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Computer not booting to Windows - please help

by Deji
24 replies
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Hi Warriors. I have an issue with a clients computer and wanted to ask for advise. The client brought in the computer saying he forgot the password. So I popped in a special CD but the computer was unable to boot to the CD automatically. I tried booting to the BIOS so that I could change the boot order but realized that the USB keyboard does not work until Windows gets to the password screen because it has not yet been initialized until that point. I wanted to use my PS2 keyboard only to realize the desktop does not have a PS2 port. The computer is a Dell Dimension C521.I followed advise that I got online to remove the CMOS battery which would make the computer automatically boot to BIOS so as to reconfigure the date, time and other settings. However, upon doing that, I got the follwing 3 messages:
1. Disk drive 0 seek failure
2. Keyboard failure
3. Incorrect CMOS configuration - enter SETUP to reconfigure
Unfortunately, I cannot enter Setup with the USB keyboard to reconfigure the system and there is no PS2 port. Now the system does not even boot to the password screen as it did when the client gave me the computer, I have a Windows CD that I can use (should I need to format and reinstall Windows.) but the system cannot boot it. I connected the hard drive externally and can access the files on it. I just can't get the system to boot Windows to the password screen anymore since I cannot reconfigure the BIOS.
Has anyone ever experienced a similar issue. I would appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance for your help.
  • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
    I tried booting to the BIOS so that I could change the boot order but realized that the USB keyboard does not work until Windows gets to the password screen because it has not yet been initialized until that point.
    Unfortunately, I cannot enter Setup with the USB keyboard to reconfigure the system
    There's something else going on here. I regularly use a wireless keyboard, via the USB port, to enter the BIOS password.

    This is not a function of Windows (though Windows may have been compromised.) This is most likely a hardware/bios/jumper problem. Has this computer been overheating lately?

    Joe Mobley
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    • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
      Originally Posted by Joe Mobley View Post

      There's something else going on here. I regularly use a wireless keyboard, via the USB port, to enter the BIOS password.

      This is not a function of Windows (though Windows may have been compromised.) This is most likely a hardware/bios/jumper problem. Has this computer been overheating lately?

      Joe Mobley
      old boxes have that issue. circa 2000 and below I think is the last time I witnessed it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Deji
      Originally Posted by Joe Mobley View Post

      There's something else going on here. I regularly use a wireless keyboard, via the USB port, to enter the BIOS password.

      This is not a function of Windows (though Windows may have been compromised.) This is most likely a hardware/bios/jumper problem. Has this computer been overheating lately?

      Joe Mobley
      Thanks for your response Joe. The password I am referring to is the Windows logon password, not the BIOS password. My guess is that since the system is an old model, its possible that Dell made it so that the USB ports don't work until Windows gets to the logon screen.I could not find any jumpers in the system.
      I just got the computer from the client yesterday (09/15) and it was booting to the password screen until I took out the CMOS battery. The computer was not overheating when it was on yesterday.
      One other thing I forgot to mention is that somehow, the computer managed to get to Setup but because the USB keyboard was not functioning, I could not change the BIOS setting.
      Please advice. Thanks once again.
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      • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
        This is an older computer but has no keyboard or mouse ports other than USB?

        What model Dell is it?

        Joe Mobley

        Originally Posted by Deji View Post

        Thanks for your response Joe. The password I am referring to is the Windows logon password, not the BIOS password. My guess is that since the system is an old model, its possible that Dell made it so that the USB ports don't work until Windows gets to the logon screen.I could not find any jumpers in the system.
        I just got the computer from the client yesterday (09/15) and it was booting to the password screen until I took out the CMOS battery. The computer was not overheating when it was on yesterday.
        One other thing I forgot to mention is that somehow, the computer managed to get to Setup but because the USB keyboard was not functioning, I could not change the BIOS setting.
        Please advice. Thanks once again.
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        • Profile picture of the author Deji
          Originally Posted by Joe Mobley View Post

          This is an older computer but has no keyboard or mouse ports other than USB?

          What model Dell is it?

