BIOS View Missing

Thank you very much for your answer. I apreciate it a lot. I would like to explain the whole situation to show the complete picture.

1. The computer had an XP profetional but, (i dont know awy) it can not be connected to the internet. Even the technician told me the solution would be to format the computer and try the connection again.

2. Some months ago when I turned on the computer, it used to show me the startup process but it warned about a problem with the floppy device. So I changed the Bios configuration (unfortunately) and after it started with XP directly. It was working ok for several months very well. On those months the machine was not connected to the Internet.

3. I decided to connect the computer to the internet. And tried to solve just installing the XP again. I started the installation but when it restarted to continue the process, it could not continue. It does not show the starting process. I would like to check the units using the BIOS. I dont know how I can solve my problem because I know entering the bios is necesary to press the F12. But it does not work.

Regarding the machine data it is

DELL OPTIPLEX GX260 PIV

Well Im very worried about my favorite computer. I just tried your 1th step but it did not show me the starting proccess the screen is just in blank. the problem is even when the machine was working well it never showed me the stating up process. It always started directly with W XP.

Well, I cannot help you any further than by suggesting the following...

Troubleshoot your peripherals.

If your screen is blank all the time and everything (hard drive kicks over, computer 'beeps') sounds 'normal' (if I read your post correctly, is that the case here with a screen always blank?), use another monitor or use a PCI VGA card instead of the motherboard's VGA connection that connects to your monitor.

Swap your RAM stick with another (sometimes a computer spits the dummy if that is stuffed) or use another slot.

That is all I can offer over the WWW. Maybe some one else could help you further.

I personally would toss the DELL motherboard and upgrade using peripherals you already have.

"I personally would toss the DELL motherboard and upgrade using peripherals you already have."

Sure and I bet that when your car has a flat tire, you just trash the car and buy a new one...

Excelent!!! I had installed a VGA card and it woriks perfectly!!! I am going to continue with the installation. Thanks all of you for your kind colaboration!!!

Ah great what wonderful news, thank you for letting us know of your success...

Nice to hear and thanks for the feedback...would have got faster results if you said your monitor was blank all the time from moment of switching power on

...but hey, you know what to do with the BIOS now and how to troubleshoot a computer

Regarding the machine data it is

DELL OPTIPLEX GX260 PIV

Exactly the same as the one I'm using.

F2 = Setup
F12 = Boot menu

Never had a problem with Windows XP Professional obtaining / configuring this Dell for internet access.

Follow the good advice given by CraziestOzzy

Regards Woody

press the delete key or the esc key instead

Should be quit simple. There is a period (short at that) between turning the computer CPU on (assuming monitor is also powered up) and the windows welcome initiation that you must press either delete, f2 or some combination of similar keys that halts bootup and displays BIOS configuration. Different systems, different OP systems have different combos. Keep rebooting untill you get the combo. Actually the keys or key sequence should appear on the lower left of the screen during boot-up and be4 welcome screen. Hope this helks. Jy

You guys may be getting into this a little deep. Simple things first, possibly the monitor is not working, or maybe he lost the driver to the monitor and everything else is working. Just a shot in the dark. Try another monitor or try again to install a real version of XP.

I have, on two occasions, had the same problem. (It wasn't on my Dells.) I had to finally acccept that the hard drive was gone both. replacing the hard drive and reinstalling the software solved the problem. Of course, my data was lost. Nothing else worked. If the HD is not bad it can be installed as a secondary HD and the data on it can still be accessed.

I have tried just replacing the Hard Disk. The situation does not change

im going to try swaping the RAM board

AnlbertoMarzini:

I think I think you're in over your head and though most participants here would walk you through a repair you need give MUCH greater information in feedback to our questions.

Questions:

did you contact Dell support and why aren't they helping you?

what is the serial number of the unit? Dell machines are serial number specific not answering these two questions will lead me to believe the matter is of an disingenuous nature an any help or guidance shall be forfeit.

Well the most important , right now, is that I found out the monitor is not receiving any signal. Im afraid it could be a problem in the mother board. Do you have any information about if there is any kind of virus which makes such kind of failure. Regarding Dell the machine is out of warranty and certainly i had repaired other machines before, so I have being trying by myself. Of course your help is pretty valious. I had tryied all your strategies and have learned so much. Any help you give me will be higly appreciated. I really want to repair the machine just keeping all its original parts.

Im going to try with a new VGA card, i hope it will work.

thank you very much all of you friends for your valious help

Hi Guest,

It is very important that anything you are advised to do, as in the case of 'crazyozzie', should be done in that order and make definite button pushes to make sure you have clicked that particular key. (sorry if I got the name wrong!)

I actually have to hold down ctrl-alt- and click F7. You will do no harm in trying different 'F' keys, but try them sequentially one at a time and if possible reboot between each try.

Can you tell me, have to been in the BIOS pages before and or have you altered anything?

It is really easy to loosen or pull a connection out when trying to get into your battery holder. So if you have not done so please check that all leads are clicked together and all sockets are completely 'home' or in properly. Also check the the memory and any other CB are completely locked into the MB.

Please reply when you can.

Good luck.

We had a problem with our Dell recently. Several of the electrolytic capacitors on the mother board went belly up (bad). This was evident by the tops of them being swollen rather than flat. If you don't know, these components look like cylinders on end, on the motherboard. If this has happened to you, you may as well write the Dell off. I believe these are surface mount devices, and cannot be removed without taking the motherboard apart (removing all the other surface mount devices around the caps).

The case in which the Dell came was custom built to use THAT MOTHERBOARD ONLY, so it was a write off too. We did manage to salvage the hard drive. It was obsolete though and can only be used with the new computer via an adapter which converts it for a USB port.

We did end up with a computer which runs about 5 times faster than the Dell, and we are much happier with it.

Good Luck

Bill

If the puter is say 10 years old replace the CMOS battery. I had the same problem can not get into safe mode or boot from CD either. I just bought a Dell P4 2.8GHz multiple thread and it is refurbished but looks and works great. I got it with XP SP3 loaded for $165 and it has no problems. I think my OS was corrupt. Buy one of these and your problems are over. They are authorized by Dell big company. Do not remember the name.

Just not enough detail I could not get into my BIOS and just bought a Dell for $165 bucks works great.