BleepingComputer.com: Dell Dimension system won't boot

OK...I reconnected everything and noticed that the ribbon cable to the floppy drive had been disconnected from the MB (that would explain the FDD error messages) I don't know how I missed that. I didn't disconnect it, but whatever...

Then I removed the CMOS battery, held the power button for a count of 20, removed the CMOS jumper and powered the system up.and for the first time I see the Dell BIOS screen flash by. I still can't get into the BIOS, but after it flashes by, I get a message that states:
Invalid configuration information - please run SETUP program
then
Performing automatic IDE configuration...
SATA Primary Master: Disk Drive
SATA Secondary Master: Disk Drive
Secondary master: CD-Rom device
Secondary slave: CD-Rom device
Time-of-Day not set - please run SETUP program

I removed power, replaced the CMOS jumper and the CMOS battery and when I plugged in the power cord, the power supply fired right up without having to press the power button, but there is absolutely no video.

I powered it down by holding in the power button, removed the power cord and drained the MB power by holding in the power button. When I plugged in the power cord, it didn't power up automatically so I pressed the power button and the power supply starts but once again I have absolutely no video.

So I power it down by holding in the power button, drain the MB power, remove the (original) video card and install my known working AGP video card and when I power it up I get:

The Dell BIOS screen flashes by and then

Invalid configuration information - please run SETUP program
then
Performing automatic IDE configuration...
SATA Primary Master: Disk Drive
SATA Secondary Master: Disk Drive
Secondary master: CD-Rom device
Secondary slave: CD-Rom device
Time-of-Day not set - please run SETUP program

At least I have video but I can't seem to get into the BIOS

I power it down by holding in the power button, drain the MB power and when I power it up again, I get the single beep followed by the message about failure at checkpoint [PNP2].

Baffled is what I am.

To enter the BIOS you would need to hit DEL or whatever is displayed on the screen.

When I asked at what part of the POST Process I need specifics like this:

The PNP2 error appears just after the RAM Test, Just after the Hard Drive Detection, and stuff like that.

Just a thought?
Have you tried running a Live Linux cd? just to rule out whether it is Hardware or Software problems?

Cryptodan,

I work on Dell PCs every day and to get into the BIOS it's the F2 key, but with this particular problem the only time I can get the BIOS screen to come up where the F2 choice is displayed, is after I've removed the CMOS battery and jumper, and even when it comes up, I press F2 until my face is blue and the system won't go into the BIOS.
Every time after that first time following the CMOS battery removal, the ONLY thing that happens when I power it up is the single beep followed by the PNP error. So for me to tell you at what point it's happening is difficult. It's the only thing that's happening.

And for D_N_M, I would love to try to get it to boot to a Linux CD, but again, I can't get into the BIOS screen to change the boot order or even get a system response to the BIOS screen when it comes up to press the F12 (boot options) choice.

D_N_M, on 12 July 2011 - 08:36 PM, said:

D_N_M, on 13 July 2011 - 03:09 AM, said:

The machine will not even boot up to allow such troubleshooting.

PDM, on 13 July 2011 - 05:07 AM, said:

It seems to me that the CMOS is so corrupt that I think it would be cheaper to replace the system.

I very much appreciate everyone's help with this.

Just to close this out, while I was at work yesterday my brother called and asked about the progress. I told him that I had spent several quality hours with you folks working on this but there was no resolution.
He decided that he needed it badly and wanted to take it to a local shop. Turns out that there were four capacitors on the MB under the heat sink that were bulged. I looked for that but didn't see them. That would not be something I would even tackle anyway. Bottom line - for $100 he has his system back up and running.

Thanks again to all for all your suggestions.

You are welcome.