          Joe Mobley
          Yes. I checked the pictures online and it has no keyboard or mouse ports. It only has USB ports. It is a Dell Dimension C521 desktop.
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          • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
            The downside, it might be time to go to the computer-fixit store.

            The upside is that the data on the hard disk should be easily recoverable.

            It sounds like it is either a hardware or CMOS setup problem and we can not fix that from here.

            I would like to know how this works out.

            Joe Mobley
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            • Profile picture of the author Deji
              Originally Posted by Joe Mobley View Post

              The downside, it might be time to go to the computer-fixit store.

              The upside is that the data on the hard disk should be easily recoverable.

              It sounds like it is either a hardware or CMOS setup problem and we can not fix that from here.

              I would like to know how this works out.

              Joe Mobley
              Thanks for your help Joe. I appreciate it. I will post back when the issue is resolved.
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              • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
                I probably should not be the final word here. There may be others with ideas that might help.

                Don't hesitate to speak up.

                Joe Mobley
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Deji,

    NEVER NEVER NEVER remove the CMOS battery unless you know what you are doing! You are LUCKY! 2007 was, IIRC, AFTER the creation of LBA(IIRC), IF so, there is a DECENT chance it is LBA. If not, you have to find out about the drive, and PRAY you select the right numbers. If you guess wrong, it MIGHT still work and, if so, corrupt the drive! Does your friend have the settings documented anywhere? Does he have all the drive specs,or the drive model, somewhere? If it was installed by dell, MAYBE they can tell you. Drive size and system model number aren't good enough.

    This reminds me of a story that my father told me. I forget what the drive was called,I THINK it was a DRUM drive, but some guy walked by a guy fixing a drive, and seeing ***************THE************* key part, decided to look at it! He turned it over and the magnetic strips slipped out. Apparently, there was no way to be sure EXACTLY how it was put together and ONE MISTAKE would corrupt it! Seriously, if the rest of the drive were CRUSHED, you could recover, but a few missing bits from that unit means allis LOST! Luckily, they don't make those types of drives anymore, to the best of my knowledge, but IBM PCs were developed for old fashioned disk controllers, and they can do similar things. They map drives with serial addressing to the older standard.

    But YEAH, you would have to correct such problems,so that couldn't be expected to solve your problems. ALSO, WINDOWS passwords are in WINDOWS, so the BIOS won't help you out there at all.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author Deji
      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      Deji,

      NEVER NEVER NEVER remove the CMOS battery unless you know what you are doing! You are LUCKY! 2007 was, IIRC, AFTER the creation of LBA(IIRC), IF so, there is a DECENT chance it is LBA. If not, you have to find out about the drive, and PRAY you select the right numbers. If you guess wrong, it MIGHT still work and, if so, corrupt the drive! Does your friend have the settings documented anywhere? Does he have all the drive specs,or the drive model, somewhere? If it was installed by dell, MAYBE they can tell you. Drive size and system model number aren't good enough.

      This reminds me of a story that my father told me. I forget what the drive was called,I THINK it was a DRUM drive, but some guy walked by a guy fixing a drive, and seeing ***************THE************* key part, decided to look at it! He turned it over and the magnetic strips slipped out. Apparently, there was no way to be sure EXACTLY how it was put together and ONE MISTAKE would corrupt it! Seriously, if the rest of the drive were CRUSHED, you could recover, but a few missing bits from that unit means allis LOST! Luckily, they don't make those types of drives anymore, to the best of my knowledge, but IBM PCs were developed for old fashioned disk controllers, and they can do similar things. They map drives with serial addressing to the older standard.

      But YEAH, you would have to correct such problems,so that couldn't be expected to solve your problems. ALSO, WINDOWS passwords are in WINDOWS, so the BIOS won't help you out there at all.

      Steve
      Thanks for your response Steve. LBA has to do with the hard drive. As you rightly said, it is LBA and the serial number and model number are on the hard drive but this information cannot solve the issue. The issue is not with the hard drive but with the fact that I cannot boot into the BIOS, so it is a BIOS issue. I connected the hard drive as an external one to my laptop and am able to access all the files on it.
      I also know that Windows passwords are in Windows and not in the BIOS but do have several CD's that will read the Windows partition and either extract the password or remove it altogether.
      Thanks for your help though. Anyone with more suggestions? They would be greatly appreciated.
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      • Profile picture of the author garyv
        Did you try a different USB keyboard - and/or different USB slot?

