Skip to main content
Start a Conversation

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

FAMICOMASTER

10 Posts

127482

August 1st, 2015 18:00

Optiplex 755 Issues

This is my first post here because I'm in DIRE NEED of help right now, so please try to be nice about responses, okay?

Okay, I'm having a very confusing issue here with some older hardware, which hopefully still gets at least  a little attention here to help me with this problem.

I have an old Dell Optiplex 755DT (Desktop) system that is giving me many issues. First of all, the power supply failed me (oh, the bloated caps!) from possibly being submerged underwater during operation. Second of all, the system only works on seemingly random intervals. Sometimes the system will boot, other times the system will not. It seems completely random to me. Just in case you were wondering, I have replaced the power supply with 2 separate known working units and the problem persists.

The final and largest issue of them all, however, is the O.S. install procedure. I need a 64-Bit version of Microsoft(R) Windows(TM) installed on this machine for various, mainly memory addressing reasons (I have 8GB of DDR2-667 RAM installed). Windows XP 64-bit will not even start setup, Windows vista business will not detect DVD RW device drivers properly, and Windows 7 64 bit doesn't detect the hard drive as bootable. I would REALLY love to use this system, as I'm low on cash and I don't have a better system lying around at the moment, so don't just say 'buy a new system,' because I can't.

Full system specifications are as follows: Dell Optiplex 755 Desktop, Intel Core 2 Duo E4600, 8GB DDR2-667, Samsung SP2004C 200GB hard drive, XFX AMD Radeon R7 240 2GB (low profile), Generic NEC VGA 1280x1024 display, Samsung Q1 USB Keyboard because it's the only USB keyboard I have.

Before you ask, I have confirmed the functionality of not only the RAM, but also the DVD ReWriter, the Keyboard, the Monitor, the Graphics Card, and the hard disk.

I also have a replacement CPU (An Intel Pentium E something 2.4GHz that is tested to work the same as the Core 2 Duo but slower.)

Again, just because I have read other posts and know that most of the time confirmation is needed for this kind of thing, I'll go ahead and re-explain the main situation:

When starting the system, the optical drive will spin up the disc and the hard drive will be detected by the BIOS, as well as the optical drive. The DVD drive then continues to load into windows setup (be it vista or 7) and proceed to the language select portion of windows setup. Upon reaching the drive select stage, where you select the partition on which to install windows, I get an error message stating something along the lines of  'Windows cannot be installed to this disk (Disk 0 Partition 1) because the drive is not bootable. Change your BIOS settings and try again'. I'm not sure what is causing this, or what this even really means, but as I said earlier, most of the equipment is tested to work perfectly or to some degree of that.

Please help if you can, and I thank you in advance for at least trying.

Sincerely, FAMICOMASTER.

Philip_Yip

7 Technologist

 • 

16K Posts

August 2nd, 2015 16:00

FAMICOMASTER

10 Posts

August 2nd, 2015 17:00

I've tried that. No matter what O.S. it is or what installation media I try to install from Windows Setup doesn't detect my hard disk (A 200GB Samsung SP2004C) as bootable and will not install. I have tried Windows XP 64, Vista 64, 7 64, (no 8 because I don't have the disc), and Windows 10 developer Preview 64 bit. I haven't tried Ubuntu Linux or otherwise because I can't use Linux. I would highly prefer Windows 7 64, but I will install whatever is needed to make the unit functional again. I'm almost certain that this is a BIOS issue but I've tinkered with almost all of the settings that have to do with the hard disk and cannot get the system to work. I wonder, would it help if I posted all of my BIOS settings?

FAMICOMASTER

10 Posts

August 2nd, 2015 18:00

Power supply has been replaced with 2 separate known working units, both 300W or higher Energy star 4.0 compliant. Hard drive has been tested in 7 different systems ranging from Gateway 500GR and DX4200-09 to Acer Aspires and Asus machines, as well as other Dell Optiplex machines, and even was the main hard drive in an HP Pavillion a1600n at one time. The RAM came from my gaming computer and is confirmed extensively to work perfectly fine, slots have been cleaned many times. So did the optical drive and one of the 2 power supplies. I have also tested the CPU in 2 different systems and it's confirmed working, as is the Core 2 Duo. I have no way to test the main board, however the diagnostic LEDs on the front pass all the standard Dell BIOS tests.

speedstep

8 Wizard

 • 

47K Posts

August 2nd, 2015 18:00

You have a bad board and bad power supply and bad cpu and bad ram and bad hard drive.

The 755 works with ALL OS from XP/VISTA/7/8/10  64 Bit as long as it has at least a Pressler 900 series pentium D or better.

I have installed all of the flavors of 64 bit OS on the 755 all sizes and it works just fine.

