Solve : Motherboard problems??

1.	Solve : Motherboard problems??
Answer» I just purchased a computer case from a Dell Dimension 4400 from a surplus sale at school. I was not getting any video out at all, so I swapped out the video card for ONE that I knew was working, and still no luck. (unfortunately there is no onboard video or audio) I WOULD just GIVE up and say that the motherboard was dead from the start, but when I power up, the hard disk clicks away as if it was loading the windows install I have on there. When I put a Linux Live CD in the DVD drive, it spins up as if it were loading from the CD. When I put in a non-bootable CD, I don't get that same behavior. I don't know what else to try. I have tested all of the parts that I added, including the RAM, and they work fine. Is it POSSIBLE that there could be a problem at the BIOS level that is preventing the video from working PROPERLY? If so, what is the best way to diagnose/fix the problem? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.Check the Diagnostic Lights located on the back. http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4400/codes.htm#1101572 Have you tried a different monitor?I finally got it working last night, but I solved one problem only to find another. I had been using two sticks of memory, both of which I knew were good. I had tested them together and individually. Last night, I unintentionally solved the problem by plugging a memory stick into slot 1 and nothing into slot 0, and it worked right away. After playing around with it a whole bunch, I found that anytime I plug anything into slot 0, I get no display, and my diagnostic lights show the code for "other." But either of my memory sticks will work just fine as long as they are plugged into slot 1, and nothing is in slot 0. I know that I am not using too much memory because each stick is only 256MB and the computer supports 1GB. I would really like to be able to use both memory slots so that I can use both memory sticks. Any ideas why plugging memory that was otherwise working into slot 0 would cause me to get no video out?Go into BIOS and see if there is an option to enable or disable dual channel mode.Quote from: JJ 3000 on October 29, 2009, 05:22:35 PM Go into BIOS and see if there is an option to enable or disable dual channel mode. I don't have the internet at home right now, so I will have to go home and try it, but what will I be looking for? Like I said, it is not an issue with using two memory sticks at once, I get the same problem when I only use one memory stick, but plug it into slot 0.Quote from: JJ 3000 on October 29, 2009, 05:22:35 PM Go into BIOS and see if there is an option to enable or disable dual channel mode. Nothing there. Slot appears to be dead. http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4400/syssetup.htm#1097056

Answer»

I just purchased a computer case from a Dell Dimension 4400 from a surplus sale at school. I was not getting any video out at all, so I swapped out the video card for ONE that I knew was working, and still no luck. (unfortunately there is no onboard video or audio)

I WOULD just GIVE up and say that the motherboard was dead from the start, but when I power up, the hard disk clicks away as if it was loading the windows install I have on there. When I put a Linux Live CD in the DVD drive, it spins up as if it were loading from the CD. When I put in a non-bootable CD, I don't get that same behavior.

I don't know what else to try. I have tested all of the parts that I added, including the RAM, and they work fine. Is it POSSIBLE that there could be a problem at the BIOS level that is preventing the video from working PROPERLY? If so, what is the best way to diagnose/fix the problem? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.Check the Diagnostic Lights located on the back.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4400/codes.htm#1101572
Have you tried a different monitor?I finally got it working last night, but I solved one problem only to find another.

I had been using two sticks of memory, both of which I knew were good. I had tested them together and individually. Last night, I unintentionally solved the problem by plugging a memory stick into slot 1 and nothing into slot 0, and it worked right away. After playing around with it a whole bunch, I found that anytime I plug anything into slot 0, I get no display, and my diagnostic lights show the code for "other." But either of my memory sticks will work just fine as long as they are plugged into slot 1, and nothing is in slot 0. I know that I am not using too much memory because each stick is only 256MB and the computer supports 1GB.

I would really like to be able to use both memory slots so that I can use both memory sticks. Any ideas why plugging memory that was otherwise working into slot 0 would cause me to get no video out?Go into BIOS and see if there is an option to enable or disable dual channel mode.Quote from: JJ 3000 on October 29, 2009, 05:22:35 PM

Go into BIOS and see if there is an option to enable or disable dual channel mode.

I don't have the internet at home right now, so I will have to go home and try it, but what will I be looking for?

Like I said, it is not an issue with using two memory sticks at once, I get the same problem when I only use one memory stick, but plug it into slot 0.Quote from: JJ 3000 on October 29, 2009, 05:22:35 PM

Go into BIOS and see if there is an option to enable or disable dual channel mode.

Nothing there. Slot appears to be dead.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4400/syssetup.htm#1097056

Solve : Motherboard problems??

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