system won't post!

This seems to be a sporadic problem.... The bios appears to be losing both
ide chains during the post. If I unplug the ide cable from the HD, then
plug back in, then restart the system, it will post and load XP fine. It
will continue to work good for 4-5 days, then won't post again till I unplug
the ide from the HD again. I have tried two different ide cables and get
the same results. Also, unplugging the ide cable from the MB doesn't seem
to help, I have to unplug it from the HD end and plug it back in again to
make it past post. Could the HD be near failure?

The post beep code is two beeps. This is not a valid post code for this
system. This is a Dell 8100 dimension, p4-1400Mhz, 256 MB RAM, XP w/SP-1.

This one has got me baffled. I am hoping one of you "more experienced"
techs in here may have a simple solution for me.

X

Try changing the battery and look for a BIOS flash update for your m/b.

--

Kenny


"X" <> wrote in message
news:bkrlu8$d85$...
> This seems to be a sporadic problem.... The bios appears to be losing both
> ide chains during the post. If I unplug the ide cable from the HD, then
> plug back in, then restart the system, it will post and load XP fine. It
> will continue to work good for 4-5 days, then won't post again till I
unplug
> the ide from the HD again. I have tried two different ide cables and get
> the same results. Also, unplugging the ide cable from the MB doesn't seem
> to help, I have to unplug it from the HD end and plug it back in again to
> make it past post. Could the HD be near failure?
>
> The post beep code is two beeps. This is not a valid post code for this
> system. This is a Dell 8100 dimension, p4-1400Mhz, 256 MB RAM, XP w/SP-1.
>
> This one has got me baffled. I am hoping one of you "more experienced"
> techs in here may have a simple solution for me.
>
>
>

Kenny

hey Kenny, thanks for the response. I was thinking about replacing the
battery also, this will be my next step. I had already updated the bios to
the most recent version for this board.
This is really a strange problem, and a tuffy to troubleshoot.

X

"Kenny" <> wrote in message
news:bksk02$5cat1$...
> Try changing the battery and look for a BIOS flash update for your m/b.
>
> --
>
> Kenny
>
>
> "X" <> wrote in message
> news:bkrlu8$d85$...
> > This seems to be a sporadic problem.... The bios appears to be losing
both
> > ide chains during the post. If I unplug the ide cable from the HD, then
> > plug back in, then restart the system, it will post and load XP fine.
It
> > will continue to work good for 4-5 days, then won't post again till I
> unplug
> > the ide from the HD again. I have tried two different ide cables and
get
> > the same results. Also, unplugging the ide cable from the MB doesn't
seem
> > to help, I have to unplug it from the HD end and plug it back in again
to
> > make it past post. Could the HD be near failure?
> >
> > The post beep code is two beeps. This is not a valid post code for this
> > system. This is a Dell 8100 dimension, p4-1400Mhz, 256 MB RAM, XP
w/SP-1.
> >
> > This one has got me baffled. I am hoping one of you "more experienced"
> > techs in here may have a simple solution for me.
> >
> >
> >
>
>

X

Maybe download the diagnostics for that particular drive manufacturer from
the web site. They all have them and they are easy to run and pretty
comprehensive in their tests. I've never had a similar problem but this
might help.
AG
"X" <> wrote in message
news:bkspci$ulr$...
> hey Kenny, thanks for the response. I was thinking about replacing the
> battery also, this will be my next step. I had already updated the bios
to
> the most recent version for this board.
> This is really a strange problem, and a tuffy to troubleshoot.
>
> X
>
> "Kenny" <> wrote in message
> news:bksk02$5cat1$...
> > Try changing the battery and look for a BIOS flash update for your m/b.
> >
> > --
> >
> > Kenny
> >
> >
> > "X" <> wrote in message
> > news:bkrlu8$d85$...
> > > This seems to be a sporadic problem.... The bios appears to be losing
> both
> > > ide chains during the post. If I unplug the ide cable from the HD,
then
> > > plug back in, then restart the system, it will post and load XP fine.
> It
> > > will continue to work good for 4-5 days, then won't post again till I
> > unplug
> > > the ide from the HD again. I have tried two different ide cables and
> get
> > > the same results. Also, unplugging the ide cable from the MB doesn't
> seem
> > > to help, I have to unplug it from the HD end and plug it back in again
> to
> > > make it past post. Could the HD be near failure?
> > >
> > > The post beep code is two beeps. This is not a valid post code for
this
> > > system. This is a Dell 8100 dimension, p4-1400Mhz, 256 MB RAM, XP
> w/SP-1.
> > >
> > > This one has got me baffled. I am hoping one of you "more
experienced"
> > > techs in here may have a simple solution for me.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

