Rule Out a BIOS Settings Change Causes a Startup Error on XPS Laptops

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. No POST, No Boot, or Drive Not Found Symptoms
3. XPS Laptop Factory Settings Reference Matrix
4. Resolving changes to default settings causing a Drive not found, No POST, or No Boot issue

Introduction

The aim of this article is to provide a guide that outlines the default BIOS settings for XPS laptops. This is to aid with the troubleshooting of No Boot and No Post issues on XPS platforms. In some circumstances, it has been noted that changing these settings can cause No Boot and No Post issues. The guide also provides one method of assisting Hard Drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD) not detected issues.

Check the article linked at the bottom of section four, if no BIOS changes were made before the issue occurred.

No POST, No Boot, or Drive Not Found Symptoms

Symptoms of No POST:

• The laptop turns on but has no video or is not able to get past the Dell splash screen or enter the BIOS (It may shut down.)
• Pressing the caps lock key does not illuminate it (Pressed repeatedly.)
• The hard drive activity light is not flickering and may be off or permanently on.
• Diagnostic codes may be present (These can vary depending on the laptop model.)
  • The power button flashes a repeating code
  • The power button is off, flashing, or solid on, with a numeric code that is displayed using a diagnostics Light Emitting Diode (LED) (They may be on the back of some older desktops.)
  • There are audible beeps in a repeating code heard.
• For information about beep codes, see the table in the Dell Service Manual Search
• For information about laptop LED codes, see the table in the Dell Service Manual Search

Symptoms of No Boot:

• The laptop turns on has video and proceeds past the Dell splash screen (The splash screen comes on and goes away) but does not boot into the Windows operating system.
• Pressing the caps lock key does illuminate when pressed (Pressed repeatedly.)
• The hard drive activity light may flicker, stay on, or be permanently off.
• An error message is on-screen.
• No diagnostic codes that are seen or heard and the power button lights up solid with its normal operating color.
• The usual Operating System start-up sounds are not heard.

Hard Drive or SSD not detected:

• The laptop turns on has video and proceeds past the Dell splash screen (The splash screen comes on and goes away) but does not boot into the Windows operating system.
• The laptop gives an on-screen error message advising that "No hard drive was detected."
• The laptop gives an on-screen error message advising that "No SSD was detected."
• The laptop gives an on-screen error message advising that "No Boot Drive was detected."
• The laptop Hard Drive activity light is permanently off.
• No diagnostic codes that are seen or heard and the power button lights up solid with its normal operating color.

XPS Laptop Factory Settings Reference Matrix

Steps to resolve changes to the default settings causing a Drive not found, No POST, or No Boot issue

The matrix in the section above contains the default factory settings in relation to the hard drive or SSD. These settings should be verified and checked as a first step in troubleshooting No BOOT or No POST issues. Where the laptops default settings have been changed before the issue started to occur.

No Boot or No POST situation:

1. Check that the current operating system on the personal computer is supported on the model by seeing the Dell support website to see if that operating system is supported.

   1. Go to the support site and enter the Service Tag or Express Service Tag.

   2. Click the Drivers & Downloads drawer.

   3. Click the Change OS button to see the operating systems supported on the laptop.

2. Enter the BIOS by rapidly pressing the F2 key during the devices start-up and reset the BIOS settings to factory defaults by pressing the Alt + F keys or alternatively by clicking the Restore Settings button.

3. After resetting the BIOS settings to factory defaults, check that all the individual boot settings are correct by seeing the matrix table.

Check out the following link for further troubleshooting steps to identify the issue:

• Resolve No Power, No POST, No Boot or No Video issues with your Dell Computer

Hard Drive or SSD not detected situations:

Hard drive or SSD not detected symptoms may be encountered if the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) driver is not installed. It must be installed on the Operating System DVD or USB drive. This is before attempting a Windows install. (Not Ubuntu.)

Troubleshooting:

1. Was a recent operating system install attempted?

   1. It was attempted. Did the IRST driver get installed on the operating system DVD or USB drive, prior to the installation attempt?

   2. It was not attempted. Download the F6 IRST driver from the Dell support site onto a USB drive and then retry the operating system install again.

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Check out the following link for further troubleshooting steps to identify the issue:

 Source additional information about Hard Drives and solid state drives on our support page.

Out of warranty? This is not a problem. Browse to the Dell.com/support website and enter your Dell Service Tag and view our offers.