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No POST, No Power, No Video on a Dell Desktop Computer

Summary: This article takes you through how to troubleshoot start up issues with your desktop personal computer.

This article may have been automatically translated. If you have any feedback regarding its quality, please let us know using the form at the bottom of this page.

Article Content


Symptoms

Cause

Cause information is not available.

Resolution

Definitions

We can define the 4 states of No Post, No Power, No Video and No Boot as follows:

No Post (Power On Self-Test)

Once the Power button is pressed, the computer goes through a series of internal checks. If any of these checks fail, the computer does not boot to Windows and the diagnostic LEDs and or power button LED should illuminate to indicate the problem.

No Power

Once the Power button is pressed, no Diagnostics LED's will illuminate nor the Power button LED, the computer does not boot to Windows and there will be no signs of power to the computer, keyboard, or mouse.

No Video

Once the Power button is pressed, the computer will turn on and goes to the POST checks where you may see the Diagnostic LED's illuminate for a short period, the Power button LED illuminates and the keyboard LEDs but there is no sign of video on the display.  You may hear Windows login sounds, but the screen is blank.

No Boot

Once the computer has loaded the Dell splash screen and then finished the POST checks, the Dell splash screen goes off and the computer hands over to the Operating System. If the operating system does not start for any reason, this is called a No Boot.

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No Post Issues

The term POST refers to Power-On Self-Test, which is a series of checks the computer goes through whenever it starts. If the computer fails any of these tests, it stops the start-up process and report a fault. This informative YouTube video (English only, not available in China) will also give general information about this topic.

Indications of a failed POST include:

  • If the computer is displaying the Dell logo and does not move past that point, it has probably failed POST.
  • If the power light lights up and it is amber or orange, this is usually an indicator that it has failed POST.
  • If you see any text on a black screen, the computer is performing the POST. If the computer stays in that condition and does not move past it, it has probably failed POST.
  • If the monitor displayed anything at all during the startup process but is now black, this probably indicates that the computer failed POST.
  • If the computer is beeping or if Diagnostic LEDs/Power LEDs are flashing, note down if there is a particular pattern in which it beeps or flashes and the colors seen.
  • If the computer is not beeping and the Diagnostic LEDs and caps/num/scroll lock LEDs are not flashing or lit, unplug all connections and remove all media communication devices (for example external monitors); reconnect one at a time and check if the computer functions.

Try these quick steps to recover your computer from a POST or startup issue.

NOTES:

Follow the link below to continue troubleshooting if you have a Laptop personal computer:

Listed in the table below are a series of errors and suggested troubleshooting. To determine the error on your computer, consult the diagnostic indicators that are built into your Dell computer.

