Studio XPS 9100, Radeon HD 5770, 6 beeps, light flashes amber

It is not the video card but pc CMOS probably. Replace cmos battery w a brand new CR2032 and clear cmos settings via motherboard jumper.

@redxps630​ The battery tested fine.  What does clearing the CMOS accomplish?

it clears cmos settings.  when you have a pc that acts with loud fan, it speaks of corrupted cmos.  replacing the battery does not always clear it. 

@redxps630​ Cleared the CMOS memory and re-tested the battery.   No joy.  Still 6 beeps, amber flashing light and loud fan.  Any other ideas that might fix the problem?

6 beeps and amber flash is

 if you had followed p.42 to clear cmos

https://dl.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_studio_xps_desktop/studio-xps-9100_service%20manual_en-us.pdf

then I would try another simple video card.  if a third card still can not make pc POST, the cmos/mobo is defective

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000124349/understanding-beep-codes-on-a-dell-desktop-pc#xps-desktop

@redxps630​ I installed an old card I had kept from an Optiplex GX280 - Radeon X300/X550/X1050 Series (Microsoft Corporation -WDDM).  It works but sometimes freezes.

Re: It works but sometimes freezes.

if the old low power Radeon card gives your POST video then 9100 motherboard cmos is good.

test the HD5770 in another desktop pc if you have one.

if HD5770 works in another pc, it is possible that the 9100 psu or PCIex16 slot not supporting the card of 108W TDP.

@redxps630​ I can't test in another PC but I found a repair service that can test the board.

@ridgerunner51​ I have not had it tested yet, but after running  "Malicious Software Detection" update, there was a BSOD.  I am still using the old Optiplex video card.  The Event Manager shows "Event 17, WHEA-Logger.  A corrected hardware error has occurred.

Component:  PCI Express Root Port

Error Source: Advanced Error Reporting (PCI Express)

Bus:Device:Function: 0x0:0x7:0x0

Vendor ID:Device ID: 0x8086:0x340e

Class Code: 0x30400

Replace cmos battery with a brand new battery 

do a clean install of latest version of Windows 10 on your hard drive using the old Radeon video card

after that going into dev mgr>display adapter and wait up to 30-40 min while connected to internet to let Windows automatically  download Radeon driver.

@redxps630​ Thank you, but this old XPS 9100 will not run Windows 10.  It is running Windows 7 Ultimate.

That is one possible explanation of your problem. Win 7 may be too old to find the correct updated driver for Radeon card.  9100 motherboard cpu supports Win 10 or even Win 11 even though the model was launched before 10.  It is an X58 platform fully capable of running 10.  You do not need any Dell specific driver to run 10.

I have upgraded to Windows 10 Pro.  Windows update does not find an updated driver for the old Radeon card.  One of the ATI Radeon HD 5770 cards still causes the beeps and loud fan.  The other ATI Radeon HD 5770 just causes the beeps.  I am at a loss.  Is there another card I could use as a replacement for the ATI Radeon HD 5770?

If you let Windows sit by itself connected to internet it should find the driver for Radeon.  It may take up to 60 min.  be patient with it.  If still no luck, then switch to a nvidia card such as gtx 650, 750 etc.

@redxps630​ Installed gtx 650 and the problem seems fixed.  Thank you.