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Mike6802

28 Posts

95899

September 7th, 2011 08:00

OptiPlex 580 - failed to boot, Checkpoint [85]

Got a new OptiPlex 580 with Win7 preinstalled.  Our company downgrades them to WinXP Pro.  I start the process by hitting F2 at bootup to chassis intrusion alert to "On But Silent", and boot order to Optical Disk first.  Saw that the chassis intrusion was set to "Off", which I found odd, but I finished, did a save and let it reboot so I could boot to the WinXP CD.

However, got an error about a system failure, and to "power down".  Did so three times then I unplugged power cord, waited a bit and then bled off any remaining power by holding the power button in for 10 seconds.  Got it to boot past the Dell logo and got a message that the system had failed to boot at checkpoint [85], and to contact Dell Tech Support.

Tried to find this checkpoint code, but unsuccessful.  Tried booting again and go the same code.  Bled off the power and was able to boot to the Dell Drivers and Utilities CD so I could run diagnostics.  Ran the Express Test - came up clean.  Now running the tests under Symptom Tree >> Cannot Boot The OS.  While it's running thought I'd ask on this forum for advice on the possible cause and "cure".

 

It's a brand new, out-of-the-box '580.  Manufacturing date of 20110415.  All others on the pallets have had no problems.

 

speedstep

8 Wizard

 • 

47K Posts

September 7th, 2011 08:00

Before you go much further you need to make sure all fans (CPU, video card, power supply) are all working properly.

XP or WIN7 has nothing to do with POST checkpoint errors.   Sounds like you changed ram and did other "things" to them other than software install.

These sound like AMI bios errors.

8 = func#8, BBS ROM initialization for all BUSes.
5 = PCI devices.

Aka you have installed a PCI card that has overlapped bios rom function and or
is the wrong spec aka PCI 2.0,2.1 - 5V card vs PCI 2.2 ,2.3 - Universal 3.3V only card.

Checkpoint  Description 
03 Disable NMI, Parity, video for EGA, and DMA controllers. Initialize BIOS, POST, Runtime data area. Also initialize BIOS modules on POST entry and GPNV area. Initialized CMOS as mentioned in the Kernel Variable wCMOSFlags." "
04 Check CMOS diagnostic byte to determine if battery power is OK and CMOS checksum is OK. Verify CMOS checksum manually by reading storage area. If the CMOS checksum is bad, update CMOS with power-on default values and clear passwords. Initialize status register A. Initializes data variables that are based on CMOS setup questions. Initializes both the 8259 compatible PICs in the system 
05 Initializes the interrupt controlling hardware (generally PIC) and interrupt vector table. 
06 Do R/W test to CH-2 count reg. Initialize CH-0 as system timer.Install the POSTINT1Ch handler. Enable IRQ-0 in PIC for system timer interrupt. Traps INT1Ch vector to POSTINT1ChHandlerBlock." "
07 Fixes CPU POST interface calling pointer. 
08 Initializes the CPU. The BAT test is being done on KBC. Program the keyboard controller command byte is being done after Auto detection of KB/MS using AMI KB-5. 
C0  Early CPU Init Start -- Disable Cache – Init Local APIC 
C1  Set up boot strap processor Information 
C2  Set up boot strap processor for POST 
C5  Enumerate and set up application processors 
C6  Re-enable cache for boot strap processor 
C7  Early CPU Init Exit 
0A  Initializes the 8042 compatible Key Board Controller. 
0B  Detects the presence of PS/2 mouse. 
0C  Detects the presence of Keyboard in KBC port. 
0E  Testing and initialization of different Input Devices. Also, update the Kernel Variables. Traps the INT09h vector, so that the POST INT09h handler gets control for IRQ1. Uncompress all available language, BIOS logo, and Silent logo modules. 
13 Early POST initialization of chipset registers. 
20 Relocate System Management Interrupt vector for all CPU in the system. 
24 Uncompress and initialize any platform specific BIOS modules. GPNV is initialized at this checkpoint.

