Raza, the time frame only pertained to "TESTING" using USB Keyboard, & F2 F12 functionality! At 30 minutes of pressing those keys, I quit pressing, left the machine in that condition, for 1+ hours, found machine timed out, & shutdown, Then I REMOVED the USB KEYBOARD it booted to windows perhaps 2 minutes, loading of startups slow, but liveable. Multiple approaches have been tried to enter, and update this bios, a rational existed for the test, Here's my prediction removing hardware, perhaps naive but: After removing hardware & replacing comes the BOOT, something won't get to the BIOS, and the BIOS will, proceed from, stored data. The new info never has a chance, the bridge the UPDATE must cross is not crossable. IMO the fix is OEM factory reset which would install necessary bridge for updates to reach BIOS. Then Optane can be addressed/evaluated. Removing hardware, think, is that bios, loses/refreshes (forced refresh actually), yes (CMOS bat gone ensures BIOS refresh. Problem is the bridge to BIOS is two way, I believe the bios has failed bridge so info does not arrive or leave the bios, and that USB keyboard causes backdoor entry, and that backdoor was not functional.
Removing all hardware will cause your PC to stop after POST on a blank screen with an error that no bootable device found or some such. But you will still be able to access the BIOS. And that is the goal here. You do not need any hardware attached to enter the BIOS. There is no bridge at this stage. So, if you have time please run those tests in the order written, and let me know what was the result.
So with the hardware removed, & BIOS not finding the expected, gives the F2, to facilitate the usually suspected. So the sensor awareness of bios of the periphery comes from hardware/motherboard connection & not periphery connection via cable. The same was expected via USB, if hardware removal fails, to show access F2 = Toast ? For understanding removing some hardware, does not bring up post boot opportunity, just all hardware removed causes post, F2 showing. BrianK wrote, "Raza, Do you know if a Dell factory restore partition is available? I don't. Rico would need an Entire drive image from the previous HD." The factory restore partition, is NOT on DISK. Yes "drive image from previous HD! Yes! Given my BIOS condition how can I put that previous image onto this machine now? My thought was 'boot disk' that fails cannot get past UEFI, boots back to Windows. How about retry the boot disk, but with UEFI off 'RUFUS, and some way from there, restoring the image from the previous HDD. I believe that's the fix, not a workaround. Also, removing hardware so as to coax access to BIOS, would not make the required partition, but changes could be made, possibly. What stands in the way of restoring the earlier image, I'm stuck at windows booting from my boot disk
Rico, I was unable to understand whether you were able to enter BIOS from your post. 1- With Optane, HDD and DVD drive removed, were you able to enter BIOS? Yes/No? 2- If yes, then with just the HDD attached were you able to enter BIOS and then afterwards able to boot into Windows? Yes/No? --- Don't worry about Dell factory restore. When your BIOS and booting issues are corrected you can download the Dell factory restore image from the link below, by providing your Dell Service Tag. Your computer will be restored back to the factory state. But that comes later. https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/osiso/recoverytool/wt64a https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...e-dell-os-recovery-image-in-microsoft-windows
Rico, does your monitor still not show the Dell logo screen? The screen that prompts you to press F2 or F12. Edit... When you started your computer with the HDD, CD drive and Optane memory not connected, what did you see on the monitor?
Maybe I'm wrong about XPS systems, but my experience with Dell recovery media, is that it does not restore a computer to factory state. It just does a clean install of Windows, usually an outdated build, with the addition of some Dell tools such as Dell Command Update and Dell Digital Recovery. It's better to use Microsoft's Media Creation Tool, which will download the latest build of Windows, to save the additional step of having to upgrade to the latest build of Windows after using Dell's recovery media. After installing Windows and then installing all available Windows Updates, you can download Dell Command Update. Dell Command Update has a feature called Advanced Driver Restore, which is supported on some XPS systems. It downloads and installs all the drivers Dell provides for your computer. After installing the updates and rebooting, you can run Dell Command Update again, and use it to check for BIOS, firmware and driver updates.
@roger_m, I have not used this Dell OS Recovery myself, I prefer to do a clean install too. But going by the second link in my previous post, this tool is supposed to install the version of OS, Dell software and system drivers that were on the system when it was shipped. Point 6 and 7 on that link tells you to first use the non-automated method to install the OS and drivers, and then you can run the tool again and choose the automated method to install everything else. The automated method is available for select systems only and XPS is one of those systems.
My experience with using it on Dell Latitudes, is that you get a basically clean install of Windows, with no drivers from Dell installed. After you boot Windows for the first time, a Dell app will launch which will tell you to run Windows Update to check for updates and then it will launch Dell Command Update, where you can install the drivers provided by Dell. Also, for some models, the recovery tool will create bootable Windows recovery media and for some other models it creates bootable recovery media, which just has a recovery environment which will download and install Windows, rather than creating a standard Windows ISO. When creating the recovery environment it saves your Wi-Fi password, so if you're using Wi-Fi, you don't need to enter your Wi-Fi password when using the recovery environment to download Windows.
@roger_m Then I will defer to your experience. I was only going by the description on the dell's website and their language is fairly deceptive, giving the impression that using it will restore your PC to factory state.
