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January 22nd, 2019 10:00

XPS 8700, has lost its brains?

All I get when I boot is a black screen with the white Dell logo. Pressing F2,F8 or F12 does nothing. It will not boot using the original win 7 install disk or any other boot disk. Can I get an assist?

10 Elder

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44.3K Posts

January 22nd, 2019 11:00

  1. What color is power button when it won't boot and is it steady or blinking?
  2. Any beeps from the tower?
  3. If using a power strip or surge protector, remove those and connect PC directly to known working outlet and see if it boots now.

You can also try this:

  1. Power off and unplug power cord from rear of PC tower
  2. Press/hold power button for ~30 sec
  3. Reconnect power cord to rear of PC and try to boot

10 Elder

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44.3K Posts

January 22nd, 2019 12:00

So you're saying you can get into BIOS now, but it still won't boot?  Do you still see the Dell logo or...?

Did you press/hold power button for ~30 sec after removing the motherboard battery, with PC unplugged from the wall? Otherwise, BIOS may not have gotten cleared. And when was last time you replaced that battery with a fresh CR2032 coin cell (~$2)?

Got another monitor you can test with this PC or can you test this monitor on a different PC?

If you're using an add-in video card, physically remove the card from the PC and connect a known-working monitor to one of the onboard video ports, either HDMI or DisplayPort.

If you reboot and immediately press F12, does that menu open? Look for options to run diagnostics and run all of them including extended hard drive tests.

EDITED

78 Posts

January 22nd, 2019 12:00

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the reply.

1) THe power button is steady white.

2) No beeps.

NOTE: 

I just unplugged my desktop and pulled my desktop onto to my bench, pressed the power button for 30 seconds then  removed the battery on the MOBO then reinstalled it. When I just restarted the desktop I was able to actually press F2 and get it into the Bios setup. So this is where I am currently at. Can you assist in any troubleshooting tips?

 

10 Elder

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44.3K Posts

January 22nd, 2019 14:00

So it sounds like monitor/video card might be working.

You don't have to wait for instructions from me just to reboot your PC!

Get out of the DVD and try rebooting NORMALLY from the hard drive without the Win 7 disk in the drive.  Either it will or it won't.

Post any error messages, if it still won't boot...

78 Posts

January 22nd, 2019 14:00

oooops,  I did not see the second part of your post

 

Got another monitor you can test with this PC or can you test this monitor on a different PC? [YES}

If you're using an add-in video card, physically remove the card from the PC and connect the monitor to one of the onboard video ports, either HDMI or DisplayPort.-{THIS PC HAS A RADEON GRAPHICS CARD. I WILL REMOVE IT}

If you reboot and immediately press F12, does that menu open? {I WILL TRY ONCE I REMOVE THE VIDEO CARD]

Look for options to run diagnostics and run all of them including extended hard drive tests.{WILL DO ONCE I CAN GET THERE}

78 Posts

January 22nd, 2019 14:00

OK, new development. As I was exiting out of the F2 Bios screen, I selected the CD/DVD as the primary BOOT disc. When I did that the PC restarted and was able to read the WIN 7 INSTALLATION disc and thus now it's asking me if I want to REPAIR or do a new INSTALLATION of WIN 7.

 

 

PLEASE ADVISE NEXT STEPS.

 

 

78 Posts

January 22nd, 2019 14:00

Re: XPS 8700, has lost its brains?

So you're saying you can get into BIOS now. [YES}

 

, but it still won't boot?  {I DONT KNOW, I WAS WAITING FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM YOU]

Do you still see the Dell logo or...?  [I'M CURRENTLY SEEING THE F2 BIOS CONFIG PAGE AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTION FORM YOU}

Did you press/hold power button for ~30 sec after removing the motherboard battery, with PC unplugged from the wall?   {YES]

Otherwise, BIOS may not have gotten cleared. And when was last time you replaced that battery with a fresh CR2032 coin cell (~$2)? {I TESTED THE BATTERY AND IT READ 3.2 volts} I MAY HAVE CHANGED IT LAST YEAR}

 

PLEASE ADVISE

Got another monitor you can test with this PC or can you test this monitor on a different PC?

If you're using an add-in video card, physically remove the card from the PC and connect the monitor to one of the onboard video ports, either HDMI or DisplayPort.

If you reboot and immediately press F12, does that menu open? Look for options to run diagnostics and run all of them including extended hard drive tests.

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