right now. I should be back on here Friday.

I did lightly push on all the cards and memory modules, but didn't actually take them out and re-seat them. I will try that when I get home.

Ron Anderson · Post by **Ron Anderson** » 13 Apr 2011 2:54 pm

Boot a windows xp cd (It don't what version xp vista or 7 is on the drive). After it loads it setup files you will have a chance to select R for Repair Console.

Login to your windows version that presents itself.
If it's really hosed, you will just get a c:> prompt.

No worries.

At the C:> prompt type CHKDSK /R

And go watch a ball game.
90% of the time you will end up with a pc that boots again after chkdsk finishes.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 14 Apr 2011 2:10 am

Ron, with the symptoms he is getting it's not even getting to/through the POST (Power On Self Test) so trying to run XP Repair won't work.

(I do a lot of support on the Dell Users Forum - I'm one of the forum "VIP's").

Chris Dorch · Post by **Chris Dorch** » 14 Apr 2011 5:25 am

It is possible that the power supply is toast, but my thought is that you are reading it wrong. Voltage that low would not make the fans spin or the disks spinup.

My suggestion would be to disconnect your devices (disks and drives), remove cards and memory and boot. With only a processor, your comp should fail to start out of the gate and give you post beep codes. Slowly replace the devices like memory etc. and repeat: one at a time.

The problem is that the simptoms you are experiencing could be reflective of a blown processor or any wire on the MB pointing to the processor. If that's the case, you'll never load CMOS and you'll never hit POST. It just won't boot.

Best of luck... At least the stuff on the HD should still be viable for recovery.

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 14 Apr 2011 3:52 pm

could be a leaky capacitor since it sat for awhile. that could be visable on the motherboard or vid card. data should be fine tho as long as the last shutdown was ok.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 15 Apr 2011 2:21 am

Dell had some cap problems on some earlier model motherboards, but not on the 9100. (Most of Dell's motherboards in that era were made by Foxconn for Dell- Foxconn makes Intel brand motherboards and also Apple motherboards and the iphones).

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 15 Apr 2011 10:34 am

It is possible that the power supply is toast, but my thought is that you are reading it wrong. Voltage that low would not make the fans spin or the disks spinup.

I figured I was reading it wrong. I think my Fluke 77 meter could use some new batteries too.

Problem is fixed

I took the memory modules out and reinstalled them. Turned on the computer and all is well. I did shut it back down, removed and reinstalled all the cards. So far, so good.

Thanks all for your help.