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Thread ID: 35103 2003-07-02 08:46:00 Boot Device Not Found JF Low (4144) Press F1
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156956 2003-07-02 08:46:00 I have an old dell optiplex - P3, 450 ... brought quite recently to replace an equally vintage machine. Quite frequently, but not always, on boot the BIOS reports "Boot device not found ..." and booting stops. If I reboot at that point (ie turn the machine off and on again) it works just fine. Its as if a capacitor/ battery or something sucks enough juice at the original boot to manage things the second time around. Interestingly, if I inspect the BIOS on a failed boot and look at the boot sequence nothing shows ... ie the BIOS knows nothing about my machine. Second time around the devices are all there, in the right order and, ofcourse, booting proceeds. The problem has me beaten ... what can I do/ should I replace or is this the beginning of the end? JF Low (4144)
156957 2003-07-02 10:56:00 *Bump* :) Murray P (44)
156958 2003-07-02 11:11:00 JF Low,

Well I would replace the bios battery which is located on the motherboard and is usually a small round silver battery replacements for which can be obtained through places such as Dick Smiths or your local multi-mart. They are similar to (but not the same) as watch batteries. If you post back the EXACT Dell Optiplex model it would be a simple matter to find the info on The Dell site to say what battery type may be required.

Cheers, Babe.
Babe Ruth (416)
156959 2003-07-02 11:24:00 I have an equally vintage machine and what I do when I face such situation as yours (which is quite often :( ) is run the dell diagnostics which is at the support part of the dell website devashish (4131)
156960 2003-07-02 11:35:00 JF Low,
Crystal ball acting up still (probably battery related) but:
If your Dell system is an Optiplex GX1 then see the following for a systemboard (motherboard) layout showing the location of the battery. Optiplex_GX1a (docs.us.dell.com) or Optiplex_GX1b (docs.us.dell.com). For full information for the GX1 see the following URL on the Dell site Optiplex GX1 Series (docs.us.dell.com)

Cheers, Babe.
Babe Ruth (416)
156961 2003-07-03 07:22:00 Thanks for those replies. Sounds like it is probably a battery issue. The machine is a Dell Optiplex GX1 - I'll pop the lid, check out the batter and hopefully find another easily enough.

Thanks again ... everyone, really appreciated.
JF Low (4144)
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