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Dell Optiplex GX270

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  • 25-05-2010 9:23pm
    #1
    Walker34
    Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭


    Hi,
    I bought a second hand Dell Optiplex GX270 and the HD was already formatted so I proceeded to install my copy of XP. As I discovered with previous Dells, nothing is straight forward and it heeps asking me to press any key to boot to the CD. I went in the BIOS and found an item "OS install" wnich was set to "off", so I assumed this was the culprit, and I set it to "On", but now it tells me my memory has been limited to 256megs and I am prevented from installing again. Anyone know of a workaround on this......Other than the obvious "NEVER BUY A DELL''.


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    #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    The OS Install mode does restrict the system to 256MB, it's intended for NT 4.0 I think. So turn it off again or clear the CMOS if you can't. When you press a key to boot from CD does it just freeze or something?


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    #3
    Walker34
    Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭Walker34


    Thanks for the reply m8,
    Its at the "press any key to boot from CD" it happens,and it just repeats that message very 10 secons and reposts "press any key to boot from CD".I dont think its a faulty DVD driver and I know the disk is good from another PC.

    Dell are notorious for incorporating these little bombs, such as lmiting you to using their RAM unless you know how to switch that one off.


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    #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Sounds like a hardware problem to me, maybe bad RAM or something. Try testing it using MemTest86.


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    #5
    unnameduser
    Registered Users Posts: 1,081 ✭✭✭unnameduser


    have you tried the boot cd in another computer? Perhaps its damaged or maybe your CD drive is?


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    #6
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,977 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    In General


    Press F12 to get the boot menu

    If still won't boot try Alt-F to reset the BIOS to defaults

    Try a different CD or the CD on a different PC to work out which the problem is with


    In this case the CD is booting

    YOU HAVE TO PRESS A KEY ON THE KEYBOARD or it boots off the HDD :D



    BTW it's not your copy of XP. Microsoft still own it and you only get a license to use it. If you have a full retail copy you can move it to another PC. If you have an OEM copy you can't move it. You should be able to use the COA that is already on the machine.


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    #7
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,024 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    Without being rude, this is either PEBKAC or faulty hardware, and what the OP has posted suggests the former. For instance, the "Press any key to boot from CD" prompt is normal when booting from the XP install media.

    Part of me also wonders why someone who evidently has a low opinion of Dell computers would buy one in the first place, especially a second-hand one with presumably no remaining warranty coverage....but that way madness lies.

    Moving forward, a few suggestions for the OP:
    1) Have you read any of the documentation for the machine in question? If not, it would probably be a good idea to do so before tinkering further with BIOS settings you don't understand, to avoid any further unexpected surprises. (Manuals for the Optiplex GX 270 can be found here)
    2) Have you tried booting from any other installation media? Memtest86 has been suggested already, or you could consider any of various Linux Live CDs. I'd suggest trying either Fedora or GParted to see if they will boot.
    3) If you have one available, it may also be worth attempting to boot from another optical drive. (From memory, you should be able to use a USB optical drive on the GX270, but I could be wrong).
    4) Since you're doing a clean install of XP, you'll want to get the recommended drivers from Dell - you can grab them all here. If you hit any problems, you can also fetch the Dell Diagnostics CD to try and identify where the problem's coming up.


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    #8
    milo2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11 ✭milo2


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    In General


    Press F12 to get the boot menu

    If still won't boot try Alt-F to reset the BIOS to defaults

    Try a different CD or the CD on a different PC to work out which the problem is with


    In this case the CD is booting

    YOU HAVE TO PRESS A KEY ON THE KEYBOARD or it boots off the HDD :D



    BTW it's not your copy of XP. Microsoft still own it and you only get a license to use it. If you have a full retail copy you can move it to another PC. If you have an OEM copy you can't move it. You should be able to use the COA that is already on the machine.


    Above is the correct way.. would delete all partitions when installing the OS..

    Optiplex is business end pc from dell and as such will usually have a licence attached to box.

    Also check the service tag for getting extra drivers, would suggest doing this from another pc just to get the network drivers then you can surf to www.dell.ie after install is complete and get extra drivers/chipset/bios straight onto the pc. (if no tag on PC you can get this in the BIOS)

    When getting drivers from http://support.euro.dell.com/support/index.aspx?c=ie&cs=iedhs1&l=en&s=dhs select Drivers and downloads Tag option.

    If you use a dell XP disc no need to enter serial code.

    follow steps and it's easy

    Best of Luck


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