You have to start out with known working parts not submerged parts. Unless you live in EMEAI aka Africa or some corner of the earth like antarctica you can get a 755 or better that works with a warranty with windows 7 for less than the price of the windows 7 alone.

 http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-Off-Lease-Refurbished-Black-755-Desktop-PC-with-Intel-Core-2-Duo-Processor-2GB-Memory-250GB-Hard-Drive-and-Windows-7-Home-Premium-Monitor-Not/20678956

 

speedstep

8 Wizard

 • 

47K Posts

August 3rd, 2015 06:00

Energy Star means nothing.  You must use a PFC  EPS12v certified power supply or an actual Dell unit. There are no 300W or larger units for the DESKTOP Model.  The Tower uses 305W dell EPS12v PFC power supply.  Genuine Dell HP201, HK595, NH493 ,WU133 305W Power Supply For Optiplex: 320, 330, 360, 580, 740, 740 MLK, 745, 745c, 760, 755, 960, Dimension: 5200, E520, E521, PowerEdge: SC, T100, T105 Compatible Part Numbers: XK215, NH493, HK595, C248C, CY827, F305P, HP201, JH994, M360M, MH495, MK9GY, PH333, PW114, WU133, XK376, PF3TR, P192M, R480P, Model Numbers: NPS-305KB A, N305P-01, NPS-305HB A, N305P-05, AC305AM-00, NPS-305FB D, N305N-00, H305P-02, PS-6311-5DF-LF, L305P-01, L305-03, HP-P3077F3, H305N-00, N305P-06, L305P-03, PS-6311-6DF-LF, F30FP-00, VP-0900050-0


There is no such thing as diagnostic lights passing a test.

There are ZERO issues with ANY 64 bit version of windows on the 755.

Bad media, Bad power supply, Bad/Non INTEL CHIPSET compatible ram etc.  Cleaning slots does not make non compatible ram suddenly compatible.  In over 30 years of working with computers I have NEVER cleaned Ram Slots nor have I ever needed to.

I own all models of the 755 and they all work with Windows, Linux,  OS2,  and even make ok Hackintoshes.   You should make a live linux usb flash drive or Hirens 14 or 15 usb flash drive and see if you can F12 boot from that.  I doubt you can given that you have bad hardware but its a place to start.  Dell Diagnostics also have a way of making a boot usb flash to test the system.

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

 

Dell 32 Bit Diagnostics (Graphical User Interface version), A1322A1

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=V608J

 

http://downloads.dell.com/diags/CW1322A1.exe

NOTE: In order to create diagnostic media using this package, this file must be downloaded to and executed on a system running Microsoft Windows. This package can be used to create a bootable diskette set, USB flash drive, CD, or hard drive image.

 



FAMICOMASTER

10 Posts

August 3rd, 2015 11:00

Somehow, I've managed to get the system up and running. The power supply doesn't matter that much beside case modifications and requiring the ATX-24 and ATX-12v connectors as well as SATA. This system has unknown issues, as sometimes the unit will not power on correctly, and I am CERTAIN that this is a DT unit because it's got an odd sized power supply and the ability for a riser card. It also has 4 slots for RAM. I've fixed the problem by remiving the AMD XFX Radeon R7 240 2GB graphics card somehow got the system to not only allow windows to install but run perfectly. I've gotten the system to work properly for basically free. If you're wondering about the diagnostic lamps, there are lights in front of the system labeled 1, 2, 3, and 4. These diagnostic lights are basically a free version of a POST display. I'd like to use the Radeon R7, to improve the 3.3 system rating. I'll take ANYTHING with OpenGL 1.2 or later and DirectX 11 or later. This system will become my new main system.

speedstep

8 Wizard

 • 

47K Posts

August 3rd, 2015 11:00

Proper Posting means there is a beep and the Diagnostic Lights all go off.

There are BIOS level issues with R5 R7 R9 cards because they won't do DOS VESA VIDEO mode 103.

Older Lower power cards like the ASUS EAH5450 work fine. As do ancient cards like the HD2400 and HD3450 which use less than or equal the 25W max that the system supports for a video card.

Low profile geforce cards that are not too thick will fit.  Otherwise you have to dremel off the hard drive carrier and do other hacks to get a fatter card in.  Even with the Riser the Slot is 8 inches and only 1 slot wide for the X16 slot.


EVGA 01G-P3-2615-KR GeForce GT 610

http://www.ski-epic.com/2011_low_profile_gaming_graphics_card/index.html

 



FAMICOMASTER

10 Posts

August 3rd, 2015 16:00

But the card works fine until I get to the hard disk detection / OS startup sequence. While starting Windows 7 Ultimate SP1, the system will halt just as the red and yellow light orbs for the windows logo appear and restart. I'm almost certain this is a connection problem of sorts, but I can't determine where that issue is at. Here's a video of the system running: www.youtube.com/watch

View More

View All

No Events found!

Top