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XPS 630i, BIOS 1.0.13, no video
I updated bios over a week before issue happened, so doubt that caused it. I added an older DVD burner, pre Sata, and it caused bios to reset itself to default. right after seeing that message, video shut off. No matter what I've tried, nothing gets video back.
Am I to assume it's hanging on post, because of the missing floppy?
I've tried removing hard drives, mounting a freshly formatted drive, thinking reinstall win 10. Still hangs during post.
Can hear some activity in the setup, so it's working halfway, but without video can't make changes to bios if even made it that far. About ready to toss the motherboard, find a used Gigabyte P43 board, to replace it. Unfortunately, all I've found so far is more expensive than many new mobos. I built my Gigabyte setup in '08, and have upgraded, to a Q6600 core2quad, and nearly everything else, including a TT Dokker case, EVGA 750 ti vid card, EVGA Supernova 850 G2 psu. Point is, the Gigabyte is still very workable, would like to go a similar route, with the 630. When resurrecting it, I even tried to install the q9300 cpu I have, would not boot with it. Went back to the 8400 dual core. (Guessing that cpu isn't on the bios cpu list).
If I can't fix the video issue, I'll likely either have success finding a P43 mobo, barring that, get a current mobo/cpu/memory combo, mount it in the Dokker, and use it's mobo/cpu/memory to rebuild the 630i...
Another annoying thing about that setup, I've never been able to get an overclock to stick... Every single time I tried it, reboot was at stock 3Ghz
Vic384
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March 10th, 2019 05:00
Try clearing the CMOS settings. The procedure is on page 87 of the owner's manual: https://downloads.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_xps_desktop/xps-630_owner%27s%20manual_en-us.pdf
Vic384
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March 10th, 2019 10:00
I don't see how having a floppy drive would help. According to the manual "if there is no floppy drive installed in the computer, the computer attempts to boot from the next bootable device in the boot sequence". The statement is the same for hard drives, CD drives, etc., the sequence just proceeds to the next bootable device. If that is true you could disconnect all your drives and install a bootable USB and try that.
HotRodRox
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March 10th, 2019 10:00
Have done that exact procedure, literally hundreds of times, over the last 3 days... Has no effect whatsoever... Wish I had a floppy drive on hand to try making past post. I left it on all night, and I could hear drives occasionally spin up, but given nothing external works, aside from DVD drives, fans, and LEDs, commands are essentially useless.
Anyone know how to make that bios update auto run? Modding the inf file perhaps? There seems to be no way to get it to install itself, under the circumstances.
I'm going to try pulling the OS HDD, placing in my Gigabyte rig's Blac X, and placing the update in it's desktop, and hope it will install, once back in the XPS, and powered up.
Given that I began building computers at Apple, in '84, and have built, or repaired many thousands of them over the years since, (I still haven't come close to my record of 1200 builds per day, at Apple), I'm far from incompetent. But I'm about out of ideas for a solution, in this particular case, outside of replacing the motherboard. (Another reason I use Gigabyte mobos on my builds, their Dual bios setups are a simple, yet effective solution to these type issues)...
HotRodRox
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March 10th, 2019 17:00
Tried that for fun yesterday, with a fresh 64 GB micro in a hub... No difference... Still isn't making it through post... Suppose I'd better add that the original Seagate 500 Gig HDD, died 4 years ago and took Vista, 7 Home, it's replacement OS, and all of Dell's add-ons with it, to 'Computer **bleep**'... 6 months ago, decided to lose surfing from the beast, so threw in the quieter Hyper 212 cooler, and installed a WD Blue TB drive for OS, and a Green TB drive for storage, Loaded Windows 10 Pro, and doubled memory, as well, and have been using it for internet, saving the 8TB in Black drives for Studio use, and gaming, on my 5 way multiboot, built for speed, Wildly OC'd, fun toy... With it's 9 fans attempting to cool the Q6600 from the edge of meltdown, while gaming. If this board ends up on the parts pile, I'll probably gut it, aside from the cooling setup, get a current mobo/cpu/memory, and use it for recording the band. It's whisper quiet compared to Dokker, the Turbo Prop shop heater, over here... Somewhat surprising given the two 140 mm cast pot metal fans are essentially the same industrial fan my Peavey CS-800 uses to cool itself