        Oh - and were you able to type with the keyboard when it was able to boot to the password screen?
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        • Profile picture of the author Deji
          Originally Posted by garyv View Post

          Did you try a different USB keyboard - and/or different USB slot?

          Oh - and were you able to type with the keyboard when it was able to boot to the password screen?
          Thanks for your response Garyv. I did try another USB keyboard but it didn't work either. I also tried all the USB ports, 2 at the front and 4 at the back. I did plug in my USB drive and the light came on, sometimes blinking and some other times staying on. I was able to type with the keyboard at the password screen.
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Deji View Post

        Thanks for your response Steve. LBA has to do with the hard drive. As you rightly said, it is LBA and the serial number and model number are on the hard drive but this information cannot solve the issue. The issue is not with the hard drive but with the fact that I cannot boot into the BIOS, so it is a BIOS issue. I connected the hard drive as an external one to my laptop and am able to access all the files on it.
        I also know that Windows passwords are in Windows and not in the BIOS but do have several CD's that will read the Windows partition and either extract the password or remove it altogether.
        Thanks for your help though. Anyone with more suggestions? They would be greatly appreciated.
        NOPE! The issue WAS that you cannot boot the CDROM. A NEW problem is the drive sectoring!

        Steve
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        • Profile picture of the author garyv
          From what I've read, it's a fault with the bios version that came with that computer. USB ports do not work at all until windows boots up. But there is a bios upgrade you can get from the link I provided above.
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          • Profile picture of the author Deji
            Originally Posted by garyv View Post

            I've read that a new bios update fixes the USB problem...

            I would try loading up a spare SATA HDD with Windows or something that you can boot up with, and swapping it out with the drive that is in there. That should bring back the USB drives - then load up the new bios onto USB drive from here:

            Dell Dimension System BIOS, 1.1.11 Driver Details | Dell US
            Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

            NOPE! The issue WAS that you cannot boot the CDROM. A NEW problem is the drive sectoring!
            Thanks for the suggestion Garyv. I did load a spare HDD with Windows loaded on it but got the message "Windows failed to start. This could be as a result of a hardware change". Maybe I don't understand what you are trying to say.


            Steve
            You are right Seasoned. My initial aim was to get the CD to boot but when that didn't wirk out, I tried to enter the BIOS so as to manually change the boot order to boot from CD as the first device. That was when I realized that the computer's USB ports do not work until Windows is fully loaded at which point you cannot enter the BIOS anymore. As for the drive sectoring, how do I fix that? Thanks for your help.

            Originally Posted by garyv View Post

            From what I've read, it's a fault with the bios version that came with that computer. USB ports do not work at all until windows boots up. But there is a bios upgrade you can get from the link I provided above.
            Thanks once again Garyv. I see the BIOS upgrade at the link but I cannot install it since the USB ports are not active at startup. Could there be another solution to the issue?
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            • Profile picture of the author garyv
              Originally Posted by Deji View Post

              You are right Seasoned. My initial aim was to get the CD to boot but when that didn't wirk out, I tried to enter the BIOS so as to manually change the boot order to boot from CD as the first device. That was when I realized that the computer's USB ports do not work until Windows is fully loaded at which point you cannot enter the BIOS anymore. As for the drive sectoring, how do I fix that? Thanks for your help.


