Chosen Solution
Hi. I got a relatively old PC off of my friend about a week ago. It was working fine but I shut it down with the power button when it froze. Now when I turn it on it makes a series of beeps (6) and the computer does not start up. I really need the computer for my writing so any answers on how to fix this problem simply would be most appreciated. Update (01/10/2017)
Here is the back of my computer.
Matthew Moynihan clarify your 6 beeps. Are all the same length or do you have something like 1 beep followed by 1 more and then a burst of 4 beeps? Also check your system lights. Your power button light and hard-drive light may indicate a computer problem. Your Dell Optiplex 745 should also have some diagnostics light to help you troubleshoot a problem. Your computer should have four lights labeled “1,” “2,” “3,” and “4” on the front or back panel. The lights can be off or green. When the computer starts normally, the patterns or codes on the lights change as the boot process completes. If the POST portion of system boot completes successfully, all four lights display solid green. If the computer malfunctions during the POST process, the pattern displayed on the LEDs may help identify where in the process the computer halted. NOTE: The orientation of the diagnostic lights may vary dependent upon the computer type. The diagnostic lights can appear either vertical or horizontal. Let us know exactly what you see or hear. 6 beeps is commonly a POST beep error for ROM BIOS error. Remove your RAM and try one ram chip, then the other, individually. Also try different slots.
If I understand your issue correctly, according to your beep code (6), your video card has failed. http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/e…
Hi, It might not be just a GPU problem. (the GPU is integrated by the way so perhaps all that is needed is a video card to be installed.) The Dell Optiplex 745 also suffered from the infamous Dell Optiplex bad capacitor problem. It may be best to check this out first to see if it is the cause of the problem before trying a new graphics adapter.
(Click on image to enlarge for better viewing) Update (01/10/2017) Hi @pccheese Not doubting you, but it may depend on what it was first shipped with.
(click on image to enlarge for better viewing)
