Dell motherboard problem...

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Hey everyone. I needed to get a new motherboard for my Dimensions 4100. I got a direct replacement for it off of the internet. The only difference is that the old motherboard had version A04 BOIS and the new one is A08. FYI, the model number (if it means anything) is DS/N PR-097UJY-12461-093-00LH. My problem is that after installing the new motherboard, the DELL screan pops up and is there for about 2 mins before anything happens. By the way, the only things hooked up is one CD-Rom, one blank HD, and the monitor card. When booting from my Windows CD (Full version) it gets all the way to the first screan (ie. Press enter to begin setup on a blue screan) then it freezes. I am not sure if I need to update the BIOS or not but that is what I am in the process of doing right now but the file for the 4100 Ver. A08 BIOD update is not working. Do you think that is the problem? I don't know what to do. If I can't get it figured out I'm going to have fun bashing the face of this computer in and I am almost there. Please help. Thanks.

Brian

By the way, I formated the HD on my buddys computer and gave it the drive letter of Z for the time being. Not sure if it makes a difference or not.
 
if the mobo`s are the same and you still have them and the only different thing between them is the BIOS you can remove the BIOS chip from the old one to the new one. If it is possible for you to do that just give me a shout for further instructions
 
Thanks for the reply. The mistake I made which is why I needed to replace the motherboard is that I was reformating my computer, as I do about every 6-12 months as a preventative maintenance problem, by inserting my HD disk that came with it. I use the disk to "Zero" out the HD and acidentally clicked on the BIOS on the mobo for a format. I am assuming I essentialy erased the BIOS from the old motherboard which I why I needed a replacement.

Does that make sense? if so, just out of curriosity, why the BIOS chip need replacement?
 
Does that make sense
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yes m8, too bad about that.

why the BIOS chip need replacement?
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its just an option, the BIOS chip is usually a 32pin smt chip that is in a socket on the mobo and is removable. I was thinging of just swaping them but that is not an option for you :(
 
Darn....any other ideas. It's just freezing on me. I was thinking something about the internal clock but don't know enough about things like this to know if that is the problem.....
 
ghostfacesuk said:
what cpu/psu/hdd do you have
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Sorry but what is the psu and hdd??? Are you saying that I could have easily just re-installed the BIOS onto the old motherboard?
 
Sorry but what is the psu and hdd???
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Hard Disk Drive & Power Suppy Unit

It don`t sound like a BIOS problem but you might want to try that tractorboy said
have you tried clearing the cmos ?
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i think there is summing up with your PC hardware wise.

If your PC is still under warrenty i would just send it back to be repaired.
 
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no warrenty. how do I clear the CMOS. Sorry for the questions. As I said before, I know enough to get by but not extreamly technical. Also, what would that accomplish? Just out of curiosity.
 
Per the advice of someone else in another forum, I poped out the battery and disconected the power supply and held the power on button for a few mins. I am assuming he was having me reset the CMOS because the date and time was no longer set. didn't work..... It still freezes on me
 
Im not to sure that it is a BIOS problem, If you can try getting hold of a PSU (POWER SUPPY UNIT) and plug that one instead. The same thing happend to me a while age when i was installing XP on a older PC. It seemed to do the trick !. Im not saying that is your problem but it is worth a shot if you can get hold of a different PSU.
 
x-star said:
Sorry but what is the psu and hdd??? Are you saying that I could have easily just re-installed the BIOS onto the old motherboard?
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Yes, you can just reload the bios by flashing it. Find the manufacturer of the motherboard (NOT Dell) and find what kind of bios it uses. A new mobo sounded like overkill for this problem, since you know exactly what happened (you did it).

However, I'm not really sure why the new mobo/bios wouldn't recognize the stuff - I've never had a motherboard not find anything.

Sure you got everything plugged in and jumpers in the right positions?
 
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