4700 - Can't enter Setup

On your model the F2 key is the correct key to press in order to access the BIOS Setup.   By chance are you using a USB - wireless keyboard?  If so, the USB port that the keyboard is plugged into maybe inactive until Windows loads the necessary drivers for it.  Try switching the keyboard to another USB port.  There are some Dimension models have one port that is active during the boot up and the 4700 maybe one of them.  This will then allow you to access the BIOS Setup.  The alternative is try a PS/2 style keyboard. 

Unfortunately I have no idea why that is.  Throughout the history of the 4700's BIOS updates there have been changes related to PCI-E issues.  Whether this was to try an correct a problem such as you are experiencing or a subsequent PCI-E fix in a later BIOS version caused the problem is unknown.  If you have a PS/2 style keyboard available I would still try using that.  If the PS/2 keyboard worked it would eliminate the need of pulling the card each time you wanted to access the BIOS Setup.  

I found the problem. I installed a BFG NVIDIA 6600GT PCI-e card and it's DVI is connected to my monitor.  When I have this in, I can't enter the BIOS setup. If I take it out and use the onboard VGA, I can enter the BIOS setup.

 

The 6600GT card works fine for normal windows xp operation.

 

Any ideas why I can't enter the BIOS setup when the 6600GT card is installed? Is it something to do with DVI connection? There is no VGA connection on the 6600GT card. Also, I checked the BIOS setting for Video is set to AUTO before I installed the 6000GT video card.

 

 

Well one thing you might try although I don't recommend it is flashing the BIOS back to an earlier version.  From looking over the history of the BIOS upgrades for your model it appears that BIOS versions later than A02 not only made a number of changes with the PCI-E, but also included a number of keyboard fixes.  Again, the file's description doesn't go into detail so it is difficult to say whether flashing back to an earlier BIOS version is a guaranteed fix for the problem, but I thought I would mention it.  Personally, I would stay with the lastest BIOS version and just live with the inconvenience of having to take additional steps in accessing the BIOS Setup.  Hopefully they will release another BIOS update that may correct the problem you are experiencing.

If tech support comes up with a solution or explanation then please post back if you would.  I am sure as time goes on we will be seeing other 4700 owners having similar problems and they could benefit from your experience.   Thanks!

Thank you.

 

I will just stay with the latest BIOS(A06) for now and put up with the inconvenience of not able to enter into the BIOS setup when the 6600GT is in the machine. 

 

I will send an email to Dell support to see what they have to say.