Dell Optiplex GX520 With Windows XP Won't Boot

[clapper62]

The computer won't boot to Windows

I get to the boot options menu
but won't boot to safe mode or any of the other options
just stops at a black screen

Tried to boot from an XP install disk, it stops at
the blue screen that says Windows Setup at Top and
"Setup is starting Windows" at bottom

Tried with a BartPE disk and it goes through the screen
that says starting Bart PE with the progress bar but then
also goes to a black screen

disconnected everything
Hard Drive, Floppy Drive, both sticks of RAM(1 at a time)
and repeated above with same results

I've let the computer run in the bios setup for quite some
time and it seems stable there

appreciate any help on this one

 

[goombawaho]

Test hard drive and memory. This CD, if you can download the ISO and burn it on another computer has both of them. FREE.

Link
bottom of page for download locations.

Something basic has to be broken - memory, hard drive and/or motherboard.

I thought our little wild time had just begun.

 

[clapper62]

I actually tried to get Ultimate Boot CD (is that the Cd you are suggesting?)
before I posted and could never get to a link that would download an .iso image
I tried to follow your link and once again failed to find it

any link I see takes me to dubious looking sites
could you be a little clearer on where to go to get it?

in the mean time
Hard Drive problem seems not to be the case as I have successfully booted
other machines with BartPE CD when no hard drive was even connected

 

[rclarke250]

do you see at the bottom of the page, where it says "mirrors" ? Those are the servers where the downloads are. just pick one, and click the .iso icon, and it should begin the download of the ultimate boot cd. But I bet you have blown capacitors on the motherboard. open it up, and look at the caps around the cpu and chipset heatsinks.

 

[clapper62]

Thanks rclarke and I feel stupid for not knowing I had to click the Icons
Dowloading it now
It's been a while since I've tried to fix a broken computer

I checked the caps though and they didn't look bad
Do you think it's worth it to change out the power supply?

 

[goombawaho]

Ok, so you'll get the boot CD and try my testing suggestions - memory first, HDD second. You COULD change the power supply and try it without removing the old one and fully installing the new one, but I kind of doubt that's it.

One thing I didn't mention was to try to set BIOS to DEFAULT, SAVE and see what happens.
You don't have a second video card in the computer do you? You're using the integrated video on the mobo?

So, the order I would do it in:
0. Reset BIOS to defaults
1. Test memory
2. Test HDD
3. Try other power supply
4. Try an add-in PCI or PCI-E video card
5. Unplug hard drive and try booting to BartPE

I thought our little wild time had just begun.

 

[rclarke250]

I doubt it's a power supply. I like the list Goom, posted, but I would move 5 above number 2, and move the rest down 1. Just the order I would try it in. just weird, that it sounds like it is going to a black screen when any driver starts to load, as bios has a rudimentary video driver, and that works ok. Might try loading bartpe in safe mode, and going line at a time, to see what driver may cause it to bomb out.

 

[goombawaho]

That order change wouldn't bother me + it's quick and easy.

I thought our little wild time had just begun.

 

[clapper62]

okay I didn't do all of the steps yet but wanted to check in
did steps
0
1 - there were several memory test but I only did the 2 memtest and it passed both
and 5 BartPE goes to black screen and hangs as described in original post

I want to do the HD test but there are a multitude of options and not to sure how to proceed
my hard drive is a Seagate Barracuda 7200
although I still lean towards discounting the hard drive as it won't boot with BartPE with the HD disconnected

in the mean time
I haven't dug around in my junk parts for a while but
going to look around for a power supply and video card I think I have one of each around here somewhere

does the passing memory test mean the mobo is good?

thanks



"There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is having lots to do and not doing it.
." - Andrew Jackson

 

[goombawaho]

You have to go under HDD >> Diagnostic Tools >> SeaTools for DOS 2.23 to test a Seagate drive.
Memory test passing doesn't mean the entire motherboard is OK, no. But it's a good sign.

So, without the hard drive being installed, you should try a video card if you have one with the old power supply and then with a new power supply. Then we have to start scratching our heads.

I thought our little wild time had just begun.

 

[edfair]

Can you change the amout of memory available to the graphics? Might force a different video mode.



Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[clapper62]

okay
I did the Hard Drive Test From UBCD it passed
I put a graphics card in and the computer still behaves the same
wont boot to BartPE with or without Hard drive installed
or a Windows XP install disk

The only power supply I could find that had the right connection didn't power the PC at all

Ed is it still worth it to try your suggestion after the replacement graphics card?

I thank you all for sticking with me here but I'm about ready to surrender
I've never seen a computer behave like this.

 

[rclarke250]

I think it's sounding like a bad system board. feel better if it was tested with a known working power supply.

 

[goombawaho]

Sounding like the board. I wouldn't buy a power supply to test it though, unless you're going to build yourself a system.

I thought our little wild time had just begun.

 

[edfair]

No, with the replacement graphics in place the memory issue is moot.
Agree that it is probably the board.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.