              Thanks once again Garyv. I see the BIOS upgrade at the link but I cannot install it since the USB ports are not active at startup. Could there be another solution to the issue?
              If you have a spare Hard Drive that you don't mind messing up temporarily, you can setup the Hard Drive to bootup and install windows from the hard drive itself. Here's instructions:

              Install Windows 7 without USB or DVD without upgrading!
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              • Profile picture of the author Deji
                Originally Posted by garyv View Post

                If you have a spare Hard Drive that you don't mind messing up temporarily, you can setup the Hard Drive to bootup and install windows from the hard drive itself. Here's instructions:

                Install Windows 7 without USB or DVD without upgrading!
                Thanks a lot Garyv. I really appreciate your help. I will try this option and let you know how it goes. Thanks once again! Enjoy your weekend.
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                • Profile picture of the author Deji
                  Originally Posted by Deji View Post

                  Thanks a lot Garyv. I really appreciate your help. I will try this option and let you know how it goes. Thanks once again! Enjoy your weekend.
                  Thanks once again Garyv. I have read the write up and I believe strongly that the method can work. However, the method is also contingent on been able to change the boot order in the BIOS to the hard drive which you have loaded Windows files on, something I am unable to do.
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                  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
                    Originally Posted by Deji View Post

                    Thanks once again Garyv. I have read the write up and I believe strongly that the method can work. However, the method is also contingent on been able to change the boot order in the BIOS to the hard drive which you have loaded Windows files on, something I am unable to do.
                    It doesn't matter, since it won't work anyway! You likely want that drive as the same drive on the system you got it from, which is likely c. But you WILL have to change the drive settings to match what they were on the other system. You ALSO have to move the existing drive, and set its settings to what they were.

                    You wouldn't need to change the boot order, as you would be using a drive you know about. Still, changing the disk settings is likely precisely as hard as the boot order. You have to change the disk settings either way, but if you can do that, you should be able to change the boot order.

                    Steve
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                    • Profile picture of the author Deji
                      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

                      It doesn't matter, since it won't work anyway! You likely want that drive as the same drive on the system you got it from, which is likely c. But you WILL have to change the drive settings to match what they were on the other system. You ALSO have to move the existing drive, and set its settings to what they were.

                      You wouldn't need to change the boot order, as you would be using a drive you know about. Still, changing the disk settings is likely precisely as hard as the boot order. You have to change the disk settings either way, but if you can do that, you should be able to change the boot order.

                      Steve
                      Thanks for your response Seasoned. So basically you are saying this method may not work. Will replacing the motherboard solve the issue, assuming I am able to change the boot order on the new motherboard to enter the BIOS? Will Windows boot to the password screen or will I have to reinstall the operating system? Thanks in advance.
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                      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
                        Originally Posted by Deji View Post

                        Thanks for your response Seasoned. So basically you are saying this method may not work. Will replacing the motherboard solve the issue, assuming I am able to change the boot order on the new motherboard to enter the BIOS? Will Windows boot to the password screen or will I have to reinstall the operating system? Thanks in advance.
                        OH, I just get a kick out of this sort of problem!


                        There was a guy that forgot his password. He forgot his password!
                        He gave it to a guy to find the password, and the guy initialized the BIOS MEMORY, to use the keyboard to use the cd, to find the password!
                        Now the guy is trying options to even get back to where it WAS!

                        I simply said that each "SOLUTION" requires ANOTHER step and, failing THAT, becomes another problem.

                        Steve
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                        • Profile picture of the author Deji
                          Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

                          OH, I just get a kick out of this sort of problem!

                          There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly Nursery Rhyme - YouTube

                          There was a guy that forgot his password. He forgot his password!
                          He gave it to a guy to find the password, and the guy initialized the BIOS MEMORY, to use the keyboard to use the cd, to find the password!
                          Now the guy is trying options to even get back to where it WAS!

                          I simply said that each "SOLUTION" requires ANOTHER step and, failing THAT, becomes another problem.

                          Steve
                          Hahaha. Lol Seasoned. Nice swipe. You must be a very good copywriter. Sure enjoyed the video and got the message. However, I cannot turn back the hand of time to solve the issue so I still need a solution. Thanks for all your advice so far though, it is much appreciated.
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  • Profile picture of the author garyv
    I've read that a new bios update fixes the USB problem...

    I would try loading up a spare SATA HDD with Windows or something that you can boot up with, and swapping it out with the drive that is in there. That should bring back the USB drives - then load up the new bios onto USB drive from here:

    Dell Dimension System BIOS, 1.1.11 Driver Details | Dell US
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