My Dell Inspiron 6000 will not start.

[Tenma Kodomo]

My Dell Inspiron 6000 refuses to startup. When I press the power or the play button to turn it on, the Numbers, caps and scroll lights flash as usual. The power light and the one next to that also turns on (the light in-between the power indicator and the charger indicator) but then the numbers and scroll light turns of but the caps lock light remains on. It then flashes approximately ten time before the power cuts.

I have also noted that I can hear the hard drive start to spin before it makes a strange sound and at that instant, the entire system shuts down. I haven't downloaded anything or installed anything new, however, recently my charger stopped working and I replaced it with a new one. But I highly doubt that that is the problem.

I would seriously appreciate any and all help with this issue.

Thank you,

Tenma~

[wpfiffer]

Tenma,

remove the battery, disconnect from mains and press the power button for about a minute, install battery or connect to mains and try to boot.
Any difference?

regards
W.

[Tenma Kodomo]

Nope, no change. Is there anything else I could try?

[wpfiffer]

Tenma,

Nope, no change. Is there anything else I could try?

well, perhaps you could describe the "strange noise" of the harddisk a bit more detailed.

Other than that:

Get your hands on an "Ultimate Boot CD" for DOS or for Windows, boot the system from that CD and run the diagnostics for the HDD.

Links:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

we are talking serious data amounts here, 196 MB or 115 MB resp., so, if you do not have access to some fast connection do not touch the downloads. You will need a PC or Laptop with a CD-Burner and some software able to make a CD out of the downloaded ISO-Image.

best regards
W.

[ssabir]

Hi, I too have similar problem with my Inspiron 6000 laptop, when I press power on button all LEDs come up for about 3 seconds. then a sound comes as if hrddisk access and laptop shuts down. Please help what could be the problem. how did you solve your problem. Nothing comes up on the screen. pls reply ASAP. thanks in advance.

Regards

Sabir

[tadgey]

Try www.laptop-repairs-london.co.uk There i found help with my laptop that would not boot up. Click the link for laptop not nooting .

My Dell Inspiron 6000 refuses to startup. When I press the power or the play button to turn it on, the Numbers, caps and scroll lights flash as usual. The power light and the one next to that also turns on (the light in-between the power indicator and the charger indicator) but then the numbers and scroll light turns of but the caps lock light remains on. It then flashes approximately ten time before the power cuts.

I have also noted that I can hear the hard drive start to spin before it makes a strange sound and at that instant, the entire system shuts down. I haven't downloaded anything or installed anything new, however, recently my charger stopped working and I replaced it with a new one. But I highly doubt that that is the problem.

I would seriously appreciate any and all help with this issue.

Thank you,

Tenma~

[ssabir]

no thanks, i fixed it myself,

[harman_1]

no thanks, i fixed it myself,

Hi There,

Could you please advise how you fixed it so some of us still stuck here could benefit?
I had a couple serious errors that Windows recovered from, after suddenly giving me the blue screen and shutting down. But then around the 3rd time, it wouldn't start up.
It lights up, the caps lock light flashes about 6 times, and the power cuts off, Have no clue what it could be. Doens't seem like a harddrive failure, just doesn't give me any response.

Would really appreciate if you were in the situation and it was resolved. Or if anyone else could help, would really appreciate.
Thank you,

Harman

[harman_1]

Nope, no change. Is there anything else I could try?

Did you end up getting it fixed?

[sittas87]

hey harman
try removing your cmos,while cmos is out keep in your power button for 10 seconds or so replace your cmos and see what happens.

[harman_1]

Do I do this with the battery in, or power supply connected?

[bigozone]

not trying to hijack somone else's answer,,, but i think having any power source connected while doing the CMOS batt drain would defeat the purpose of draing the the CMOS...

i would remove AC,, remove BATT,, then press power button a few times to drain any excess power before attempting the CMOS reset suggested...

but that's just my oppinion

later,
bigO

[sittas87]

did it work harman?if not try remembering the last actions before the computer started behaving funny

[harman_1]

hey harman
try removing your cmos,while cmos is out keep in your power button for 10 seconds or so replace your cmos and see what happens.

