Maybe the BIOS has "display full screen image at boot" which may cover any battery/disk messages during POST. And disconnect the PC speaker so it can't beep about them?

And for good measure, just to stump these guys, flip the power supply switch to 230 V. If that's not there, just flip the switch to off. Haha, should get them.
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FireFox31
110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set