4 Posts
0
3995
Optiplex GX620 Fails to load BIOS
Hello, i have a Dell Optiplex GX620 and i've recently tried to install windows 7 on a different hard drive, but my machine started to get stuck on BIOS (Basically just gets stuck on DELL BIOS Splash Screen) and it won't advance from there. I've already tried moving ram sticks to other ram slots, tried jumping the two pins to reset BIOS configuration, but nothing seems to work. System was also working fine after a restart. Any help would be appreciated!
Edit; PC Finally got to load BIOS, just that it's extremely slow for some reason. I'm still scared that after a restart, the PC won't load BIOS again.
bradthetechnut
6 Professor
6 Professor
•
7.3K Posts
2
February 14th, 2019 22:00
Might be no need to go back if everything is working now. @bmcowboy can still chime in if he wants to.
bmcowboy
573 Posts
0
February 14th, 2019 21:00
Hi @vrh2373 ,
It may lead by defective CMOS specially when we're talking about a desktop PC manufactured over a decade. If true, you can do a little about it besides motherboard replacement.
bradthetechnut
6 Professor
6 Professor
•
7.3K Posts
2
February 14th, 2019 21:00
Does your GX620 work with the previous HDD? I'd use it to update BIOS in Dell Support Assist. Plug in your new or newer HDD as a 2nd HDD. Is it formatted? Does BIOS and Windows both detect it? If you have 2 HDD's plugged in, when the Dell splash screen comes up, use F12 to get the Boot Menu. Then select drive to boot from. If F12 isn't used with 2 HDD's plugged in, after the splash screen, you'll get a screen with random characters throughout.
If none of this works, and you know your 2nd HDD isn't DOA, then I'd lean toward what bmcowboy said above.
If progress is made and all is said and done, remember to make sure the HDD you're loading is the only HDD plugged in.
bradthetechnut
6 Professor
6 Professor
•
7.3K Posts
1
February 14th, 2019 22:00
Bumped the PC, huh. Sure it wasn't with a boot or a kick?:BigSmile: hauh hauh hauh
bradthetechnut
6 Professor
6 Professor
•
7.3K Posts
0
February 14th, 2019 22:00
Remember, technically, it should work to use F12 as soon as you get the splash screen to pick which HDD you want to load from. F2 as soon as you get the splash screen I think you know gives you BIOS.
vrh2373
4 Posts
1
February 14th, 2019 22:00
Ohhh, i understand. But i think that i wont be able to come back to that state anymore, since Windows 7 IS already installed on my drive. But i do remember that problems started when i switched a SATA cable for my PC (Basically switched it for a longer one to use for the seconday drive) And so on. I did try switching various SATA cables aswell to see if it had any effect but that didn't really work. At the Moment the PC is currently up and running, i can access BIOS normally and such. Plus, BIOS isn't throwing any disk errors so i think the PC might be running normally again. If there is any method to restore and go back to where @bmcowboy said, then i need to know because i don't know that myself.
Edit; I might call this a win actually, i've restarted the PC about 3 times and it had booted into Windows successfully. If more problems persist, then i might have to find a replacement PC for my father. Don't worry, it will be another Dell but more modern :Wink:
bmcowboy
573 Posts
1
February 14th, 2019 22:00
Hi @vrh2373 ,
What @bradthetechnut means is to fall-back everything to the status before "install windows 7 on a different hard drive" to see if BIOS working normally, not running with both HDD connected.
vrh2373
4 Posts
0
February 14th, 2019 22:00
Both HDD's are connected indeed, both are getting recognized in BIOS, (One has Windows 7, and the other one has Windows 10) but it just stays on the Dell splash screen, and doesn't continue at all. Sometimes though, the System DOES load BIOS. Right now, i got it to load because i accidentally bumped it a bit on the back panel, and that seemed to work. CMOS Battery does indeed work since i replaced it a couple weeks ago. I'm just hoping that it isn't the motherboard that it's being faulty since it's my father's PC. Anyways i'll keep on troubleshooting and see if i can find out what's the problem.