2A  Initializes different devices through DIM. See DIM Code Checkpoints section of document for more information. 
2C  Initializes different devices. Detects and initializes the video adapter installed in the system that have optional ROMs. 
2E  Initializes all the output devices. 
31 Allocate memory for ADM module and uncompress it. Give control to ADM module for initialization. Initialize language and font modules for ADM. Activate ADM module. 
33 Initializes the silent boot module. Set the window for displaying text information. 
37 Displaying sign-on message, CPU information, setup key message, and any OEM specific information. 
38 Initializes different devices through DIM. See DIM Code Checkpoints section of document for more information. USB controllers are initialized at this point. 
39 Initializes DMAC-1 & DMAC-2. 
3A  Initialize RTC date/time. 
3B  Test for total memory installed in the system. Also, Check for DEL or ESC keys to limit memory test. Display total memory in the system. 
3C  Mid POST initialization of chipset registers. 
40 Detect different devices (Parallel ports, serial ports, and coprocessor in CPU, … etc.) successfully installed in the system and update the BDA, EBDA…etc. 
52 Updates CMOS memory size from memory found in memory test. Allocates memory for Extended BIOS Data Area from base memory. Programming the memory hole or any kind of implementation that needs an adjustment in system RAM size if needed. 
60 Initializes NUM-LOCK status and programs the KBD typematic rate. 
75 Initialize Int-13 and prepare for IPL detection. 
78 Initializes IPL devices controlled by BIOS and option ROMs. 
7C  Generate and write contents of ESCD in NVRam. 
84 Log errors encountered during POST. 
85 Display errors to the user and gets the user response for error. 
87 Execute BIOS setup if needed / requested. Check boot password if installed. 
8C  Late POST initialization of chipset registers. 
8D  Build ACPI tables (if ACPI is supported) 
8E  Program the peripheral parameters. Enable/Disable NMI as selected 
90 Initialization of system management interrupt by invoking all handlers. Please note this checkpoint comes right after checkpoint 20h 
A1  Clean-up work needed before booting to OS. 
A2  Takes care of runtime image preparation for different BIOS modules. Fill the free area in F000h segment with 0FFh. Initializes the Microsoft IRQ Routing Table. Prepares the runtime language module. Disables the system configuration display if needed. 
A4  Initialize runtime language module. Display boot option popup menu. 
A7  Displays the system configuration screen if enabled. Initialize the CPU’s before boot, which includes the programming of the MTRR’s. 

A9  Wait for user input at config display if needed. 
AA  Uninstall POST INT1Ch vector and INT09h vector. 
AB  Prepare BBS for Int 19 boot. Init MP tables. 
AC  End of POST initialization of chipset registers. De-initializes the ADM 
module. 
B1  Save system context for ACPI. Prepare CPU for OS boot including final 
MTRR values. 
00 Passes control to OS Loader (typically INT19h). 

Mike6802

28 Posts

September 7th, 2011 09:00

Guess I should have mentioned the PCI-E video card I installed for dual-monitor capability.  (nVidia GeForce 8400 GS)  It's a model we've installed on a number of our computers the last month (used to do the ATI cards, but we're problematic).  I didn't mention it as I thought it was well removed from the boot process.

We need the dual-monitor capability; I'll take out the video card to see how it boots, but the 'cure' ... re-apply the BIOS?

speedstep

8 Wizard

 • 

47K Posts

September 7th, 2011 10:00

If you take out the card and POST is ok then the card in your hand is the problem.

PCI-E is not the same as 32 BIT 33MHZ pci.

Which Size are we talking about?

The other Problem with a card would be it uses more than 25W of power.

The non tower versions have VERY LITTLE power for the PCI-E slot.

Dell OptiPlex 580 Desktop

Mike6802

28 Posts

September 7th, 2011 10:00

Where'd you find the code list above?  I'd like to bookmark it for reference and send the link to the other techs.

Mike6802

28 Posts

September 7th, 2011 10:00

Thanks.  I'll give it a try once the Diagnostics are complete (about another hour), then I'll post the results.

Mike6802

28 Posts

September 8th, 2011 06:00

The diagnostics came up clean, but it also booted up fine.  Decided to see what would happen so I updated to .NET 2.0 so I could install the NIC, and then installed the BIOS again from Dell's site.  So far, so good.

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