# Solved: Dell XPS400



## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

A friend brought me her Dell XPS400 desktop just over a year old. All it does at startup is show a one line message when it is powered up. The message is: RV370 P/N xxxx-xxx (where x is a number that happens to be on the PCI Express ATI Video Card) That is it! There is no way to enter the BIOS (Setup) or to boot to a safe mode. You can not boot with a bootable disk such as a CD or floppy. No matter what keys you hit (USB Keyboard and USB Mouse) the same message appears.
Unplugged all the drives, same message. (2 ROMS and a SATA HD.)
Replaced both sticks of RAM both one at a time and together.
Replaced the Video Card with a PCI Ex Nvidia (This just produces a flashing cursor with no message)
Tried a PCI Video card just to see if it boots. Same thing, flashing cursor, no message.
Replaced the Power Supply. No change
In short, I have tried everything I can think of and all I get as soon as the monitor comes up is that RV370 P/N.....message. I even ordered and replaced the motherboard from Dell with the exact same model board. Same message appears. I have searched Dell forums and the internet for days and while I can find hundreds of Dell owners with the exact same error, I can find no one that has posted a fix. So it's out there. I have built, repaired, and configured computers since 1991. I don't know everything but I do know that this Dell must be from hell. Any help on this would be appreicated.


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

The exact error is: RV370 P/N 113-A62801-106 BIOS Nothing else.


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## Nutech12 (Oct 28, 2003)

I read that someone had called Dell... and walking him through it. It ended up being a bad memory card. They sent him new ones....

Hope this helps


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

You need to change the memory completely, sounds like corrupted ecc memory. Have you tried running memtest86?


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Did you ever clear the CMOS settings?


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

Yes I have cleared the BIOS via the jumper and by removing and even replacing the battery. I can not enter Setup at all because the error is all I get.... I have discovered that this board, made by Bluford (?) takes up to PC5300 (667mhz) RAM and Dell inserted two 512 sticks @ PC4200 in it. I tried 5300 and nothing but maybe this version of this motherboard will not take faster RAM. I will try 4200. Still, if that doesn't work (and I'll post my results) the only thing left is 1. bad processor or 2) they sent me a bad motherboard.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Oddly I've seen a few bad processors lately but generally its uncommon.


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

Triple6: and all, thanks for your replys. The problem was the processor and after replacing the processor (socket 775) the unit booted and went into Windows. Way to go Dell. Mr. Moderator, please mark this "solved".


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

Wow that doesn't happen very often, I wonder how. Em, you can mark this "solved"this yourself in "thread tools" at the top.


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

Thanks for the heads up Rich. I could not bring myself to believe that the duel core Intel processor took a dump. I was sure it was the motherboard. I was wrong. I have seen a few processors go south and when they do, you usually know, like there is nothing on the screen when booted or the computer won't even power up or it does and all that runs are the cooling fans. I have talked to a local guy here who does Caterpillar's (CAT)computers. They use all Dells and he says they go through motherboards and processors like they were candy.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

What do you expect from a company that sells their computers for so cheap? Hopefully not quality.


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

Good point Triple and ever since they have been using Foxconn motherboards, anything can happen.


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## kombat75 (Jan 12, 2006)

Emtronics said:


> Triple6: and all, thanks for your replys. The problem was the processor and after replacing the processor (socket 775) the unit booted and went into Windows. Way to go Dell. Mr. Moderator, please mark this "solved".


Hi, did u change the processor (socket 775) the unit and it work good ?

I do have this problem same as u.. 
The error is: RV370 P/N 113-A62801-106 BIOS Nothing else.

Can't do anyting at all but i don't have Warranty for this PC. Can i just change the proccessor
myself or need DELL to come down and change ?

How abt if i change RAM and see if work or not ..


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

Yes, I did replace the processor (775 socket) but not with one exactly like the one that was in it. It was a cheaper and a bit slower processor. The customer didn't want to go the added expense and the slower speed is not noticeable.

You can change the processor yourself. Make sure you clean all the heat sink paste or tape from the bottom of the heat sink and apply new heat paste.


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## kombat75 (Jan 12, 2006)

Hi Emtronics,

Thanx for the reply, i will try to change the socket. 
As u know the DELL PC design, it hard to open and the socket is damn hard to see too.


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

Not knowing what model Dell you have, yes, they are weird to figure out sometimes on how to open. If you look close, you'll see that components swing out or can be removed (like the hard drive) so you can have easy access to the processor.


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