Dell Motherboard Troubleshooting
Power
If your computer's power supply is malfunctioning in any way, this could cause your Dell motherboard to work improperly as well. If you've recently changed your computer's power supply or it's more than five years old, this is almost certainly the case. Make sure that the power cable that connects your computer to your wall outlet is securely fastened and working properly. Check your wall outlet to ensure that it is working as well. Swap your power supply out with one that you know works to see if this is your problem.
The BIOS
If your problem is with an external device you are attempting to connect (such as a video game controller), the problem could very well be with your BIOS. As computers age, their components need to be updated in order to work with the latest technologies. This is also true for your motherboard. An update to the motherboard is called a BIOS update, where you update the software that your motherboard executes in order to load your operating system. You can check the Dell website to see if any BIOS upgrades are available for your specific model.
More BIOS Problems
If you have recently updated your BIOS and your computer is functioning incorrectly, it is probably due to the fact that you've left the BIOS in the "update" position. All you need to do is go back over the upgrade steps you obtained from the Dell website and move your BIOS from the "Update" (also called "Flash") position back to its normal state. Essentially, you just have to finish the job you already started.
Tags: your computer, power supply, your BIOS, your wall outlet, BIOS update