Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400

philb7 · 12-22-2007, 01:32 AM

My Dell Dim 2400 2.4 GHz 1G Ram seems to stall in Post for several minutes before starting HD boot to XP. XP runs fast no problems. Ran Dell diagnostics which found no problems. Flashed Bios. Cleared and rest bios. Used to boot very fast through bios before. Post LEDs change colors on power up and go all green when booted to XP. Everything works fine, just VERY slow on initial post?? Frustrated!!

EricMexico · 12-22-2007, 05:55 AM

Have you changed any hardware recently? Can you see where the PC stalls in the POST/ boot-up process? Before or after RAM check? Or when its detecting the hard disks? etc..

philb7 · 12-22-2007, 03:45 PM

Yes I had changed PCI cards previously. When it started to act up I took out everything but the network card for my DSL. System hardware does not show any problem there. Unfortionately Dell has a propietary bios with limited settings. It doe not allow for full post boot display either. The Dell support site does not have any relative issues posted. I have run full diagnostics even CHKDSK to no evail.

EricMexico · 12-22-2007, 04:22 PM

I have seen this problem before a few times. But wasn't with a Dell, and I can't remember what caused the problem. I should keep logs, but I'm too lazy. I think before it was a hard drive issue. I know this may sound strange, but have you considered changing the CMOS battery? How old it the computer? I have seen bad CMOS batteries do stranger things, but it may be worth a try. I am curious if you dissconnect the hard drive, how long does it take to ask for a boot device?

philb7 · 12-22-2007, 04:46 PM

Thanks. I've tried everything else. The Dell 2400 is a 2003 build. I'll go buy it a new battery and see what happens.

EricMexico · 12-22-2007, 05:36 PM

Do you have any external USB or firewire devices connected at the boot up? Digital cameras, card readers, external CD-ROM drives, printers, etc... Disconnect any if you do and try a reboot.

philb7 · 12-23-2007, 01:22 AM

Finally got it working normally again. I did replace the battery but it didn't change anything. So I decided to check out the power supply and found that the -5 was dead. Replaced the power supply. Still slow. So then I ran CCleaner to clean the Registry. It found about 150 errors which I let it clean out. Rebooted and WOW it works. I was starting to think the power issue might have damaged the CPU but everything cleared up. I should get a new battery for myself. These were simple things I should have tried before!
Thanks for the help.

EricMexico · 12-23-2007, 07:00 AM

No problem. I'm glad its working well again.

hpber · 03-19-2009, 06:35 AM

Experienced the same problem with Dell Vostro 200. Changed Power supply, tried with different graphics card and so on. The problem remained with very slow BIOS (about 10 min to start booting) but XP running without any problems.

Solution: It was a cordless mouse receiver (Logitech MX1100) attached to an external USB Hub. Just plugged the USB-receiver-stick directly to the onboard root hub (to the computer itself) and all was back to normal.

Greetings
hpber

12-22-2007, 01:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
philb7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 68 OS: WIN XP SP2	Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400 My Dell Dim 2400 2.4 GHz 1G Ram seems to stall in Post for several minutes before starting HD boot to XP. XP runs fast no problems. Ran Dell diagnostics which found no problems. Flashed Bios. Cleared and rest bios. Used to boot very fast through bios before. Post LEDs change colors on power up and go all green when booted to XP. Everything works fine, just VERY slow on initial post?? Frustrated!!

12-22-2007, 05:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
EricMexico Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 24 OS: xp sp2	Re: Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400 Have you changed any hardware recently? Can you see where the PC stalls in the POST/ boot-up process? Before or after RAM check? Or when its detecting the hard disks? etc..

12-22-2007, 03:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
philb7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 68 OS: WIN XP SP2	Re: Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400 Yes I had changed PCI cards previously. When it started to act up I took out everything but the network card for my DSL. System hardware does not show any problem there. Unfortionately Dell has a propietary bios with limited settings. It doe not allow for full post boot display either. The Dell support site does not have any relative issues posted. I have run full diagnostics even CHKDSK to no evail.

12-22-2007, 04:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
EricMexico Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 24 OS: xp sp2	Re: Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400 I have seen this problem before a few times. But wasn't with a Dell, and I can't remember what caused the problem. I should keep logs, but I'm too lazy. I think before it was a hard drive issue. I know this may sound strange, but have you considered changing the CMOS battery? How old it the computer? I have seen bad CMOS batteries do stranger things, but it may be worth a try. I am curious if you dissconnect the hard drive, how long does it take to ask for a boot device?

12-22-2007, 04:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
philb7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 68 OS: WIN XP SP2	Re: Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400 Thanks. I've tried everything else. The Dell 2400 is a 2003 build. I'll go buy it a new battery and see what happens.

12-22-2007, 05:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
EricMexico Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 24 OS: xp sp2	Re: Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400 Do you have any external USB or firewire devices connected at the boot up? Digital cameras, card readers, external CD-ROM drives, printers, etc... Disconnect any if you do and try a reboot.

12-23-2007, 01:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
philb7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 68 OS: WIN XP SP2	Re: Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400 Finally got it working normally again. I did replace the battery but it didn't change anything. So I decided to check out the power supply and found that the -5 was dead. Replaced the power supply. Still slow. So then I ran CCleaner to clean the Registry. It found about 150 errors which I let it clean out. Rebooted and WOW it works. I was starting to think the power issue might have damaged the CPU but everything cleared up. I should get a new battery for myself. These were simple things I should have tried before! Thanks for the help.

12-23-2007, 07:00 AM	#8 (permalink)
EricMexico Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 24 OS: xp sp2	Re: Post VERY slow - then boots OK DELL 2400 No problem. I'm glad its working well again.

03-19-2009, 06:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
hpber Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1 OS: xp	Check out USB Experienced the same problem with Dell Vostro 200. Changed Power supply, tried with different graphics card and so on. The problem remained with very slow BIOS (about 10 min to start booting) but XP running without any problems. Solution: It was a cordless mouse receiver (Logitech MX1100) attached to an external USB Hub. Just plugged the USB-receiver-stick directly to the onboard root hub (to the computer itself) and all was back to normal. Greetings hpber