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My PC doesn't complete POST


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#1
Master Spade

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Anyone know how to get a PC that won't complete POST to actually complete it so it can boot up?
When I turn on the PC, it gets stuck on a black screen with a blinking white cursor like this: _


I'm trying the Manual, but all that's does is take me in a Circle!! I follow the instructions for troubleshooting this, Click the link that says "Click here if your Computer does not complete POST". It then wants me to choose the OS, which I do, and then it takes me................BACK to the first page where I clicked that first link for not completing POST!!??



Just to add, the 1, 2, 3 lights are on in the front of the PC. Those along with a symbol that looks like a can that turns off after a while. The 1 2 3 remain lit.




My PC is a Dell XPS 400
Windows XP Media Edition
2gb main memory

Thanks.

PS, is this in the thread in the right place?

Edited by Master Spade, 07 March 2010 - 01:56 AM.

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#2
123Runner

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Per your MANUAL, the lights are indicating that something is not connected.
You need to open the case and check ALL connections to the board, hard drives, CD drives, etc.

123runner
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#3
Master Spade

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Per your MANUAL, the lights are indicating that something is not connected.
You need to open the case and check ALL connections to the board, hard drives, CD drives, etc.

123runner



Thanks for the reply.
Using the manual, I've checked those connections as it said to. Everything seems to be connected. Now, when this occurred to the PC, it was during a Power Outage. Because of that, I'm wondering if there is a way I can check if those things(like the ones to the HD, and the board) are still working, and not fried. Maybe the problem is that those things ARE connected, but fried? I have a digital multimeter, but how to check those things?
The PC was on, the power went out, when the power came back on is when this problem occurred.

Also, besides the Multimeter, I have the PC I'm using now, my sister's PC: a Dell Dimension 5150. Can I use this PC in any way to test out things for the broken PC?

Thanks.
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#4
Master Spade

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OK, something weird, but good, happened today. I tried to turn on the PC that didn't get past POST.........and guess what.......IT TURNED ON!!!!! HOW?? WHY?? The only things I did was the Same things I've been doing, checking all the connections inside, oh and this time I took out the Motherboard battery and put it right back in. Maybe that battery needs to be replaced? Could that battery cause this problem?

Anyway, When it got past POST, I pressed F2 to enter Setup.Everything seems OK there, but after exiting that, an Error message comes out, here it is:

Keyboard Failure

Performing automatic IDE configuration......

Drive 0: Disk Drive
Drive 1: CD-Rom Device
Drive 3: Disk Drive
Drive 5: CD-Rom Device

05/03/0: Error allocating Mem BAR for PCI device
05/03/0: Error allocating Mem BAR for PCI device
05/03/0: Error allocating Mem BAR for PCI device
05/03/0: Error allocating Mem BAR for PCI device
05/03/0: Error allocating Mem BAR for PCI device
05/03/0: Error allocating Mem BAR for PCI device
05/03/0: Error allocating Mem BAR for PCI device



After that Message, everything seemed to work just fine. The only thing is it wanted me to Restart the PC so that the Updates could take effect. I did restart........BUT once again.......IT WON'T GET PAST POST!!!!!

But at least there are clues now. Now I notice that the Keyboard gets NO POWER when I try to start that PC. I try to plug it into all the USB ports on the monitor AND the PC, but it won't get powered up. And this keyboard DOES work on this other PC, so the keyboard is OK.

My questions:

1. How can a keyboard failure cause the PC to not get past POST???

2. Is there a way for me to test whatever it is that Powers those USB ports?

3. Will replacing that Battery inside the tower help stop this failure?

4. ANY idea what might help?


Thanks.
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