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Laptop stuck in BIOS loop.

  • 31-07-2008 8:19pm
    #1
    Drag00n79
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,746 ✭✭✭


    A friend called me this evening to say his Dell laptop (about three years old) has started looping on the Bios start-up screen. He said, sometimes it starts up if you leave it looping long enough. Any ideas what could be causing it? I haven't seen the laptop yet. Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    DonkeyStyle \o/
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,145 ✭✭✭DonkeyStyle \o/


    Could be anything I suppose, but I'd be looking suspiciously at the harddrive since the problem can go away given enough boot attempts and it's a popular point of failure.
    Not sure why it's rebooting automatically though, unless it's by design or the harddrive is shorting something.
    Might try increasing the harddrive timeout in the bios and see what happens, or take it out.
    That's if you can even get into the bios!
    Maybe a borked power adaptor that works once it's had time to heat up... hmmm.
    As usual, I'd say try booting off a knoppix CD... should give you some idea of what's not the problem.
    Check the machine is keeping the correct time, just in case the cmos battery is gone (could be at 3 years old).

    Interesting though, let us know how it turns out.


  • #3
    Drag00n79
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,746 ✭✭✭Drag00n79


    Just got a call there that the problem is solved. He removed and refitted the hard drive and its working ok now. Thanks.


  • #4
    Drag00n79
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,746 ✭✭✭Drag00n79


    This problem did not go away for long, but I didn't get to it until tonight. It's fixed now though. The power socket was damaged. Even with the AC disconnected, the power socket was preventing the booting. I put the AC socket in and pressed down on it firmly whilst it booted, and it got past BIOS post and into windows! No need to hold the AC down after it gets past BIOS, in case anyone else encounters this problem. Quite common with the Dell 5160 apparently.


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