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Computer not booting

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  • 19-05-2013 2:37pm
    #1
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭


    Looking for a few suggestions please.
    I have a Dell C521 which won't boot past the Dell splash screen, or if it does only goes to what I presume is the MB i.d. screen.( Phoenix Technologies Bios v.06)
    The Bios seems to load OK, the fan and HDD start up, the light is steady green and there are no fault beeps. I have replaced the CMOS battery, swapped out the RAM and HDD and disconnected all other drives but no luck. I've no access to F2 or F12 although they appear on the screen. I'm afraid the MB might be gone. Any other ideas?


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    #2
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,016 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    bmaxi wrote: »
    Looking for a few suggestions please.
    I have a Dell C521 which won't boot past the Dell splash screen, or if it does only goes to what I presume is the MB i.d. screen.( Phoenix Technologies Bios v.06)
    The Bios seems to load OK, the fan and HDD start up, the light is steady green and there are no fault beeps. I have replaced the CMOS battery, swapped out the RAM and HDD and disconnected all other drives but no luck. I've no access to F2 or F12 although they appear on the screen. I'm afraid the MB might be gone. Any other ideas?

    The motherboard probably has bad capacitors, quite a common issue. Take a look at them are any bulging/leaking? If so thats likely the problem

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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    #3
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    yoyo wrote: »
    The motherboard probably has bad capacitors, quite a common issue. Take a look at them are any bulging/leaking? If so thats likely the problem

    Nick

    Had a good look and I cant see any obvious leaks or deformities. One thing though, I swapped the HDD back into my other computer and it immediately went into startup repair which suggests to me it didn't like it's stay in the C521.


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    #4
    edanto
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    bmaxi wrote: »
    One thing though, I swapped the HDD back into my other computer and it immediately went into startup repair which suggests to me it didn't like it's stay in the C521.

    If I'm reading this right, did you take a hard drive from one computer, and just put it into the C521, and try to boot up from that?

    When it wouldn't go past BIOS, you put the hard drive back into the original computer and everything's fine?

    Maybe I'm taking it up wrong, could you explain?

    Have you tried booting the C521 from a stick or disk?


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    #5
    riclad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    TRY booting from cd, eg linux mint 7.fits on 1 cdr.
    OR press cntrl f11 when you see the dell logo.



    http://www.ehow.com/how_8482023_run-diagnostics-dell-dimension-c521.html
    http://www.ask.com/faqcentral/DELL_C521.html


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    #6
    Lu Tze
    Registered Users Posts: 3,495 ✭✭✭Lu Tze


    riclad wrote: »
    TRY booting from cd, eg linux mint 7.fits on 1 cdr.
    OR press cntrl f11 when you see the dell logo.



    http://www.ehow.com/how_8482023_run-diagnostics-dell-dimension-c521.html
    http://www.ask.com/faqcentral/DELL_C521.html

    Yeah try a live cd and boot from that. Windows is likely tied to your motherboard so it wont just boot up if you put the Hard drive in another pc


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    #7
    Reamer Fanny
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭Reamer Fanny


    Try reseat the RAM


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    #8
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    edanto wrote: »
    If I'm reading this right, did you take a hard drive from one computer, and just put it into the C521, and try to boot up from that?

    When it wouldn't go past BIOS, you put the hard drive back into the original computer and everything's fine?

    Maybe I'm taking it up wrong, could you explain?

    Have you tried booting the C521 from a stick or disk?

    No, it wouldn't boot past the Dell logo on it's original HDD and I did try a HDD from another computer with the same effect. I also tried to boot from a Ubuntu CD and from Ubuntu on usb.


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    #9
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,016 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    bmaxi wrote: »
    No, it wouldn't boot past the Dell logo on it's original HDD and I did try a HDD from another computer with the same effect. I also tried to boot from a Ubuntu CD and from Ubuntu on usb.

    Does sound like the motherboard is the issue. Have you tried booting with only one stick of ram or the other installed?

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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    #10
    riclad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    Remove motherboard battery for 5 minutes,
    replace it try to boot again,
    THEN GO TO Bios,bootup, press del,
    acess bios menu,set boot options, set boot from cdrom,cdrom = boot device =
    first boot ,device 0.
    hd= boot device 2.
    usb = boot 1.
    i COULD,NT BOOT up ,taking out battery fixed it.
    It resets the bios.


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    #11
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    yoyo wrote: »
    Does sound like the motherboard is the issue. Have you tried booting with only one stick of ram or the other installed?

    Nick

    Sorry, been out of circulation for a few days. Yes I did try one stick of ram at a time, no difference.
    Riclad, the first thing I did was replace the CMOS battery and I've tried to boot from a live CD. I'm more or less resigned to a fried mobo.


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