NOTE: The diagnostic LEDs only serve as an indicator of the progress through the POST process. These LEDs do not indicate the problem that caused the POST routine to stop.
Problem Description Suggested Resolution
The computer is either turned off or not receiving power.
A possible system board failure has occurred.
  • Unplug the computer. Allow one minute for the power to drain. Plug the computer into a working electrical outlet and press the power button.
  • Reseat all internal cables.
  • Replace the system board.
A possible system board, power supply (PSU), or device failure has occurred.
  • Power off computer, leaving the computer plugged in. Press and hold the power supply test button on the rear of the power supply unit. If the LED next to the switch illuminates, the problem may be with your system board.
  • If the LED next to the switch does not illuminate, disconnect all internal and external devices, and press and hold the power supply test button. If it illuminates, there could be a problem with a device.
  • If the LED still does not illuminate, remove the PSU connections from the system board, then press and hold the power supply button. If it illuminates, there could be a problem with the system board.
  • If the LED still does not illuminate, the problem is probably with the power supply.
  • If available, install a verified working PSU and check if the computer completes POST.
No CPU present
  • Reinstall the CPU, then restart the computer. If the computer still fails to boot, inspect the CPU socket for damage.
  • Install a verified working CPU. If the computer still fails to boot with the same diagnostic indicators, the system board is likely to be faulty.
Memory modules are detected, but a memory power failure has occurred.
  • If two or more memory modules are installed, remove the modules, then reinstall one module and restart the computer. If the computer starts normally, continue to install additional memory modules (one at a time) until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error. If only one memory module is installed, try moving it to a different DIMM connector and restart the computer.
  • If available, install verified working memory of the same type into your computer (see our How to Diagnose and Resolve Common Memory Issues on a Dell Desktop for more memory support).
A possible CPU or system board failure has occurred.
  • Replace the CPU with a known good CPU. If the computer still fails to boot, inspect the CPU socket for damage.
  • If the computer still fails to boot with the same diagnostic indicators, the system board is likely to be faulty.
BIOS may be corrupt or missing.
  • The computer hardware is operating normally, but the BIOS may be corrupt or missing.
  • Download the current BIOS version from our Support site.
A possible system board failure has occurred.
  • Remove all device cards from the PCI and PCI-E slots and restart the computer. If the computer boots, add the device cards back one by one until you find the faulty one.
Power connector not installed properly.
  • Reseat the 2x2 power connector from the power supply unit.
  • If the computer still does not boot, check the pins on both the power supply cable and the pins on the Motherboard for damage.
Possible device card or system board failure has occurred.
  • Remove all device cards from the PCI and PCI-E slots and restart the computer. If the computer boots, add the device cards back one by one until you find the faulty one.
A possible system board failure has occurred.
  • Disconnect all internal and external devices, and restart the computer. If the computer boots, add the device cards back one by one until you find the faulty one.
  • If the problem persists, the system board is likely to be faulty.
A possible coin cell battery failure has occurred.
  • Remove the coin cell battery for one minute, reinstall the battery, and restart.
  • If the computer still does not POST after this, replace the coin cell battery.
The computer is in a normal on condition.
The diagnostic lights are not lit after the computer successfully boots to the operating system.
  • Ensure that the display is connected and turned on.
  • If there is no display, see the No Video Troubleshooting below.
A possible processor failure has occurred.
  • Reseat the processor.
  • Install a verified working processor of the same type.
  • If the computer still fails to boot with the same diagnostic indicators, the system board is likely to be faulty.
Memory modules are detected, but a memory failure has occurred.
  • If two or more memory modules are installed, remove the modules (see your service manual), then reinstall one module (see your service manual and restart the computer. If the computer starts normally, continue to install additional memory modules (one at a time) until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error.
  • If available, install working memory of the same type into your computer.  (see our How to Diagnose and Resolve Common Memory Issues on a Dell Desktop for more support with this)
A possible graphics card failure has occurred.
  • Reseat any installed graphics cards.
  • If available, install a verified working graphics card into your computer.
A possible floppy drive or hard drive failure has occurred.
  • Reseat all power and data cables.
  • If available, replace cables with verified working cables.
  • If the issue persists, replace Floppy Drive or Hard Drive with a verified working unit.
A possible USB failure has occurred.
  • Reinstall all USB devices, and check all cable connections.
No memory modules are detected.
  • If two or more memory modules are installed, remove the modules (see your service manual), then reinstall one module (see your service manual) and restart the computer. If the computer starts normally, continue to install additional memory modules (one at a time) until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error.
  • If available, install working memory of the same type into your computer. (see our How to Diagnose and Resolve Common Memory Issues on a Dell Desktop for more information)
Memory modules are detected, but a memory configuration or compatibility error has occurred. 
A possible expansion card failure has occurred.
  • Determine if a conflict exists by removing an expansion card (not a graphics card) and restarting the computer.
  • If the problem persists, reinstall the card that you removed, then remove a different card and restart the computer.
  • Repeat this process for each expansion card installed. If the computer starts normally, troubleshoot the last card that is removed from the computer for resource conflicts.
A possible system board resource and/or hardware failure has occurred.
  • Clear CMOS
  • Disconnect all internal and external devices, and restart the computer. If the computer boots, add the device cards back one by one until you find the faulty one.
  • If the problem persists, the system board or a system board component is probably faulty.
Another failure has occurred.
  • Ensure that all hard drive and optical drive cables are properly connected to the system board.
  • If there is an error message on the screen identifying a problem with a device (such as the floppy drive or hard drive), check the device to ensure it is functioning properly.
  • If the operating system is attempting to boot from a device (such as the floppy drive or optical drive), check computer setup to ensure that the boot sequence is correct for the devices that are installed on your computer.

