Start a Conversation

Unsolved

V

1 Rookie

 • 

15 Posts

17

May 16th, 2024 20:52

How do you reset BIOS and NVRAM on Dell Precision M6600?

I now have 2x Dell Precision M6600 <Private data removed from public view. DELL-Admin> Workstation laptops that are stuck at the Dell Logo screen with the load bar all the way. You can get it to say "Preparing to enter Setup" with the fans spinning and then off repeating, but it does not go past. 

I have removed all RAM (except 1 and I traded that one out with different ones and in different slots), GPU, CMOS battery and so on.  I have left the power off of the unit for 7 days, but it still seems to be stuck.

These laptops were fine until we tried to install Debian 12 on it in UEFI. At the end of the install, it said something about NVRAM and it is now stuck at the BIOS boot. I cannot get into the BIOS.

I have searched and I have not found any suggestions about this issue.

EDIT: Both have BIOS A18 and had (no more) the FirePro M6100 GPU.

5 Practitioner

 • 

5.1K Posts

May 17th, 2024 00:08

How to perform a BIOS or CMOS reset and clear NVRAM on Dell computers.  Scroll down for related articles.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000124377/how-to-perform-a-bios-or-cmos-reset-and-clear-the-nvram-on-dell-systems

1 Rookie

 • 

15 Posts

May 17th, 2024 01:48

Thanks Chino de Oro for the reply, but it seems the Dell Precision M6600 does not apply to any of the suggestions of the CMOS battery, the jumper, or the RTC. I have tried all of those before I posted here, but I will go back and try and again.

Trying again, here is what I get...

Removing the battery, the CMOS battery, AC power, and holding power button for 30 seconds does not clear the BIOS/NVRAM.

Removing the battery, the CMOS battery, and then holding the power button while connecting it to AC power seems to wait for 30 seconds before powering on regardless of how long you hold the power button. The system will get stuck at the Dell Logo loading again. You can let off and then press and hold the power again and it will turn off after 10 seconds without doing anything else until you let off and hit the power button again regardless how long you held it to turn it off. 

Removing the battery, the CMOS battery, connect AC power, and then press and holding the power button while to wait for 30 seconds before powering on regardless of how long you hold the power button. The system will power on after about 10 seconds and then get stuck at the Dell Logo loading screen again and will not do anything else regardless of how long you hold the power button. 

Removing the battery, the CMOS battery, connect AC Power and not pressing and letting the system go through its regular procedure after being plugged in. The system will go through its check and then power itself on after about 10 seconds. 

5 Practitioner

 • 

5.1K Posts

May 17th, 2024 02:58

If the system is stuck in BIOS recovery mode, it would not reset.  Were you able to access one time boot menu for diagnostics or accessing BIOS settings?
  

1 Rookie

 • 

15 Posts

May 17th, 2024 03:18

I have not been able to get into BIOS recovery mode. I have tried holding the CTL + ESC and then adding AC power. If I let go of CTL + ESC when the keyboard lights up, the system will light up power and keyboard and the turn off, light up again and then go to the BIOS Loading screen and get stuck again. 

It will not go past to give you the boot option menu to select diagnostics or settings.

Hitting F2 when powering on gets the message "Preparing to enter Setup..." or F12 gets the message "Preparing ont-time boot menu..." with both getting stuck. The only thing that it does from either selection is the two fans will spin up for a minute or so and then turn off for about a minute or so repeating.

(edited)

5 Practitioner

 • 

5.1K Posts

May 17th, 2024 04:19

Remove boot drive and/or CMOS battery to trigger error at boot and given access menu.  This model does not support BIOS recovery with USB.  Therefore, see if you can flash BIOS using F12 one time boot menu.

1 Rookie

 • 

15 Posts

19-05-2024 20:43 PM

@Chino de Oro​ for some reason, my web browser would not allow me to reply sooner.

Since I started with the issue, I have removed all drives to include boot drives along with all but 1 RAM module, main battery, and CMOS battery. 

I have tried holding F2, F12, CTL + ESC, and numerous others after connecting AC or after the system does its check when power is supplied and before powering on and so on. I cannot seem to get the BIOS to error. It just tries to load the EFI and does not finish which is the loading screen. I was hoping that there was other possiblilities to try, but the only thing I could find was talking about using the A07 bios and creating a USB after desoldering and resoldering something, but the user never talks about what to desolder. It is a shame if there is no real way of getting these working and having them just as paperweights now.

No Events found!

Top