Edit; It seems that when i bumped the PC, it decided to work. It finally doesn't get stuck in the splash screen. I HAVE ZERO idea how that worked.
bradthetechnut
6 Professor
6 Professor
•
7.3K Posts
0
February 14th, 2019 23:00
Hi @vrh2373,
I just saw your edit above. The GX620 is 13 yrs. old, so it might not be the easiest to keep going, but you seem to be doing well so far. If any further problems develop, Dell Community will still be here. Photo will appear when approved by moderator.
speedstep
8 Wizard
8 Wizard
•
47K Posts
1
February 15th, 2019 07:00
GX620 with BIOS A11 can use up to and including PENTIUM D 915 processor.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B009YPSYJG/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all&qid=1550243584&sr=8-3
This also means it will work with MSDOS all the way Thru WINDOWS 10.
They also work fine without any upgrades with UBUNTU Linux 12.04.5 or Higher. 18.04 LTS is the current version.
2Gigs of ram and Minimal Hard drive and they work with Linux.
Max Ram is 4 gigs installed with 3.5 useable due to the INTEL Graphics taking up the additional Ram. These units do not support more than 3.5 gigs total ram regardless of whether or not they use 64 bit os.
The DL2032 CMOS battery needs to be replaced every 3 to 9 years.
Hard Drives need to be replaced every 1 to 5 years. Tower models are the only ones I recommend keeping because they can use REGULAR EPS12v Power Supply.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/REFURBISHED-Optiplex-GX620-Tower-400GB-HDD-4GB-Ram-DVD-Rom-Windows-XP-Professional/803416719
The Audio Drivers are not native to windows.
R145551.EXE 32 BIT
R145149.EXE 64 BIT
The Soundmax driver comes from Microsoft Catalog.
Most of the hardware uses Native Windows 7,8, 10 Drivers with the exception of the Audio Codec.
microsoft catalog Analog Devices 5.12.1.7010 32 BIT
catalog.update.microsoft.com/.../ScopedViewRedirect.aspx
microsoft catalog Analog Devices 5.12.2.7010 64 BIT
catalog.update.microsoft.com/.../ScopedViewRedirect.aspx
If you update the Bios to A11 and the CPU to a Pentium D 900 Series the 620 is no longer stranded.
So the new requirement is 8.1 needs the processor to support CMPXCHG16b, PrefetchW, and LAHF/SAHF.
Coreinfo will tell you.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc835722.aspx
Users have the option of obtaining a 32-bit version of Windows 8 and updating to 32 bit windows 8.1
The issue seems to be more than just processors. Some Motherboards don't work with it even though the processor supports it.
C:\Windows\System32>coreinfo
Coreinfo v3.21 - Dump information on system CPU and memory topology
Copyright (C) 2008-2013 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com
EM64T * Supports 64-bit mode
NX * Supports no-execute page protection
PAE * Supports > 32-bit physical addresses
SSE2 * Supports S treaming SIMD Extensions 2
SSE3 * Supports S treaming SIMD Extensions 3
CX16 * Supports CMPXCHG16B instruction
LAHF-SAHF * Supports LAHF/SAHF instructions in 64-bit mode
PREFETCHW * Supports PREFETCHW instruction
This is working on a GX620 Tower.
Bios Updated to A11, 4 Gigs of Ram installed still Registers 3.50
Pentium D 820 was Replaced with Pentium D 915. DELL HH807 Motherboard Bios A11. Copper Heatsink 305W Tower.
I added a Radeon 6670 Video card. All drivers are native to windows clean install. I added directshow legacy feature and installed directx june 2010. After windows updates everything works as expected.
vrh2373
4 Posts
0
February 15th, 2019 11:00
I just read your post about upgrading the CPU, and PC was running a Pentium D before, i don't know what model exactly but the Pentium D just gave me an orange light, so i put the 4HT back into the motherboard. CMOS Battery was changed about a week ago so i don't think that's the problem here, neither is RAM because RAM works well. (Both sticks of RAM were tested on a different machine and both worked well) The Dell machine still uses the original 80GB SATA HDD that came with these machines. I Put a 320GB HDD SATA aswell and installed Windows 7 on that drive. (80GB HHD Isn't faulty because i did a chkdsk and didn't come up with any problems) Right now the PC is still up and running and haven't seen any problems. As i said before, if more problems come up then i'll have to replace the machine. Anyways, thanks for the help. :Yes:
speedstep
8 Wizard
8 Wizard
•
47K Posts
1
February 19th, 2019 07:00
Pentium D won't work if bios is not updated to A11.
Tower versions with 305W power supply can use up to pentium D 960.
https://www.dell.com/community/Desktops-General-Read-Only/DELL-OptiPlex-GX620-FAQ-Frequently-Asked-and-answered-Questions/td-p/2528727