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No Power Issues

Computers have a power light that glows when it is receiving power.

On Desktops the front panel of the computer case has LED near the power button.

Try these quick steps to recover your Dell computer from a power issue.

Try the following steps to resolve a desktop no-powering situation:

  1. Try a different wall outlet, and power it on.

  2. Reseat the power cable which is connected to the Power Supply of the computer and power the Desktop on.

  3. Swap the power cable of the Monitor with the computer power cable and turn on the Desktop.

  4. Check the power supply unit (PSU). To verify if the power supply unit of the Dell desktop computer is working, see the Dell knowledge base article How to Run a Power Supply Unit Self Test On a Dell Desktop or All-in-One Computer .

Identifying desktop startup issues - No POST

Duration: 01:15
Closed captions: English only

For more information about Desktop No Power Issues, please check out this links page:

The table lists errors and suggested troubleshooting for that error. To determine the error on your computer, consult the diagnostic indicators that are built into your Dell computer. You can find a guide to these indicators on the articles listed below:

NOTE: The diagnostic LEDs only serve as an indicator of the progress through the POST process. These LEDs do not indicate the problem that caused the POST routine to stop.
Problem Description Suggested Resolution
The computer is either turned off or not receiving power.
  • Reseat the power cable in the power connector on the back of the computer and the electrical outlet.
  • Bypass power strips, power extension cables, and other power protection devices to verify that the computer turns on properly.
  • Ensure that any power strips being used are plugged into an electrical outlet and are turned on.
  • Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device.
  • Use a verified working Power cable.
  • Ensure that the main power cable and front panel cable are securely connected to the system board.
  • All power supply units include a self-test ability in an isolation mode. A test button and LED are on the side of the unit where the AC plug is located. Ensure that the power cable is connected to the supply and Press the test button to test the PSU.
  • If the PSU LED does not illuminate, remove the PSU cables from the system board and test again.  If the LED still does not illuminate when the test button is pressed, the PSU is possibly faulty.
  • If after removing the cables from the system board and the PSU LED illuminates, one of the attached devices or components could be faulty.  Remove all attached components, reattach the PSU cables and using the PSU test button, install each component individually to test.
  • Install a verified working PSU.

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No Video issues

If the power indications are normal but there is never any video that is seen on the computer's display during the startup process, this probably indicates a No Video issue.

If your monitor has a power supply, ensure that the monitor has a power light showing that it is turned on.

Try these quick steps to resolve video issues on a Dell computer.

To troubleshoot a No Video issue, click the link below:

Listed below you will see a table that gives both an error and the suggested troubleshooting for that error. To know what the error is on your personal computer, you must consult the diagnostic indicators that are built into your Dell computer. You can find a guide to these indicators on the articles listed below:

NOTE: The diagnostic LEDs only serve as an indicator of the progress through the POST process. These LEDs do not indicate the problem that caused the POST routine to stop.
Problem Description Suggested Resolution
The computer is in a normal on condition.
The diagnostic lights are not lit after the computer successfully boots to the operating system but there is no display showing.
  • Ensure that the display is connected to the correct port and turned on.
  • Ensure that the display data cable is not damaged and replace if necessary.
  • Ensure that the correct Input Source on the display is correctly selected.
  • Remove the data cable from the computer. A Self-Test box should appear on the display.
  • If the Self-Test box does not appear on the display, replace the display with a verified working unit.
  • If there is still no display showing, check if video was shown during the POST routine.
  • If video was shown during POST, the display or graphics driver could be the cause.
  • Restart the computer into Safe Mode. To load Safe Mode, press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts.
  • This loads the Advanced Boot Menu. Select Safe Mode. Install the current versions of the display and graphics card drivers. Restart the computer normally, and check for video.
  • If available, replace the graphics card with a verified working card.
  • If both graphics card and monitor work ok on another personal computer, then contact technical support to resolve the problem.

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No Boot Issues

After the computer completes the Power-On Self-Test, it will attempt to boot the operating system.

If the computer advances past the Dell logo screen and then stops responding attempting to load the operating system, it is most likely a No Boot issue.

