[pera00]

Hello all the experts, and the rest,

I have a Dell Dimension 4600 with the following specs:
PROCESSOR, 80546, 2.8, 1M, PENTIUM 4 PRESCOTT DT, 800, D0
2 DUAL IN-LINE MEMORY MODULE, 128, 400M, 16X64, 8K, 184

I decided to add some more memory and installed two different PC2700 memory sticks that seemed
to meet the specs for the 4600. One had Spectec chip on it and the other one was from Dell
(turned out it was an upgrade for Dimension 4550 model, most likely incompatible). Both chips were 256MB.

After my installation, I plugged in the power cord, turned on the computer, saw the Win XP logo
and that was it. The CD-ROM would sound like playing an old lp and the hard drive came on for a
second or so and then stopped. The black screen with 4 different boot up options came on asking
to press the number of my choice. Well, I chose "Boot windows normally", same thing as before,
it came back to the same screen with options. Next, I chose "Boot to last good known configuration",
the CD-ROM just emitted the usual scratching sound and the HD came on for second and again back to
the black screen with options. Third try, I chose "Boot to Safe Mode". No go. Next, I unplugged the
computer and removed the memory I had put in and left the original configuration in. Plugged the
power cord in and turned on the computer. Same problem, it won't boot up. Then I put the Dell
Diagnostic CD in and ran all the tests for abouut two hours. Every single one came back with
"Passed" green light. Hard drive seems to be ok, all connections are fine, all cables work, I
just can't get past the Windows logo and the following "boot option screen". I get no error
messages, just am stuck in this loop of boot options and nothing happening after whichever option
I choose. I have nothing else connected to my computer except PS2 keyboard and mouse and my monitor.

Please, help! Is the CMOS somehow corrupted because of my memory tinkering? The computer is practically
brand new. It had been used only for about 4 days prior to this. I installed XP Pro from scratch
with all the updates several days earlier. What can I do to get my Dimension working again?
Thanks for all the help.

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Hi,

I doubt the cmos is corupted more likely widows is so do a repair install using the XP pro cd.

You should use the orginal ram in the computer, it sounds like it did not like the new stuff, if you need more ram go to crucial.com and use thier memory config, they guaranty it to work

Rick

[Doby]

Hi,

I doubt the cmos is corupted more likely widows is so do a repair install using the XP pro cd.

You should use the orginal ram in the computer, it sounds like it did not like the new stuff, if you need more ram go to crucial.com and use thier memory config, they guaranty it to work

Rick

[pera00]

Will all the files still remain on the computer if I do the repair?
So, I just insert the XP CD in the CD-ROM drive and choose a repair menu? What does this repair do, do I have to choose certain options or will it just check the XP installation automaticlly and fix the corrupted parts?

[Doby]

Please read this guide it will answer all your questions

[pera00]

Thanks Rick. Will try tomorrow when I have access to that computer and post the results.

[pera00]

Hi Rick,

Well, I do a have a problem. I ried the following to set the CMOS to factory values:

Dell Dimension 8100, 8200, 8250, 8300, 4300, 4500S, 4550, 4600, 4600C, 2400, 2200, XPS and XPS Gen 2 Systems

To reset the original factory system setup settings for the Dell Dimension Series systems listed above, perform the following steps:

1. Restart your computer.
2. At the first text on the screen, or when the Dell logo appears, press the <F2> key every three seconds until the message Entering Setup appears.
3. When the System Setup screen appears, press the <Alt> + <F> keys at the same time to load the factory defaults. A beep sounds to indicate the defaults have been loaded.
4. Check and, if necessary, reset the time, date, and year.
5. Change the Secondary Drive 0 setting to Auto.
6. Change USB Legacy Support to Enabled.
7. Press the <Alt> + <B> keys at the same time to save changes and reboot.
8. Proceed with the installation or troubleshooting that you were attempting.

It did not do much. Now I also got my first error message: "Diskette drive 0 seek failure. -- Performing automatic IDE configuration." After that I again get the original problem, computer gets stuck at the POST with the 4 option black boot screen (different safe modes, last good config, or normal startup). The hard drive never starts spinning. Next, I tried what you suggested about repairing the XP. Now I get a whole lot more errors:

"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
The problem seems to be caused by the following file: ntfs.sys

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

Technical information:
*** STOP: 0x00000050 (0xE1187000, 0x00000000, 0xF8F56E89, 0x00000001)
*** ntfs.sys - Address F8F56E89 base at F8EE9000, DateStamp 3b7dc5d0

Do you know what all this could mean?

[dsenette]

that error is usually a ram error...or...at least ram related....so you took out the new ram and put the old stuff back in?....it's possible that the ram you put in wasn't compatible..and has cause some issues with the ram slots....i've had similar issues (though...more drastic consequences) from putting in the wrong ram....the last time...it kinda...killed the psu...machine wouldnt boot to save it's life...everything would spin up...but no display...switched the psu..and everything came back to life...so..not quite the same issue as yours..but...all within the realm of possibillity..

[pera00]

Yes, I removed the "new" RAM and put both of the original ones back in. I tried shuffling them in different slots as well. No go. What can I do?

[dsenette]

let's try doing a better reset of your bios,

turn the machine off and unplug it, open the case and ground yourself.
take the CMOS battery out for a few minutes..and hold in the power button...now put the battery back in and start the machine up...you should get a checksum error...but disregard it..

[pera00]

I did just that and I got a message: "Invalid configuration information - please run SETUP program" and the computer proceeds to perform an automatic IDE configuration... It recoqnizes Primary and Secondary drives and tells me that time-of-day is not set and gives me an option to strike F1 to continue or F2 to run setup utility. Which one I should choose?

[pera00]

I chose F1 to continue and also set the new date and time. Now it just comes up with "Diskette drive 0 seek failure".

[dsenette]

ok...do you have a floppy drive on this machine?

[pera00]

No floppy, but I guess I could try to pull one from an old system if needed.

[dsenette]

no...you don't need to....get into your bios configuration...and look for something called peripherals...or onboard devices or something like that...and disable the floppy drive...(it seems to be looking for one that doesn't exist)...also...make sure that the cd is first in the boot order..then the HD

[pera00]

Did that and disabled the floppy. Yes, CD-ROm is and has been first in the sequence followed by the HD.