Dell e310 no access to bios or usb keyboards

#1 Evilmeeko

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Posted 18 May 2009 - 12:47 PM

My dell e310 won't boot, even to the Bios. It needs a USB mouse and keyboard (it has no PS2 options in back. Problem is the battery was changed, so the bios needs to enter setup to boot to change the time, etc. NO USB ports will recognize the USB keyboard (and i tried several other keyboards, slots, and even two PCI usb cards, no luck). What's going on? The mouse will power on to show the red LED(optical) but no luck when the keyboard gets plugged in there, even after a reboot.
(all other parts are stock, and no recent changes).
Thank you

***update*** 17 views, no ideas? ANYthing?

This post has been edited by Evilmeeko: 19 May 2009 - 06:38 AM

#2 Sneakycyber

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Posted 19 May 2009 - 05:33 PM

Have you tried letting it sit for a minute or two then trying to enter the bios setup? If you only have USB ports then the motherboard should have USB legacy support enabled by default otherwise you would never be able to get into the bios. Sometimes it takes a minute or two before the keyboard and mouse are recognized.

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#3 Evilmeeko

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Posted 21 May 2009 - 10:57 AM

thank you.. yes i tried to let it sit for an hour.. no luck.. maybe a bad USB resistor? how come the add-in cards won't work in DOS? if i loaded them in windows first?

#4 Dev Mgr

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Posted 21 May 2009 - 11:16 AM

Evilmeeko, on May 21 2009, 10:57 AM, said:

thank you.. yes i tried to let it sit for an hour.. no luck.. maybe a bad USB resistor? how come the add-in cards won't work in DOS? if i loaded them in windows first?

This is because add-in cards don't have their own bios extensions, so you have to load a driver to be able to use the card. Windows (and Linux) load this when booting, but dos drivers probably don't even exist for your add-in card.

#5 Evilmeeko

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Posted 27 May 2009 - 06:58 AM

everything has been step by step.. i tried booting with just ram, mobo, graphics and psu.. i just get to the enter bios to fix time screen.. i plug in a usb keyboard and nothing.. and i tried booting it with the keyboard.. nothing

#6 Sneakycyber

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Posted 27 May 2009 - 09:59 AM

hmm is your CD/rom set to boot first? Have you tried booting to the restore CD or to an xp install disk?

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#7 Evilmeeko

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 12:34 PM

Yes i tried booting to CD.. i cannot get past the post screen where it asks to "enter setup" to adjust date/time. the USB ports are lighting up, so i know they work.. this is ridiculous.. i have reset the CMOS and replaced the battery and used a different PSU, graphics, RAM.. what is left to do????

#8 fairjoeblue

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 12:59 PM

Was the computer unplugged when the battery was changed ?

You might try opening the computer, locating the jumper to clear the CMOS, & use it to clear anysettings.

If you do that & still can't get into the BIOS I suggest calling Dell support & asking them.
[Not trying to be a smart alec]

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#9 Evilmeeko

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 02:40 PM

not to be a smartass either, but you obviously didn't read my post very well. i already CLEAREd and reset the CMOS several times with the jumper as i stated. the computer was unplugged, yes. And i am not calling Dell support for what they charge.. its ridiculous. this is an older computer (it is not mine, i am repairing it). any other ways to automatically fix the time/date thing ?

#10 Sneakycyber

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 02:55 PM

I am at a loss for the moment will keep pondering the problem. Hopefully we can come up with something. The MB may be bad thats the only other logical conclusion at the moment.

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#11 hamluis

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 03:00 PM

There is nothing in the BIOS that is "automatically fixed."

Time/date are just two of the settings there...most of the settings can be manually adjusted/changed once inside the BIOS.

If you can't get in the BIOS...the only thing you can do is

a. Restore default settings (but you can't adjust those if you cannot get in)

b. Flash the BIOS and hope for the best. This isn't guaranteed to have any positive result.

Louis

Well...you could always try a different keyboard, they do go bad (just like anything else manmade).

Louis

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#12 Evilmeeko

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 04:21 PM

I have tried SEVERAL USB keyboards, and ps2 (with the adapter) as well, as i stated above in the first post...

The motherboard was working (albeit with usb issues) before it was moved (gently) and the battery fell out (yeah i know). That caused the time/date to reset and thus not allow me back in to the OS until it was readjusted (which i can't do due to the keyboard not being recognized..

WILL THE FLASHING OF THE BIOS WORK IF I CAN'T GET THAT FAR?? how would i do that? floppy? isn't the floppy read AFTER the POST and Bios screen? that won't help

#13 fairjoeblue

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 05:37 PM

"The motherboard was working (albeit with usb issues) "

With the new enlightenment I suggest that the USB controller in the southbridge chipset has failed completely.

I think you will eventually come to the conclusion that the only fix is to replace the motherboard.

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#14 Sneakycyber

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Posted 28 May 2009 - 07:20 PM

Seems the comon problem has been the USB issue. That cant be fixed easily. The system is equipped with a P4 You can find Motherboards on Amazon for 30-55 bucks. I personally have the biostar P4M900M4 but it requires DDR2 memory. Also you can use a 478-775 adapter and get a socket 775 board, but you will need DDR2 memory as well. I purchased my board from Newegg.com.

~Chad Mockensturm~
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Tiffin University / Owens Community College
Gracious thanks to Eset Antivirus for their continued support!