Hi Guys, At the time of HDD swap-out, at the install of Windows, I chose "FULL FORMAT" < intentional do over>, I chose at the PARTITION table showing, and un-ticked Dell Recover partition. I indeed thought it was a pretty useless partition, and proceeded. Naturally, the machine required a reboot, and DELL LOGO SCREEN GONE. At windows log off, little spinning circle, mouse still works, Win OS off no mouse. Black Screen till Windows 1. tapping continuously tapping F2 or F12 entire black bootin process, stop tapping at win log on. NO BIOS 2. tried USB fail 3. BrianK command win to bios fail 4. cmos removed, retry enter bios fail The dell recovery screen < oem futzing of win >, would be included on mfg's do over partition, this would be reinstalled. but tell me how, to control or arrive at boot disk. Your stuck you cannot turn off UEFI. Enter RUFUS defeats UEFI then navigate to factory reboot. And perhaps enter the bios This very well could turn out to be a failed MB IMO. Other problems exist. If given the problem can you boot to a 'boot disk' without switching off UEFI? Better can a Macrium Rescue disk be made that defeats UEFI and continues to boot to Macrium rescue GUI? I have Macrium back-up from prior to , my partition removal.
Rico, good to see you again. On searching Dell posts for your computer model and BIOS I found this.... No Dell logo screen .F2 as well as F12 not working. Just as you experienced. Several people found it was a fault with the graphics card and fixed the problem by removing the graphics card. So can you try this... Shutdown and unplug the power cord. Remove the graphics card from the computer. Plug the monitor cable into the onboard graphics port. Restart the computer. Can you now see the Dell logo screen containing the F2 and F12 options?
Hello Rico, welcome back! We were concerned when you suddenly stopped posting. Yes there is a way. I wrote a tutorial here at Wilders way back in 2011 that allows someone to boot into a WinPE based recovery environment on their PC without using any external media. The tutorial is still valid. All you need to do is to create a Macrium recovery media, and then copy its contents to your C Partition. Here is the link to the tutorial. Let me know if you have any questions about it. https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thr...onment-without-using-a-bootable-media.303906/ - Please try Brian's suggestion first. It might resolve your issue, and then you no longer need the tutorial.
Hi Raza, Nice to be missed! That looks perfect & I will ask too many questions. The old Dell has other problems to boot This machine is now rated "experimental", as it's showing age, other issues, & a mystery bios. Replaced with Win11pro MINI pc Will assume the day-to-day chores. The backup set is already on the HDD old Dell, so from your tutorial, I can bypass UEFI > boot into recovery environment > then navigate to the backup set.
@briank good find. This has/had a fast GPU ( I did F@H utilizes GPU for speed); I did have HDMI plugged into GPU /monitor, then the sound stopped working, sound from MB fix. I'll try that first & report back. I was wrong Sound failed MB mini jack (green), switched to MB's HDMI port
Rico, you haven't described what you have done. Did you remove the graphics card and plug the monitor into the onboard graphics port? Can you now see the Dell logo screen?
Removed EVGA 1050 ti, rebooted, all seemed good except that big circle, with Dells name in the middle, must have been a glitch as it went away quickly Great find Brian, I was barking up the wrong tree, with Dell Recovery partition holding any boot/update requirements. Optane is still off I'll try updating the dad gum BiOS. THANK YOU
F12 Works visited BIOS, took pics each screen ck list for optane < enabled > ok in BIOS Dell tag found, installed > rebooted > check Dell still FAILed to update: current bios 1.1.28 most current! So far version 1.1.30 won't stick is! It's not a big deal, but why it won't stick is interesting. BIOS referenced 1.1.29 could no find dl to try. Next update attempt: usb <with upload> F12 > stay tuned
With Bios update 1.1.30 on USB rear, plug inserted. Reboot > tries to update > windows > check bios ver. old 1.1.28 <intended 1.1.30> Note: The screen was black for a few minutes during the attempted updating, then proceeded to Windows. This is different than a normal boot, so the oddity in the boot is the attempt to write to the bios from the update fails and continues to Windows with old bios. Now with f2 functional 2 failed methods to update bios, other methods contained in this thread will be tried to update. BIOS. IMO Old Dell is ready for pasture.
Try installing bios update to different media then try updating again. And check the hash of the bios update.
@Rico It is good that you got your booting into BIOS issue fixed. If your PC is running fine there is no need to update the BIOS. Were you able to get Optane working? My advice will be to buy an ssd for your PC and get rid of optane. You will notice a sudden boost in your PC's performance by just substituting an ssd in place of a mechanical HDD as a boot drive.
I'm aware of the necessity of NOT updating BIOS when no problems exist. I will try alternate media & methods to update BIOS. Then SSD/Optane.
@Raza0007 @Brian K - Okay! SSD must be cheap, & easy setup. How does the OS migrate to SSD is that auto with SSD software or Macrium? Does the optane module stay in the machine? Size? Now Find explore! That GPU pulled (restored Dell logo screen <boot> anyway to easily test if the card is functional? If I put the GPU back in the Dell. Can it be determined what is showing video? on board MB graphics or GPU Plugging in a GPU in a PCIE slot normally turns off MB graphics processing and allows GPU to handle the screen. In that case GPU in the machine, if it's running on MB, then the card could be bad or the slot the card goes in does not work. Trash or cardboard box for GPU?
