direction needed re boot process

[see.cher]

My Dell laptop won't boot.
Well it even stranger than that.+

It was doing the following:
Would not boot to windows xp on hard drive
would not boot to the xp setup cd (gets as far as "setup is starting
windows" and hangs >> which means it IS reading the CD)
would not boot to the Dell Diagnostic CD (it gets to something that
appears to be installing the MSCD.... driver and hangs)
WOULD boot to the partition magic CD and I could run anything on the
CD.

THEN it went into this power on for 3 seconds routine.
I replaced the processor.
It is now back to the original problem.

After booting to the PM CD, I tried inserting the Dell disk, but it
would not return the directory with anything but garbage characters.
It did read the PM directory just fine. This I don't understand
either.

I have reformatted the hard drive and repartitioned it using PM.
Therefore I think the hard drive and circuit is functioning. BUT when
I go to boot setup I don't see the hard drive listed there in the
modular bay. The CD is and A&B show as not installed, but nothing
appears in modular bay.

The new processor is a faster processor and it appears to be operating
faster than the old one.

I ran the internal boot diagnostics and it found no problems. It then
asked for the diag disk but it won't boot to it. (same as above)

I need to know that the next steps are after it reaches the message
"Setup is starting Windows"
It is obviously looking for something it can't find.
If I knew what that was I might fix this.

I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!

thanks

 

[t.cruise]

Is it an OEM Windows XP CD? If so, maybe it will not install without the original
processor?

 

[Malke]

My Dell laptop won't boot.
Well it even stranger than that.+

It was doing the following:
Would not boot to windows xp on hard drive
would not boot to the xp setup cd (gets as far as "setup is starting
windows" and hangs >> which means it IS reading the CD)
would not boot to the Dell Diagnostic CD (it gets to something that
appears to be installing the MSCD.... driver and hangs)
WOULD boot to the partition magic CD and I could run anything on the
CD.

THEN it went into this power on for 3 seconds routine.
I replaced the processor.
It is now back to the original problem.

After booting to the PM CD, I tried inserting the Dell disk, but it
would not return the directory with anything but garbage characters.
It did read the PM directory just fine. This I don't understand
either.

I have reformatted the hard drive and repartitioned it using PM.
Therefore I think the hard drive and circuit is functioning. BUT when
I go to boot setup I don't see the hard drive listed there in the
modular bay. The CD is and A&B show as not installed, but nothing
appears in modular bay.

The new processor is a faster processor and it appears to be operating
faster than the old one.

I ran the internal boot diagnostics and it found no problems. It then
asked for the diag disk but it won't boot to it. (same as above)

I need to know that the next steps are after it reaches the message
"Setup is starting Windows"
It is obviously looking for something it can't find.
If I knew what that was I might fix this.

I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!

thanks

You've got lots more hardware problems than just your processor. You
should contact Dell tech support for repair.

Malke

 

[see.cher]

issue existed before originjal processor died.

 

[see.cher]

Thanks
somehow I knew I had more problems.
I also know that I can fix it by replacing the MB and it will be a lot
more cost effective than contacting Dell and dealing with their
"Techs"
I was hoping someone in this group had more visibility than Dell
Techs.

Now back to the original question....

 

[Malke]

Thanks
somehow I knew I had more problems.
I also know that I can fix it by replacing the MB and it will be a lot
more cost effective than contacting Dell and dealing with their
"Techs"
I was hoping someone in this group had more visibility than Dell
Techs.

Now back to the original question....

I'm sorry, I thought you said you had a laptop. Replacing a laptop
motherboard is not something an end user can generally do themselves.

Malke

 

[see.cher]

YES, I do have a laptop
And yes I can replace the MB.
Actually it is not really more difficult than a DT - you just have to
think small.

I want to eliminate any other possibilities before I go buy another
MB.

The hard drive works - I put it into another LT and reloaded windows -
however, since it is a different LT it won't run in the Dell.

I am thinking it is hanging on the COM/USB port detection. Everything
else appears to work.
There are some clues pointing to the USB ports if I try to load Linux
on CD, but with the list that flies by in diagnostic mode, I can't be
sure.

Can the USB ports be disabled in BIOS???

Maybe I can create a CD that will boot and I can reflash the BIOS.
I guess that could be causing the problem. I have never had one go bad
on me, but I guess others have.