Solved Is this a BIOS problem or a Motherboard Problem or something else?

ZaphodB · Mar 10, 2022

Hi folks

Still trying to get to the bottom of why an ancient Dell Vostro Desktop PC isn't reliably booting.

Initial thoughts were that it was a PSU problem, now I'm not so sure. The original post is here

My last post in that thread (here) noted that the PC wasn't completing the POST properly.

Today, despite repeated static drains and attempted re-starts, the PC won't boot.

I get a single beep (suggesting a successful POST) with a brief flicker of the HDD access indicator - but the PC remains on the BIOS Splash screen (Press F2 for Setup, F12 for Boot Menu) and no further. Pressing either F2 or F12 whilst powering on (where you would expect it to drop into BIOS) has no effect and no keys appear to work (and there is no further HDD activity).

This is what the splash screen looks like (Bios Revision is 1.0.3)

Swapping HDDs didn't work either - so I don't think it is the hard disk.

Soooo....

Is this likely to be a Firmware (BIOS) problem or a Motherboard problem? I'm guessing it isn't PSU related.

Could it be the data cable between Motherboard and HDD??

Any thoughts folks?

Zaph

samuria · Mar 10, 2022

Dells often have a problem that hd doesnt reply in time so it thinks its not there normally in the bios there is a setting to change the time out which gives it more time for the disk to respond. Often if it wont boot and you hit reset Not reboot it will start as the disk is up and spinning

Megahertz07 · Mar 11, 2022

A problematic HDD or ODD can prevent to complete the POST.
Try to disconnect the SATA cables from all HDDs, SSDs and ODD.

I still think you have a PS issue.

ZaphodB · Mar 11, 2022

samuria said:
Dells often have a problem that hd doesnt reply in time so it thinks its not there normally in the bios there is a setting to change the time out which gives it more time for the disk to respond. Often if it wont boot and you hit reset Not reboot it will start as the disk is up and spinning

The funny thing is, if I Hibernate the PC, it starts up in Windows, no problem (I have been using the PC all day today and am writing this post on it)

So, I'll hibernate it again, then jump into the BIOS to see if there is that setting.

Megahertz07 said:
A problematic HDD or ODD can prevent to complete the POST.
Try to disconnect the SATA cables from all HDDs, SSDs and ODD.

I still think you have a PS issue.

I have some spare data cables, I'll try replacing those already in the PC and see about swapping the power connector to the hard disk and see if that changes anything.

Still very, very puzzled by the behaviour of this machine!

Zaph

Update 14/03/22

Turns out it was the PSU - see this post. Problem now marked as solved.

Solved Is this a BIOS problem or a Motherboard Problem or something else?

ZaphodB

New member

My Computer

samuria

New member

My Computer

Megahertz07

Wish to be flying

My Computers

System One System Two

ZaphodB

New member

My Computer

Similar threads