Cause information is not available.
Definitions
We can define the 4 states of No Post, No Power, No Video and No Boot as follows:
No Post (Power On Self-Test)Once the Power button is pressed, the computer goes through a series of internal checks. If any of these checks fail, the computer does not boot to Windows and the diagnostic LEDs and or power button LED should illuminate to indicate the problem.
No PowerOnce the Power button is pressed, no Diagnostics LED's will illuminate nor the Power button LED, the computer does not boot to Windows and there will be no signs of power to the computer, keyboard, or mouse.
No VideoOnce the Power button is pressed, the computer will turn on and goes to the POST checks where you may see the Diagnostic LED's illuminate for a short period, the Power button LED illuminates and the keyboard LEDs but there is no sign of video on the display. You may hear Windows login sounds, but the screen is blank.
No BootOnce the computer has loaded the Dell splash screen and then finished the POST checks, the Dell splash screen goes off and the computer hands over to the Operating System. If the operating system does not start for any reason, this is called a No Boot.
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No Post Issues
The term POST refers to Power-On Self-Test, which is a series of checks the computer goes through whenever it starts. If the computer fails any of these tests, it stops the start-up process and report a fault. This informative YouTube video (English only, not available in China) will also give general information about this topic.
Indications of a failed POST include:
- If the computer is displaying the Dell logo and does not move past that point, it has probably failed POST.
- If the power light lights up and it is amber or orange, this is usually an indicator that it has failed POST.
- If you see any text on a black screen, the computer is performing the POST. If the computer stays in that condition and does not move past it, it has probably failed POST.
- If the monitor displayed anything at all during the startup process but is now black, this probably indicates that the computer failed POST.
- If the computer is beeping or if Diagnostic LEDs/Power LEDs are flashing, note down if there is a particular pattern in which it beeps or flashes and the colors seen.
- If the computer is not beeping and the Diagnostic LEDs and caps/num/scroll lock LEDs are not flashing or lit, unplug all connections and remove all media communication devices (for example external monitors); reconnect one at a time and check if the computer functions.
Try these quick steps to recover your computer from a POST or startup issue.
NOTES:
- For information about computer beep codes, see your product Manual or see our article Understanding Beep Codes on a Dell Desktop Personal Computer
- For information about Desktop LED codes, see Diagnostic Indicators for your Desktop Personal Computer
Follow the link below to continue troubleshooting if you have a Laptop personal computer:
- How to Troubleshoot a No POST Issue on a Dell Personal Computer
Listed in the table below are a series of errors and suggested troubleshooting. To determine the error on your computer, consult the diagnostic indicators that are built into your Dell computer.
NOTE: The diagnostic LEDs only serve as an indicator of the progress through the POST process. These LEDs do not indicate the problem that caused the POST routine to stop.
The computer is either turned off or not receiving power. |
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A possible system board failure has occurred. |
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A possible system board, power supply (PSU), or device failure has occurred. |
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No CPU present |
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Memory modules are detected, but a memory power failure has occurred. |
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A possible CPU or system board failure has occurred. |
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BIOS may be corrupt or missing. |
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A possible system board failure has occurred. |
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Power connector not installed properly. |
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Possible device card or system board failure has occurred. |
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A possible system board failure has occurred. |
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A possible coin cell battery failure has occurred. |
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The computer is in a normal on condition. The diagnostic lights are not lit after the computer successfully boots to the operating system. |
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A possible processor failure has occurred. |
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Memory modules are detected, but a memory failure has occurred. |
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A possible graphics card failure has occurred. |
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A possible floppy drive or hard drive failure has occurred. |
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A possible USB failure has occurred. |
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No memory modules are detected. |
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Memory modules are detected, but a memory configuration or compatibility error has occurred. |
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A possible expansion card failure has occurred. |
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A possible system board resource and/or hardware failure has occurred. |
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Another failure has occurred. |
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No Power Issues
Computers have a power light that glows when it is receiving power.
On Desktops the front panel of the computer case has LED near the power button.
Try these quick steps to recover your Dell computer from a power issue.
Try the following steps to resolve a desktop no-powering situation:
Try a different wall outlet, and power it on.
Reseat the power cable which is connected to the Power Supply of the computer and power the Desktop on.
Swap the power cable of the Monitor with the computer power cable and turn on the Desktop.
- Check the power supply unit (PSU). To verify if the power supply unit of the Dell desktop computer is working, see the Dell knowledge base article How to Run a Diagnostic Test On The Power Supply Unit of a Dell Desktop.
Identifying desktop startup issues - No POST
Duration: 01:15
Closed captions: English only
For more information about Desktop No Power Issues, please check out this links page:
- Solution guides for No Power Issues on your Dell Desktop
The table lists errors and suggested troubleshooting for that error. To determine the error on your computer, consult the diagnostic indicators that are built into your Dell computer. You can find a guide to these indicators on the articles listed below:
- Diagnostic Indicators (OptiPlex Desktops.)
- Understanding Beep/LED Codes on a Dell Desktop Personal Computer
NOTE: The diagnostic LEDs only serve as an indicator of the progress through the POST process. These LEDs do not indicate the problem that caused the POST routine to stop.
The computer is either turned off or not receiving power. |
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No Video issues
If the power indications are normal but there is never any video that is seen on the computer's display during the startup process, this probably indicates a No Video issue.
If your monitor has a power supply, ensure that the monitor has a power light showing that it is turned on.
