HELP PLEASE! Dimension 9100 Refuses to Boot

Question

Was fine last night ... today when I power up the computer, all I get is a black screen that says the following: X300XT BIOS P\N 113-A33437-102   Can anyone PLEASE tell me how I can get windows to load? I tried restarting with F2, F12, even tried F10 and F8 -- nothing. Once when I tried F8 the Dell splash screen came on but only loaded about 1/8th and then froze. Powered down, unplugged, waited a bit, plugged back in, powered back up and got this same message back and that's been going on all day today (hours and hours).   Would sure appreciate some help asap! Thanks...I can't even reinstall windows because I can't go past this screen. Can't boot up from a CD, either...

mombodog · Answer

Unplug the PC, hold the power button in for 15 seconds, open the PC and remove the cmos battery for 15 Minutes, reinsert it and try to boot,   Note the polarity of the cmos battery before removal.

mombodog · Answer

Your doc's <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>     specific instructions for cmos battery replacement         Labeled battery socket

jeni59 · Answer

Thank you! But now I have to bother you to ask you what the cmos battery is and where? I've never opened my computer before (oh grief, Just what you wanted to hear I bet!  :smileysad:  )   I'll look up cmos battery online, but if you have any helpful tips for this, I'd sure appreciate them -- and already appreciate this, thank you.

jeni59 · Answer

Thank you -- again!  I believe I found the correct battery -- only one like it in there lol.  Anyway, I tried it once but no go; however, I think I forgot to hold the power button for 15 seconds before removing so I'm trying it again. It didn't work the first time but here's hoping this second time.   I wasn't sure how to check the polarity on the battery, though.  Well, 8 more minutes and I can put it back in and try again.  I'll let you know! Thank you!

mombodog · Answer

found this quote on another thread, some were saying it is a bad graphics card, this was the response.   'There probably is no problem with the graphics adapter, but rather with the motherboard BIOS. This occurs when the main BIOS cannot execute.   I had this case several times on my GX280 and it pointed to CPU/RAM/Mobo They could not be all the way in or broken'   So remove and re-seat the graphics card and memory modules.   Failed memory module(s) can cause this also, and is most likely the cause.   Last but not least, run the Dell Diagnostics extended tests on that PC, it will turn up any bad hardware in the system. http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/deke/laptopsupport/manuals/d600/diag.htm

jeni59 · Answer

Nope, I'm EXTREMELY sorry to say this didn't do anything. It's doing the exact same thing. I did do it exactly as stated this time. Tried one more shut-down and restart, too but same line of info on the same black screen.

I don't know if this means anything or not, but the little "can" shaped light is on nice and bright on the tower as are three other lights that are "1, 2, 3".

Any other ideas, anyone, please? My livlihood is on the computer and this is getting to be a major problem.

Thanks...

***UPDATE***

Just for the heck of it, I just went and booted up the computer again and pressed F8 while it was booting up and danged if I didn't get into safe mode! I wasn't sure what to do but short of this is, I somehow got my windows back up, but now I'm afraid to turn off the computer for fear of this occuring again. Am I safe, anyone know please? Thanks!

Message Edited by jeni59 on 07-20-2007 09:36 PM

Okay, never mind above -- everything is frozen; all I can get is a "data protection error" no matter what I try to do - bring up a web page, open Outlook, search, then it all froze up and now I tried a restart, which I was able to click but now it's froze with just my wallpaper showing. I don't know what to do anymore...help anyone??

Usually I'm good at my own troubleshooting,but this one really got me good! Sorry for all the updates, by the way. I got so excigted when I saw windows loading I jumped the gun, I'm afraid. :smileysad:

Message Edited by jeni59 on 07-20-2007 09:51 PM

jeni59 · Answer

Well, I was able to run the diagnostics and got the following results:   Drive 0: Maxtor 7L250S0 -- Pass Drive 1: no device Drive 2: no device Drive 3: no device Drive 4: Sony DVD-ROM: Diagnostics not supported Drive 5: TSSTcorp CD-RW Diagnostics not supported.   Does that say anything pertinent???   If this is a failed memory module, what is the process for fixing it? Thanks again!

mombodog · Answer

Was there no memory test?   'If this is a failed memory module, what is the process for fixing it? '   Replace the defective module.   Click the link below and download the file,    Unzip the package and you will see an ISO file, burn it to CD as an image (not data), then boot from the CD and test that memory. The test will run continuously until you stop it, sometimes you have to let it run a few hours before the bad memory will show up, sometimes not.   http://www.memtest.org/download/1.65/memtest86+-1.65.iso.zip       Free program to burn ISO images   http://www.cdburnerxp.se/help/burniso

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HELP PLEASE! Dimension 9100 Refuses to Boot

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