Member Avatar for ggeoff

My daughter's laptop starts only to the Dell opening screen. The opening screen just has Press F2 for Setup and F12 to enter the MultiBoot selection menu. If I select F2, the machine displays Entering Setup. . . and that's is as far as it gets. If I switch off and try the F12 option it starts to enter BootMenu but similarly it will not get any further.

If I try booting with the WinXp recovery disk the DVD player lights flash but it only gets to the Dell screen again. I have also tried to boot with a UBCD4WIN boot disk and with a Knoppix disk with the same result.

Geoff

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Short summary and context: 's Inspiron 1501 stopping at the Dell logo with F2/F12 appearing but not proceeding is a classic hardware/firmware POST hang. The thread shows it was fixed for after cleaning, which is a very common outcome. Below are concise, practical diagnostics and safe steps to try if cleaning does not permanently fix the problem, or if someone else sees the same symptoms.

Why this happens: when POST (the BIOS power-on self-test) freezes at the splash screen it usually means a low-level hardware issue is preventing the firmware from finishing checks. Common culprits are overheating from clogged fans/heatsink, bad or poorly seated RAM, an attached device that faults the bus, a weak CMOS/RTC battery, or a firmware (BIOS) hang. , and pointed at these areas; s battery-only trick also hints at power-related oddities.

Practical, safe troubleshooting (do these in order and stop if you are unsure):

  • Power down, remove AC and main battery, hold power button 15-30 seconds to discharge residual charge. This simple power-drain often clears transient states.
  • Clean the cooling path carefully: remove access panel, hold fan blades to stop them turning, use short bursts of canned air into the fan and heatsink from both directions, avoid touching components, then reassemble. If the fan was seized or the heatsink choked with dust, this often restores POST.
  • Minimal hardware test: with power off, remove HDD and optical drive and any USB devices, leave only one RAM stick in the primary slot (try each stick alone). Try to enter BIOS/POST after each change. This isolates bad modules or peripherals.
  • CMOS/reset: if comfortable, remove the coin cell or disconnect the RTC cable for several minutes (or use the discharge step above); if the cell is soldered, do not desolder—seek service.
  • Try AC-only and battery-only boot variants to see if the power subsystem is involved.

If none of the above works the fault is likely motherboard-level or a corrupt BIOS. Given the age of many 1501s, balance repair cost vs replacement. When opening the case, take photos, note screw locations, ground yourself, and if unsure hand it to a shop rather than risking damage.

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Member Avatar for jbisono

Hi,
you saying that you can get into the multiboot selection, but you actually select the hard drive or even the cd at the time you try with the win xp recovery?

if that does not work try to go into F2 setup and check the available drive, make sure the hard drive and the cd rom is list, if that is ok then check the boot sequence in the bios.

if mention above is ok, and still does not work try to remove the RAM and put them back.

I hope this help you.

Regards.

Member Avatar for ggeoff

Hi,
you saying that you can get into the multiboot selection, but you actually select the hard drive or even the cd at the time you try with the win xp recovery?

if that does not work try to go into F2 setup and check the available drive, make sure the hard drive and the cd rom is list, if that is ok then check the boot sequence in the bios.

if mention above is ok, and still does not work try to remove the RAM and put them back.

I hope this help you.

Regards.

No I can't get past the opening screen whatever I do.

Member Avatar for Xlphos

No I can't get past the opening screen whatever I do.

Maybe something is wrong with BIOS have you tried clearing CMOS?

I think something is wrong with BIOS because you can't enter it.

If you don't know how to clear CMOS let us know.

Member Avatar for caperjack

you don't say how old it is ,but dust build up in a laptop can cause it to do what yours is doing ,overheating ,and it doesn't take much dust ,a can of compressed air and clean the fan and heatsinc

Member Avatar for ggeoff

Maybe something is wrong with BIOS have you tried clearing CMOS?

I think something is wrong with BIOS because you can't enter it.

If you don't know how to clear CMOS let us know.

Thanks Xlphos

How do I do that?

Member Avatar for ggeoff

you don't say how old it is ,but dust build up in a laptop can cause it to do what yours is doing ,overheating ,and it doesn't take much dust ,a can of compressed air and clean the fan and heatsinc

Thanks Caperjack

Right I'll do that. Its dated 2005.

Member Avatar for caperjack

if you can enter setup with f2 ,and set defaults ,if nor you have to open laptop and remove bios battery ,but I like overheating over corrupt bios!

Member Avatar for ggeoff

if you can enter setup with f2 ,and set defaults ,if nor you have to open laptop and remove bios battery ,but I like overheating over corrupt bios!

Thanks Caperjack

No can't get beyond Dell screen. I'll look for dust first.

Member Avatar for caperjack

Thanks Caperjack

No can't get beyond Dell screen. I'll look for dust first.

we have 3 laptops and i have been working on computer for the past 10 yrs ,and have see this happen to laptops when the heatsinc and fan get dusty!may or may not be your problem but cheaper than taking it o computer repair shop to have it fixed ,
also ,if you can try a few easy trouble shooting things,like if it has 2 ram sticks ,remove one and try it ,if no difference replace and then remove the other .all you need is small screw drive to remove back cover to get at the ram

Member Avatar for Stephy~Lynn

Did this get fixed, what was the issue?

Member Avatar for ggeoff

Did this get fixed, what was the issue?

I am sorry but I thought I had replied to this thread. Caperjack's suggestion to get rid of dust worked :) If that doesn't work then I am sure that the other suggestions are valuable. Good luck!

Geoff

Member Avatar for carlos23

The thread is from 2009 but I will post it for the records.
If your inspiron 1501 won't even start up (black screen from the time you power it up) do this.

1. Unplug the AC cable
2. Power the pc on with just the battery and leave it there in the black screen for 20-30 min.
3. Shut it down, then power it up again and that should solve the problem (it worked for me).

It could be a mobo/ac/battery problem, who knows.

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