AG

Thanks AG, that is real good advice. I will try that this weekend. Another
reason why I like reading this newsgroup!
X

"AG" <> wrote in message
news:3f736b8e$0$82054$ m...
> Maybe download the diagnostics for that particular drive manufacturer from
> the web site. They all have them and they are easy to run and pretty
> comprehensive in their tests. I've never had a similar problem but this
> might help.
> AG
> "X" <> wrote in message
> news:bkspci$ulr$...
> > hey Kenny, thanks for the response. I was thinking about replacing the
> > battery also, this will be my next step. I had already updated the bios
> to
> > the most recent version for this board.
> > This is really a strange problem, and a tuffy to troubleshoot.
> >
> > X
> >
> > "Kenny" <> wrote in message
> > news:bksk02$5cat1$...
> > > Try changing the battery and look for a BIOS flash update for your
m/b.
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > Kenny
> > >
> > >
> > > "X" <> wrote in message
> > > news:bkrlu8$d85$...
> > > > This seems to be a sporadic problem.... The bios appears to be
losing
> > both
> > > > ide chains during the post. If I unplug the ide cable from the HD,
> then
> > > > plug back in, then restart the system, it will post and load XP
fine.
> > It
> > > > will continue to work good for 4-5 days, then won't post again till
I
> > > unplug
> > > > the ide from the HD again. I have tried two different ide cables
and
> > get
> > > > the same results. Also, unplugging the ide cable from the MB
doesn't
> > seem
> > > > to help, I have to unplug it from the HD end and plug it back in
again
> > to
> > > > make it past post. Could the HD be near failure?
> > > >
> > > > The post beep code is two beeps. This is not a valid post code for
> this
> > > > system. This is a Dell 8100 dimension, p4-1400Mhz, 256 MB RAM, XP
> > w/SP-1.
> > > >
> > > > This one has got me baffled. I am hoping one of you "more
> experienced"
> > > > techs in here may have a simple solution for me.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

X

Just curious about something. I believe that the 8100 has error code lights
on the back of the case. Have you looked to see what the error lights might
be indicating when the failure occurs? They do not offer a lot of
information but coupled with the drive diagnostic disk, might help with
troubleshooting. The following site might help:

http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems...t/codemess.htm

Regards,
John O.


"X" <> wrote in message
newsdVcb.5014939$...
> Thanks AG, that is real good advice. I will try that this weekend.
Another
> reason why I like reading this newsgroup!
> X
>
> "AG" <> wrote in message
> news:3f736b8e$0$82054$ m...
> > Maybe download the diagnostics for that particular drive manufacturer
from
> > the web site. They all have them and they are easy to run and pretty
> > comprehensive in their tests. I've never had a similar problem but this
> > might help.
> > AG
> > "X" <> wrote in message
> > news:bkspci$ulr$...
> > > hey Kenny, thanks for the response. I was thinking about replacing
the
> > > battery also, this will be my next step. I had already updated the
bios
> > to
> > > the most recent version for this board.
> > > This is really a strange problem, and a tuffy to troubleshoot.
> > >
> > > X
> > >
> > > "Kenny" <> wrote in message
> > > news:bksk02$5cat1$...
> > > > Try changing the battery and look for a BIOS flash update for your
> m/b.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > >
> > > > Kenny
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "X" <> wrote in message
> > > > news:bkrlu8$d85$...
> > > > > This seems to be a sporadic problem.... The bios appears to be
> losing
> > > both
> > > > > ide chains during the post. If I unplug the ide cable from the
HD,
> > then
> > > > > plug back in, then restart the system, it will post and load XP
> fine.
> > > It
> > > > > will continue to work good for 4-5 days, then won't post again
till
> I
> > > > unplug
> > > > > the ide from the HD again. I have tried two different ide cables
> and
> > > get
> > > > > the same results. Also, unplugging the ide cable from the MB
> doesn't
> > > seem
> > > > > to help, I have to unplug it from the HD end and plug it back in
> again
> > > to
> > > > > make it past post. Could the HD be near failure?
> > > > >
> > > > > The post beep code is two beeps. This is not a valid post code
for
> > this
> > > > > system. This is a Dell 8100 dimension, p4-1400Mhz, 256 MB RAM, XP
> > > w/SP-1.
> > > > >
> > > > > This one has got me baffled. I am hoping one of you "more
> > experienced"
> > > > > techs in here may have a simple solution for me.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

John and Pat Ochenduszko