T5500 will not boot

Issue – PC Crashes when trying to install Windows 7 or Windows 10

I am rebuilding a Dell T5500 as the diagnostic lights on the front panel consistently showed green on 1 and 4 indicating a fatal main board failure.

I acquired a replacement main board and transferred processor, memory and graphics card to it and fitted a new CMOS battery.

Running PC without CPU2 Riser Module - When first powered the PC emitted continuous beeps but only while detecting the hard drives and then beeps stopped. (I don’t know whether this is normal behaviour? as I know it normally indicates a memory issue, but subsequent testing of the memory showed no problems with it.

I continued with setup and the PC appeared to complete POST (with no front panel diagnostic lights lit) and I was able to enter the BIOS settings and change them as needed.

When running Dell diagnostics it showed a hard drive error, even though I was using a tested good hard drive (unallocated without partitions) I also tried a brand new drive and again got the same error (error code 0146)

( Hard Drives are detected correctly in BIOS)

When I tried to install windows 7 pro from the internal DVD-Drive the PC froze after approx. 3 minutes at the Windows logo screen (dancing lights) It did the same thing when trying via an external USB DVD Drive and also via USB Memory Stick. I also tried with other known good Windows Disks.

At the point where it froze, the screen sometimes displayed ‘uncorrectable memory errors’ with 2 of the modules. I thoroughly tested the memory with Dell Diagnostics (extended test) but it showed no memory errors. I changed the 2 modules anyway for good measure.

Other things tried, in no particular order.

Using the memory tested as above, I tried with 1 bank only of 3 modules (I have 9 identical 4GB PC3-10600, ECC, Registered modules available so could try with 3 different sets) All worked OK but it did not change my issue.

Reset the CMOS

Changed CMOS battery

Re-seated memory

Examined the processor socket (no visible damage

Re-seated the processor.

Replaced processor with identical good one.

Changed the Graphics Card

Different Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor and DVI cable.

(Have not changed Power Supply or the cable that runs from front panel to mainboard as don’t have available)

My intention if I can solve this is to install Windows 10 on an SSD. The current BIOS version is A16. Will Windows 10 run with this? (On Dell site, versions A17 and A18 are marked as ‘urgent’ but don’t know why they are so)

Any help or suggestions gratefully received.

Many thanks, Peter