Try these quick steps to resolve video issues on a Dell computer.
To troubleshoot a No Video issue, click the link below:
- How to Troubleshoot a Dell Desktop Monitor
Listed below you will see a table that gives both an error and the suggested troubleshooting for that error. To know what the error is on your personal computer, you must consult the diagnostic indicators that are built into your Dell computer. You can find a guide to these indicators on the articles listed below:
- Diagnostic Indicators (OptiPlex Desktops.)
- Understanding Beep/LED Codes on a Dell Desktop Personal Computer
NOTE: The diagnostic LEDs only serve as an indicator of the progress through the POST process. These LEDs do not indicate the problem that caused the POST routine to stop.
The computer is in a normal on condition. The diagnostic lights are not lit after the computer successfully boots to the operating system but there is no display showing. |
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No Boot Issues
After the computer completes the Power-On Self-Test, it will attempt to boot the operating system.
If the computer advances past the Dell logo screen and then stops responding attempting to load the operating system, it is most likely a No Boot issue.
Troubleshoot further on the links below:
- How to Troubleshoot a Hard Drive Not Detected error on a Dell Personal Computer
- How to resolve the "No Boot Device Available" error with AMT
- Hard Drive Fails with an Error during the Dell Diagnostics
Choose the article appropriate to your Operating System (OS):
- Computer Does Not Boot to Microsoft Windows Vista
- Computer Does Not Boot to Microsoft Windows 7
- Computer Will Not Boot to Microsoft Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
- Computer Will Not Boot to Microsoft Windows 10
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Clear CMOS Settings
The RTCRST jumper allows you to clear NVRAM. The NVRAM is cleared when the jumper is closed. (You can use the jumper from the password bridge.) Remember that it is always best practice to remove the power cable from the personal computer before opening the lid or access panel and going inside. To properly clear the CMOS, AC power must be applied to the computer for about 10 seconds while the jumper is closed. (This does not necessarily mean turning the computer on, putting power across the motherboard is enough.) Please browse to Clearing CMOS by removing and reseating the CMOS battery for visual guides to this process.
Pins 1-2 shorted clears NVRAM
WARNING: Resetting CMOS on this platform clears the Management Engine BIOS Extension (MEBx) settings including the MEBx password and all configured settings.
Disconnect the external power from the personal computer.
Remove the computer cover.
Locate the 2-pin password connector (PSWD) on the system board.
Remove the 2-pin jumper plug.
Locate the 2-pin CMOS jumper (RTCRST) on the system board.
Move the 2-pin jumper plug from the PSWD pins onto the RTCRST pins for approximately 5 secs.
Return the 2-pin jumper plug to the PSWD pins.
Replace the computer cover.
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Connect your computer to main power again, and turn it on.
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Beep Codes and Error Messages
The computer might emit a series of beeps during start-up if the display cannot show errors or problems. This series of beeps, called a beep code, can be used to help identify various problems.
Please see the article on Understanding Beep Codes on a Dell Desktop Personal Computer for more information.
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Dell Diagnostics
Dell Enhanced Preboot System Assessment, the ePSAs have been improved to streamline the entire diagnostic process.
NOTE: These diagnostics have been included on many, but not ALL Desktop Systems.
During the boot process, the ePSAs are accessed from a cold boot by pressing the power button ON and repeatedly pressing the F12 key until the BIOS Boot Menu appears on the screen.
Use the keyboard up and down arrow keys to select Diagnostics on the menu and press the Enter key. ePSA begins by checking an area in system memory to ensure it is safe and then loads itself into the verified memory area. ePSA then automatically begins high-level algorithms on all system memory to ensure integrity. ePSA next creates a graphical menu listing all discovered devices in the computer.
NOTE: For further information about ePSA Diagnostics, check out our:
- ePSA Diagnostics Guide
Here are some things to remember when running the ePSA Diagnostics:
- While the tests are running, the pointer (mouse or touchpad) is disabled. To exit the tests, press ESC.
- The version number of the ePSA Diagnostics is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen.
- The activity indicators (bars) that appear during the memory tests are not used as an indication of progress. They show the location of the memory being tested.
- Any errors along with the error code are displayed on the right side of the screen under the Results Window. A message also appears if a test fails.
Diagnose Hardware Issues
Duration: 01:34
Closed captions: English only
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Further Information
These 4 (four) issues are the most common reasons why you would be troubleshooting a problem outside of your Operating System.
They break down into 3 (three) outcomes:
You identify a hardware issue that reseating does not resolve and contact us to arrange a repair.
You identify a software issue and either resolve the issue or contact us for a resolution:
- You can find out how to identify your warranty status from the article below.
- How to Find Warranty Status and Information
- You can find out about the changes to Dell Support and the latest contact information for us on the link below.
- Solve problems faster using diagnostics that are built into your personal computer or available on the Dell Support Site or Contact Us directly.
Going through the troubleshooting results in fixing the fault, without a clear reason why:
- Once you are back into your operating system and online, you can take advantage of the Diagnostics Engine on our Support Site to do a thorough check of your personal computer.
- How to use the Dell Online Diagnostic Tool to troubleshoot your Dell Personal Computer
- What Dell diagnostic tools can I use to fix hardware problems?
- Run Integrated Diagnostics for Your Dell Computer
How to contact us on Twitter
Duration: 01:36
Closed captions: English only
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