XPS 730 fail to boot past POST

With the floppy drive getting enabled when this happens, suggests the BIOS (CMOS Memory) is being reset.  Replace the CMOS backup battery (probably a CR2032) and see if this helps.  

One beep, according to a Dell beep code list is a BIOS Checksum error and a motherboard failure.

I tried removing and reinserting the CMOS battery and waited a minute or so many times but to no avail.  I've also tried resetting the motherboard by holding the power and reset buttons, then releasing the power button and holding the reset button for about half a minute, which also did not work.

I've taken note that my motherboard displays C1 continuously.  I took a look at www.evga.com/.../132-CK-NF79.pdf and it told me C1 means:

Code: C1

Name: Memory Presence

Description: Base memory detect

I'm not sure how this relates to my problem.  The beeping is also actually one long beep, then two short beeps with pauses between each beep.

Got it to start back up again...and now I have no video. My motherboards light is at FF now. I hate my life

Just removed one of my video cards and now it appears that it is booting w/video. Bad video card??? I hate my life

Having the same issue with my Dell XPS 730.

1 long bios beep on start up. Then 10-20 seconds go by and there is one more shorter bios beep. There is a small digital 2 digit/character code display on the mother board that runs through a bunch of codes like FF and C1 or CI etc. It always ends on CI or C1. I thought it was the 8800GT graphics card so I replaced it with a cheapie and oddly the first try it did the same Bois Beep and stopped at C1/CI. But on the second try it seemed to take. Ran great twice and thought I had it licked but then watching you tube, it locked up, had to hard shut down, and then it went back to the same bios beep and C1/CI again. haven't figured it out yet.

Intel Core2 Quad processor Q9450 (2.66GHz,1333FSB) w/DualCore
Technology and 12MB cache

4GB DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz

16X DVD+R/RW CD-RW Combination Drive

X-Fi PCI Sound Card

Video ready option w/o monitor

Dual 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT

Ageia Physx Processor

500GB NCQ Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst
Cache

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Hi Radar Identified,

1 beep on the system indicates ‘BIOS checksum failure’ which may be a possible system board failure. 2 beeps on the system indicate ‘No memory modules are detected’. 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 the Code on the system board indicates FF it should be hard drive or OS issue. If it changes to C1 then it should be memory issue. I would suggest you to reseat the memory on the motherboard and check.
Also, you can try with a known good compatible memory.

Hi and thanks Ravi.

In the process of reinstalling all the memory modules I discovered I had a bad port on the board. So I replaced the 4 1GB modules with 2 4GB Cards in the good ports and have been able to successfully boot the computer again repeatedly. I did a defrag to repair any bad sectors from all the hard shut downs.

Now the computer always freezes when I run video through windows media player, or iTunes, you tube, Netflix, which is all I use this computer for. The Board code is always FF after it freezes. Everything is frozen so I have to hold the power button for a hard shut down. No BIOS Beeps. It restarts fine. Just can't un video. Put a brand new 1GB Gforce GT 610 in. No change - still freezes.

Thoughts?

Hi Radar Identified,

Sorry for the delayed response. If the Code on the system board indicates FF it should be hard drive or OS issue. I would recommend you to reinstall the operating system on the computer.