Thanks a bunch. Tried it couple of times, left battery out, didn't work, held it for a good long time, left battery out and used only power supply, and it started up.
Didn't make sense why it wouldn't start up though, thanks so much for the tip! Appreciate it greatly!

[harman_1]

did it work harman?if not try remembering the last actions before the computer started behaving funny

the computer was giving me some serious errors, and i would get the blue screen and it would shut down. it happened about 3 times, and then it just wouldnt' start up again.
i'm wondering what it could have been, since i have no idea why it happened, and am afraid of when it will happen again.

[sittas87]

inform me if there was any hardware changes lately.if not do first do a chkdsk following a system restore
ps.youre problem can and will be cured just work with me
??

[harman_1]

inform me if there was any hardware changes lately.if not do first do a chkdsk following a system restore
ps.youre problem can and will be cured just work with me
??

I didn't have any hardware changes. I was using the laptop for about 12 hours continuously the previous day. I thought it might got extra moisture, as I was wiping the laptop, cleaning it off with a moist cloth.
Several minutes later I got the blue screen, I would start it up again. Happened about 3 times, and then it just wouldn't start. I took out the CMOS and did what you said and it started up, and it seemed to work fine, I guess I should still follow through with a system restore, should I just choose a date before the incident?
I really appreciate your willingness to help, and appreciate it very much.
THANKS! :)

[harman_1]

I didn't have any hardware changes. I was using the laptop for about 12 hours continuously the previous day. I thought it might got extra moisture, as I was wiping the laptop, cleaning it off with a moist cloth.
Several minutes later I got the blue screen, I would start it up again. Happened about 3 times, and then it just wouldn't start. I took out the CMOS and did what you said and it started up, and it seemed to work fine, I guess I should still follow through with a system restore, should I just choose a date before the incident?
I really appreciate your willingness to help, and appreciate it very much.
THANKS! :)

So it was fixed, and I didn't use it afterwards for a couple days, and pressed the start button and the same thing!
Tried the cmos thing again, going to try again, might have to hold longer i guess, but it's just flashing the caps lock light and cutting off power after like 8 seconds.

[harman_1]

inform me if there was any hardware changes lately.if not do first do a chkdsk following a system restore
ps.youre problem can and will be cured just work with me
??

help?

[harman_1]

inform me if there was any hardware changes lately.if not do first do a chkdsk following a system restore
ps.youre problem can and will be cured just work with me
??

So, now it's not working. I've tried it as many ways possible, not putting the cmos battery back in, running on battery, or just on power supply, leaving it unplugged for half hour, pressing start button for 20 seconds, but it's giving me the same thing every single time......

[sittas87]

Hi
[sorry for late reply]
do you still get the blue screen...?can you go into normal windows or safe mode?if you can do a system restore and a chkdsk.

[harman_1]

Hi
[sorry for late reply]
do you still get the blue screen...?can you go into normal windows or safe mode?if you can do a system restore and a chkdsk.

Actually it doesn't go to any screen. It just gives me the flashing caps lock light.

[sittas87]

this is most likely a mobo failure and needs to be replaced.but first try getting real technical if you feel comfortable with your machine and make sure that there is no lack of power what so ever ie braking cable or checking battery cable to machine etc.
if all else fails than you should consult dell about your problem.
[ill do some further research for you in spare time]

[PCDoc]

My Dell Inspiron 6000 refuses to startup. When I press the power or the play button to turn it on, the Numbers, caps and scroll lights flash as usual. The power light and the one next to that also turns on (the light in-between the power indicator and the charger indicator) but then the numbers and scroll light turns of but the caps lock light remains on. It then flashes approximately ten time before the power cuts.

I have also noted that I can hear the hard drive start to spin before it makes a strange sound and at that instant, the entire system shuts down. I haven't downloaded anything or installed anything new, however, recently my charger stopped working and I replaced it with a new one. But I highly doubt that that is the problem.

I would seriously appreciate any and all help with this issue.

