Changed BIOS Battery, Can't Boot/Access Setup; However USB Keyboard OK

Bob3677 · 19 May 2016

I have an Old/Great Dell D531 Desktop that I did two things at same time, now no boot up and can't access bios for setup changes.

1) Changed bios battery;
2) added power to USB 3.0 PCI controller card that had been installed month earlier;
3) Now boots to Dell logo and nothing else and no flashing cursor;
4) USB keyboard not getting power so F2, F8, F12, ESC do not work;
5) Years ago added a 500gb harddrive [SATA3] with three partitions (J,K,M);
6) Computer was upgraded years ago from VISTA 64 on original C drive [SATA0] to Win7 64 on new drive partition J;
7) At times the attached file info appears which maybe of help.

Any non-sarcastic advice is much appreciated since on SS and can't afford another PC.

torchwood · 19 May 2016

Hope you installed USB3 drivers, coz there arn't any in W7.

Roy

Bob3677 · 19 May 2016

Thanks Roy,
that's good to know once I get pc booting again. When I first installed the USB3 card I do not remember if I updated drives since it was a couple of months ago and had no spare power connectors for USB3 pci card so did nothing until recently before issue started.
After having no-boot issue, I disconnected power to PCI card but that did nothing to help boot issue.

Thanks for your input

Bob

PS: I wrongly checked my thread resolved, can I do anything to remove RESOLVED check?

derekimo · 19 May 2016

Bob3677 said:

PS: I wrongly checked my thread resolved, can I do anything to remove RESOLVED check?

I unsolved it for you, but you should be able to just click the green button again to mark unsolved,

Changed BIOS Battery, Can't Boot/Access Setup; However USB Keyboard OK-2016-05-19_19h27_55.png

Bob3677 · 22 May 2016

Tried swapping Harddrive cables (SATA 0 & 3) to see if that would help but no luck. What I did get was a new msg pointing to failure at [50H] . Does this help me determine my problem? What is [50H] mean; see attached image file.

Bob3677 · 24 May 2016

Ok, I tried clearing CMOS on the motherboard and no improvement just a new checkpoint [7FH] as shown in attached image.

I have searched Dell technical support and no help. With all the experts out there I confused that no one has encountered anything like this before to give me some where to search for a fix to my issue.

I guess, I will have to try other forums...

Again, thanks to Roy for the only help so far.

alphaniner · 24 May 2016

CMOS checksum error is normal after replacing battery. Clearing CMOS would 'fix' that, but your BIOS is now at default. All the problems probably boil down to needing to configure BIOS.* That may be easier said than done depending on your experience, but one thing at a time.

If possible try different USB keyboards; I've seen some work during POST when others fail. Otherwise, you'll have to dig up a PS/2 keyboard. There's a reason I keep my 20 yo PS/2 around despite numerous broken keycaps repaired with superglue and pennies... :P

* On further investigation, those checkpoint failures are troubling assuming they correspond with those listed here:

50h The memory below 1 MB has been tested and initialized. Adjusting the displayed memory size for relocation and shadowing next.
7Fh Extended NMI source enabling is in progress

But I'd still suggest trying a PS/2 keyboard if nothing else.

AddRAM · 25 May 2016

I agree, try a PS2 keyboard and mouse.

Bob3677 · 25 May 2016

Thank you Alphaniner! Especially, the checkpoint appendix.
Since Addram agrees (thanks much also} I will focus on getting a used PS/2 key board, and maybe a PS/2 mouse.
I strongly believe, if I can get a keyboard to work and reset BIOS, as alphaniner fells too, all will return to normal...

Thanks much alphaniner & addram and will report results (hopefully successful).

Ztruker · 25 May 2016

Are you sure about the model number? Everything I find says it's a laptop or notebook.

Is there a full model number?

Changed BIOS Battery, Can't Boot/Access Setup; However USB Keyboard OK

Changed BIOS Battery, Can't Boot/Access Setup; However USB Keyboard OK

USB Drivers

Swaped SATA cables and no Help

PS/2 - Now I something to Work on