Troubleshoot further on the links below:

Choose the article appropriate to your Operating System (OS):

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Clear CMOS Settings

The RTCRST jumper allows you to clear NVRAM. The NVRAM is cleared when the jumper is closed. (You can use the jumper from the password bridge.) Remember that it is always best practice to remove the power cable from the personal computer before opening the lid or access panel and going inside. To properly clear the CMOS, AC power must be applied to the computer for about 10 seconds while the jumper is closed. (This does not necessarily mean turning the computer on, putting power across the motherboard is enough.)   Please browse to How to Perform a BIOS or CMOS Reset and Clear the NVRAM on Dell Computers visual guides to this process.

Pins 1-2 shorted clears NVRAM

WARNING: Resetting CMOS on this platform clears the Management Engine BIOS Extension (MEBx) settings including the MEBx password and all configured settings.
  1. Disconnect the external power from the personal computer.

  2. Remove the computer cover.

  3. Locate the 2-pin password connector (PSWD) on the system board.

  4. Remove the 2-pin jumper plug.

  5. Locate the 2-pin CMOS jumper (RTCRST) on the system board.

  6. Move the 2-pin jumper plug from the PSWD pins onto the RTCRST pins for approximately 5 secs.

  7. Return the 2-pin jumper plug to the PSWD pins.

  8. Replace the computer cover.

  9. Connect your computer to main power again, and turn it on.

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Beep Codes and Error Messages

The computer might emit a series of beeps during start-up if the display cannot show errors or problems. This series of beeps, called a beep code, can be used to help identify various problems.

Please see the article on Understanding Beep Codes on a Dell Desktop Personal Computer for more information.

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Dell Diagnostics

Dell Enhanced Preboot System Assessment, the ePSAs have been improved to streamline the entire diagnostic process.

NOTE: These diagnostics have been included on many, but not ALL Desktop Systems.

During the boot process, the ePSAs are accessed from a cold boot by pressing the power button ON and repeatedly pressing the F12 key until the BIOS Boot Menu appears on the screen.

Use the keyboard up and down arrow keys to select Diagnostics on the menu and press the Enter key. ePSA begins by checking an area in system memory to ensure it is safe and then loads itself into the verified memory area. ePSA then automatically begins high-level algorithms on all system memory to ensure integrity. ePSA next creates a graphical menu listing all discovered devices in the computer.

NOTE: For further information about ePSA Diagnostics, check out our:

Here are some things to remember when running the ePSA Diagnostics:

  • While the tests are running, the pointer (mouse or touchpad) is disabled. To exit the tests, press ESC.
  • The version number of the ePSA Diagnostics is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen.
  • The activity indicators (bars) that appear during the memory tests are not used as an indication of progress. They show the location of the memory being tested.
  • Any errors along with the error code are displayed on the right side of the screen under the Results Window. A message also appears if a test fails.

Diagnose Hardware Issues

Duration: 01:34
When available, closed caption (subtitles) language settings can be chosen using the Settings or CC icon on this video player.

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Further Information

These 4 (four) issues are the most common reasons why you would be troubleshooting a problem outside of your Operating System.

They break down into 3 (three) outcomes:

  1. You identify a hardware issue that reseating does not resolve and contact us to arrange a repair.

  2. You identify a software issue and either resolve the issue or contact us for a resolution:

  3. Going through the troubleshooting results in fixing the fault, without a clear reason why:

How to contact us on Twitter

Duration: 01:36
When available, closed caption (subtitles) language settings can be chosen using the Settings or CC icon on this video player.

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Additional Information

Recommended Articles

Here are some recommended articles related to this topic that might be of interest to you.


SLN153751_en_US__7Battery(1) SLN153751_en_US__8Power(1) Browse to our Battery and Power site for additional resources and information.

SLN153751_en_US__9Monitors More information and support for your Dell monitor, laptop, or tablet screen can be found on our Monitor Support site.

Out of Warranty support Out of warranty? No problem. Browse to the Dell.com/support website and enter your Dell Service Tag and view our offers.

NOTE: Offers are only available for US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and China personal computer customers. Server and Storage not applicable.

Article Properties


Affected Product

Chromebox, Alienware, Inspiron, Legacy Desktop Models, OptiPlex, Vostro, G Series, Fixed Workstations

Product

XPS

Last Published Date

10 Nov 2023

Version

14

Article Type

Solution