Thank you,

Tenma~

Did your problem with your laptop was resolve? Well, I have a few inspirons and ALL of them have done these before. I have found out that the first step of fixing post problems still applies. The post is not reading the memory(DRAMM).
You should open the memory slots under the laptop removed the SIMMS and make sure that they are sitting correctly on their slots when you put them back. Be careful not to fry the SIMMS with EMF so ground your self( just tuch the power supply of a desktop).
If these do not resolve your problem, the memory maybe bad ( try one by one)
This maybe a good time to upgrade memory in case you don't have the full 2G.
I hope this work for you.

William

[mrtwitch]

Tenma,

remove the battery, disconnect from mains and press the power button for about a minute, install battery or connect to mains and try to boot.
Any difference?

regards
W.

Hi, bought a laptop off ebay and had the same problem upon arrival. This technique worked for me. Obviously there i something in the DELL system that needs the start pressed without power?????. Anyway, worked for me.

[JohnyFartPants]

Tenma,

remove the battery, disconnect from mains and press the power button for about a minute, install battery or connect to mains and try to boot.
Any difference?

regards
W.

This worked for me thanks! My daughter spilt champagne in the machine on Christmas Eve and didn't tell me - bless her! It wasn't a huge spill, but i did see evidence of the wine in the power switch board, the inverter board and a small portion of the motherboard. I stripped and cleaned the machine and left it to dry out. There was what appeared to be slight burning of the motherboard close to where the monitor cable attaches. This cleaned up with a cotton bud and may not have been much more than fluff and champangne - seemingly no serious damage. I thought i was in for a new motherboard, so this thread giving advice on resetting has saved me a lot of money!

Or at least I hope it has. The battery which is totally flat now hangs the machine (it fully discharged over a couple of days after the dry out). If i run on the AC adapter only, all is fine. Install the battery at any stage and it hangs. Went through the bios and it just hung when trying to monitor the battery state as I installed it.

I am hoping that the battery has been affected by this spill or is just kaput and that all i need now is another one - it is 5 years old so is on it's last legs anyway. Fortunately I have a mate with an identical machine. I hope he will allow me to try his battery in my machine.

I have read on another forum that either the BIOS or the OS can monitor feedback from the battery and that this function can become corrupted. I am now thinking there may be another different reset proceedure for this. Any thoughts?

[afxracing]

I had the same problem, I'd Power up Laptop, (3) lock LEDs turn on once then cap lock LED flashes (10) times and unit powers down. I went through DELL's Diagnostic flowchart and came up with (2) bad memory modules. I was using this laptop one minute and turned it off and when I went to restart it the problem started (No warning). The original 256MB chip was in it along with an additional 1GB chip. After diagnosing this, I replaced BOTH memory modules with different ones and the unit powered up and worked perfectly. Hopefully this helps someone else because this problem kicked my @ss and Really had me scratching my head. Was definately a pain to figure out.
DELL's diagnostic site is;

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/tree?c=us&l=en&s=gen&journalid=&treeid=084A4C3E0A9C9EEEE0401E0A55172321&Query=&SystemID=&ServiceTag=&contenttype=&os=&component=&lang=&doclang=&toggle=&dl

Regards,
Jeff Vladika
[e-mail]

[steviegliv]

my inspiron laptop also had some problems.fortunately,the tech support team was quick to help me.

[drillGirl09]

Im having the same problem with my laptop, i tried to email you about it but... Well i bought new memory for it and installed it and i was still having the same problem. I had a thought that the DIMM-A slot had fried and there might be someway to bypass that but i was wondering if you did anything else when you installed your new memory?

[Terror805]

im having a similar problem but without hard drive thing
i start up with either power button or play button for media stuff
power light turns on for 4-5 seconds and nothing else, then it shuts off
my guess is the mobo since my brothers laptop did the same thing and he took it apart and saw it was fried
this only happens after it is off for a few hours and i have to try to turn it on for about 10 minutes before it starts any ideas?
ps. sofar ive unscrewed the case and put it back together and it worked instantly twice