START PXE OVER IPV4 - Help!

"One other thing of note and I don't know wther this is coincidence ore not, but the system does not like having windows boot manager is position 1 and won't start (or doesn't appear to) if it is."

A BCD repair on the system drive would be a good start to get windows boot manager resolved.

EasyBCD program will do it, or you can manually edit BCD, but give EasyBCD a try.  Set the "C" drive as boot in EasyBCD.

EasyBCD 2.4.0.237 Download | TechSpot

Thank you again Fireberd, I will give it a go. Regards Steve

If I may ask;

Apparently, my machine is booting in EFI mode. I presume that I need to addressing 'change boot drive' screen to set the c drive as boot?

Thanks again

Steve

@Art786 Is SATA Mode in BIOS setup set to RAID or AHCI? (Don't change it!)

And if you disabled IPV4 and IPV6 before you installed the new battery, they may have gotten reset to enabled again, so also check that while you're in BIOS setup looking at the SATA Mode setting...

Hi Ron, IPV4/6 remains disabled. I will check the SATA setting when in bios and let you know... Thanks Steve

Apologies. Coming at this with a frsh set of eyes this morning I'm still a little concerend that having not used this progamme before, I don't know what I am ding. Whilst you have clealy and kindly instructed me to " set C as boot drive" it is not clear to me exactly where I should do this.

For example;

 In BCD backup/repair (which I presume is the correct option), should I under management options;

(i) Choose 'reset bcd configuration' and change to C drive if required?

(ii) 'recreate/repair boot files' (as repair is what we are doing, after all)?

(iii) Or 'change boot drive and reset to C drive if required?

A little guidance would be really helpful here as I'd be in a diffuclt place if I did something that would not get the machine back up and running!

Thanks again for your time.

Regards

Steve

Hi Ron,

SATA setting is AHCI.

Thanks

Steve

@Art786  Lets back up... You upgraded from 8 to 16 GB and that's when the problems started. This PC model only uses DDR3L (Low voltage) RAM, so was the added RAM low DDR3L?

When you revert to the original RAM, which slot is the module in, 1st or 2nd from CPU?

Did you inspect both RAM slots for possible damage? Have you tried gently cleaning the gold connectors on the original RAM module with a microfiber cloth?

Have you tried booting from a bootable USB stick? You could create a bootable USB using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool for Win 10 and an empty 8 GB USB stick.

Plug the Win 10 USB into PC with power completely off. Power on and start tapping F12 when you see the Dell splash screen. Assuming the F12 menu opens, select the option to boot from USB.  Does it boot..?

Hi Ron,

Thank you for your reply;

Your message;

"You upgraded from 8 to 16 GB and that's when the problems started. This PC model only uses DDR3L (Low voltage) RAM, so was the added RAM low DDR3L" ?

I was advised that it was correct. However, this is the small print;

"When you revert to the original RAM, which slot is the module in, 1st or 2nd from CPU"?

It is now in slot 1 as previously advised. Although moving it can assist with start up. The new RAM went into slot 2, didn't work and was sent back to the retailer.

"Did you inspect both RAM slots for possible damage"?

No. Bot they were lightly cleaned woith canned air.

"Have you tried gently cleaning the gold connectors on the original RAM module with a microfiber cloth"?

Yes.

Have you tried booting from a bootable USB stick? You could create a bootable USB using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool for Win 10 and an empty 8 GB USB stick. Plug the Win 10 USB into PC with power completely off. Power on and start tapping F12 when you see the Dell splash screen. Assuming the F12 menu opens, select the option to boot from USB.  Does it boot..?

I'll grab a stick or see if there is storage space on a portable HD and have go this week. I will let you know. Thanks again Ron.

I have also been asked to try easy bcd, although I'm still loking for some clear instruction. I'll put that on hold for a bit until I can find something. Just don't want to brick the machine!

I Thought you had fixed the BCD so Windows Boot manager can and should be used?

As far as bricking the system the BCD program won't do that.  But if you have not been making full disc image backups you are living on "borrowed time" if something were to happen.   Use the free (and popular) Macrium Reflect to make a complete disc image (all partitions) to a separate drive. 

Fireberd,

Thanks for your message.

I Thought you had fixed the BCD so Windows Boot manager can and should be used?

I can't quite work out out how to use easybcd as yet and can't find a relevant tutorial. I'm working on it.

As far as bricking the system the BCD program won't do that.  But if you have not been making full disc image backups you are living on "borrowed time" if something were to happen.   Use the free (and popular) Macrium Reflect to make a complete disc image (all partitions) to a separate drive. 

I have backed up my OS and storage recently, but I'll have a look at Macrium Reflect as soon as I can. However, my top priority is to sort out sort this ongoing issue first!

Thanks

Steve

@Art786  So the new RAM wasn't low voltage.  Your motherboard only supplies 1.35V for RAM and what you got is 1.5V RAM, so that explains why it didn't work.

Don't think that would have damaged the motherboard, but let see if you can boot from a USB stick. I wouldn't use a USB HDD. 

If you don't have an 8-GB USB to make a Win 10 bootable USB, you can use Macrium Reflect (free) on any PC to create a bootable USB on a 2-GB stick which should boot the Inspiron via the F12 menu. The goal here is to see if the motherboard, CPU and RAM are all working properly...

Don't know anything about EasyBCD, but there are tutorials and guides listed in these search results, including some Youtubes, if that helps you find answers to your questions.

Thanks Ron, that is all really helpful. Explantion also appreciated,. I will take a look and report back. Regards Steve

Just waiting on delivery of an 8gb stick...