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Dimension 8300 won't boot
My Dimension 8300 (bought in August 2003) will no longer boot. It runs through the BIOS and then gets to the screen which proposes ‘Safe Mode’, ‘Safe Mode with networking’, ‘Last good configuration’ or ‘normal Windows boot’. Whichever I select, it returns to the BIOS and then this screen.
I would be very grateful for help as to how best diagnose this problem. It would be useful for me to get this machine working one last time – if only to perform a clean uninstall of MS Office 2010, which I could then reuse on another machine.
One precaution I have taken is to save an image backup. Could this be used with a new HD (if hard drive failure is the cause of the problem)?
Many thanks,
Marc
shesagordie
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January 22nd, 2015 10:00
mglinert
Regards to :
'I was just a little intrigued as to why the Dell diagnostics reading was indicating a fault at “DIMM 0”, whereas the 4 slots are labeled in the manual as DIMM 1, DIMM 2, DIMM 3 and DIMM 4'
Who knows, but my thinking is, that DIMM1 is Dell's Manual ID and DIMM 0 is Microsoft's Windows indentifier
Bev.
shesagordie
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January 20th, 2015 11:00
mglinert
What is the colour of the power button LED, is it solid green, blinking green, solid amber, blinking amber, check the sequence of the four Diagnostic Lights on the back of the case. [see page 2]
The 8300 Troubleshooter and Diagnostic codes are here:
http://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_dimension_desktops/dimension-8300_service%20manual_en-us.pdf
Are there any 'Beeps'?
Do any of the fans run?
Bev.
mglinert
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January 21st, 2015 02:00
Many thanks Bev for taking the time and trouble to respond.
Power button LED is actually off while the windows boot choices screen is displayed. When I power the machine on it goes briefly to on and then blinks. The four status lights at the back read green green green green.
Fans are running.
Sorry I forgot to listen out for the beeps - will do so this evening (am in France).
Interestingly I successfully restored my Reflect image to the C drive. The Linux recovery environment, installed from CD, recognised the HD immediately. But when I then tried to boot I was getting the symptoms originally described. Also tried the alternative boot options in 'F12' The machine won't boot to the Utility partition, although the Drive Diagnostics found the HD and indicated nothing untoward.
When I leave the machine to do its 30 second cycle of attempting to boot, it gets to the Windows XP splash screen once every 30 or 40 attempts but then immediately reverts to the system startup.
shesagordie
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January 21st, 2015 07:00
mglinert
Diagnostics can be run from the Drivers and Utilities disc.
Starting Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities disk.
Insert the Drivers and Utilities disc.
Shut down and restart the computer.
When the DELL logo appears, press F12 immediately.
NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop, then shut down your computer and try again.
NOTE: The next steps change the boot sequence for one time only. On the next start-up, the computer boots according to the devices specified in the system setup program.
When the boot device list appears, highlight CD/DVD/CD-RW and press .
Select the Boot from CD-ROM option from the menu that appears and press .
Type 1 to start the CD menu and press to proceed.
Select Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics from the numbered list. If multiple versions are listed, select the version appropriate for your computer.
When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the test you want to run.
If you get to the diagnostics and don't see your drive, then it's definitely toast.
Bev.
mglinert
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January 22nd, 2015 02:00
Bev,
thanks again for your help.
Firstly, I can confirm there are no beeps at all on power on.
I ran the diagnostics from the Dell CD.
Here is what was coming back.
I did not complete the test but more errors were coming back, all located ‘on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0’
The IDE confidence test came back with no errors (Hard Drive Error section) so the disk appears to be recognised.
Error
Error code 2F00.0B1C
Memory data data bus stress test failure
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000000Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000100Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000200Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000300Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000400Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000500Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000600Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000700Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 00000000 Ch, expected 00000000h at address 4000804Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000900Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000A00Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
Error code 2F.2F. 0119
System memory failure. Read 0000000F Eh, expected 00000000h at address 4000B00Ch. Suspected memory component located on System board, at label Channel B DIMM 0
shesagordie
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January 22nd, 2015 06:00
mglinert
Looks like a memory failure, hopefully it's only the DDR module and not the DIMM [slot], or the motherboard.
Open the case, remove and reinstall all the memory modules, see page 23 here:
http://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_dimension_desktops/dimension-8300_service%20manual_en-us.pdf
And restart the system, to see if this makes a difference.
No difference, remove the module from DIMM1 and again restart the system to see if there is a difference.
No difference, remove all the memory modules, then install only one module in slot 1 and see if the system boots and if the computer starts normally, reinstall an additional module.
Does not boot, move the module to slot 2 and again see if the system boots, no boot, try the module in slot 3, no boot, try installing in slot 4.
Still does not boot, then remove the first module and using the second one, repeat the sequence described above.
Still no boot, try installing any remaining modules, one at a time, using the above procedure.
Continue until you have identified any faulty module [or slot] or reinstalled all modules without error.
Then if the computer still does not start, it's possible that the motherboard has failed and needs to be replaced.
Bev.
mglinert
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January 22nd, 2015 07:00
Thanks Bev
Yes it does look like bad RAM. Should be relatively straightforward to test now. And I should be able to find compatible DDR sticks at a price which makes repair economically viable.
Of course if the motherboard is at fault, then that’s the end of the story.
I was just a little intrigued as to why the Dell diagnostics reading was indicating a fault at “DIMM 0”, whereas the 4 slots are labeled in the manual as DIMM 1, DIMM 2, DIMM 3 and DIMM 4.
Will keep you posted!
mglinert
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January 23rd, 2015 04:00
Well well. I'm the lucky one this time round. Memory stick failure. I tested a good stick in the offending slot and it works normally. So I'm looking at an 11 Euro fix.
Many thanks Bev for having guided me through this. Really appreciate it.
Marc
shesagordie
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January 23rd, 2015 06:00
mglinert
Marc,
Glad to hear the issue is resolved and it's an easy fix.
Bev.
mglinert
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January 28th, 2015 07:00
New memory stick already received from Crucial and safely installed.
While not humming, this old machine is chugging away nicely now.
Bev if I had a Christmas card list your name would be right there near the top!!
shesagordie
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January 28th, 2015 08:00
mglinert
Marc,
Sounds great, please to hear that was the solution.
Bev.