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Dell pc help

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 10:02 AM

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 which i was given that just needed a hard disk.
I have bought a new hard disk and just loaded win xp onto it using a different computer.
The trouble is now I have put the disk into the dell pc it won't boot up. I get nothing on the screen at all, the light in the power button is orange instead of green and the monitor doesn't turn on either. Any ideas?
Would not having a key board and mouse connected effect this? I have keyboard and mouse but can't connect them as they are PS/2 (round) connection and the PC is USB only. I would of thought I would still get something on screen.

Any help appreciated.

Cheers
Stu.

[Edited on 17/8/08 by stuart_g]

cerbera - 17/8/08 at 10:11 AM

I may be wrong, but you cannot put a hard disk with a windows operating system from one pc to another. I think its to stop you using your copy of windows in more than one machine. When you install windows it inspects the hardware of the machine so can tell when you put the disc into a new tower.

Have you tried booting from the XP disc and installing windows on the new machine? The only problem with that is that you will need to purchase a new serial key unless you have a hooky copy

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 10:15 AM

I have tried booting the computer up with the xp disc in and it does the same thing. This is why I thought I'd try a hard disc with xp already on it.

splitrivet - 17/8/08 at 10:20 AM

Is this the machine with the DVI socket you were asking about.

When you power it do you see the bios screen.

If you were given it does it have ram or does it beep when you fire it up.
Cheers,
Bob

Liam - 17/8/08 at 10:22 AM

Sounds like it needed more than a hard drive! Do fans etc start when you turn it on?

Liam

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 10:24 AM

Yes it is the machine. I have the adapter cable now.
No I do not see the bios screen monitor does not turn on and yes it has ram in it.
I have tried plugging the monitor into the socket on the mother board aswell (with and without the graphics card installed).

Processor fan runs when turned on.

[Edited on 17/8/08 by stuart_g]

splitrivet - 17/8/08 at 10:36 AM

So it doesnt have a standard graphics socket on the chassis above the DVI one (obvious question I know otherwise you wouldnt have asked about the DVI socket)
Sounds like the graphics card is tatered.
Cheers,
Bob

joneh - 17/8/08 at 10:38 AM

Is it the original memory? A mis-match on the supported memory would cause the same symptons.

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 10:53 AM

Yes it is the same memory.

splitrivet - 17/8/08 at 10:55 AM

I think on a Dell he would still see the start of the Dell bios screen then get beeping with ram probs Joneh, he'd get beeping for sure unless someones taken the sounder off the M/ board.
Cheers,
Bob

McLannahan - 17/8/08 at 11:02 AM

Stu - On the rear of the Dell GX there's a row of four diagnostic LED's. Could you tell me what the four are displaying please when you plug it in and power it on?

Is the power button LED orange as soon as you apply power or after you press the button?

joneh - 17/8/08 at 11:06 AM

quote:
Originally posted by splitrivet
I think on a Dell he would still see the start of the Dell bios screen then get beeping with ram probs Joneh, he'd get beeping for sure unless someones taken the sounder off the M/ board.
Cheers,
Bob

Depends on BIOS.

Could also be a duff CPU.

Have you tried re-seating all the components?

Edit: Tried resetting the CMOS? Take the battery out and move the jumper over for a few seconds.

[Edited on 17/8/08 by joneh]

splitrivet - 17/8/08 at 11:19 AM

quote:
Originally posted by joneh

quote:
Originally posted by splitrivet
I think on a Dell he would still see the start of the Dell bios screen then get beeping with ram probs Joneh, he'd get beeping for sure unless someones taken the sounder off the M/ board.
Cheers,
Bob

Depends on BIOS.

Could also be a duff CPU.

Have you tried re-seating all the components?

Edit: Tried resetting the CMOS? Take the battery out and move the jumper over for a few seconds.

[Edited on 17/8/08 by joneh]

Could be but the ebay video lead is the unknown quantity here Joneh

He's in luck re the video card I'll explain later off into garage. Maclannahan seems like he knows Dells better than me I'll leave it in his hands.

If it does come down to video card Stuart dont buy one, I might have some.
Cheers,
Bob

[Edited on 17/8/08 by splitrivet]

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 11:34 AM

quote:
Originally posted by McLannahan
Stu - On the rear of the Dell GX there's a row of four diagnostic LED's. Could you tell me what the four are displaying please when you plug it in and power it on?

Is the power button LED orange as soon as you apply power or after you press the button?

There looks to be a row of LED's beside the USB ports but none of them are lit up when I power it on.

The power button is orange when I power it up.(Press the button)

[Edited on 17/8/08 by stuart_g]

McLannahan - 17/8/08 at 11:45 AM

Stu - Disconnect all the CD ROM internally (should be IDE) and the power to it too. Do the same for the recently added HDD (SATA you said?)

Could you also disconnect the power connection to the board. Re-seat it really firmly and try powering on again without the HDD and CD/DVD attached?

A solid orange power LED is often a power supply failure - Doesn't power the board up on every circuit. Flashing Orange is it's stuck in sleep.

It could be board too. Next to the CPU towards the rear there's a row of capacitors - most disappear under the CPU fan/exhaust. Are these capacitors domed at all or leaking?

PC isn't reaching BIOS if none of the LED's come on or even flash. It's not a good sign I'm afraid.

Each Optiplex (with an Intel interestingly) does have a 3 year warranty but the GX280 are coming to the end of that - about 3 months ago in fact.

http: //support.euro.dell.com/support/topics/topic.aspx/emea/shared/support/my_systems_info/en/details?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs

Worth a quick check anyway - It may still have warranty left!

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 12:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by McLannahan
Stu - Disconnect all the CD ROM internally (should be IDE) and the power to it too. Do the same for the recently added HDD (SATA you said?)

Could you also disconnect the power connection to the board. Re-seat it really firmly and try powering on again without the HDD and CD/DVD attached?

A solid orange power LED is often a power supply failure - Doesn't power the board up on every circuit. Flashing Orange is it's stuck in sleep.

It could be board too. Next to the CPU towards the rear there's a row of capacitors - most disappear under the CPU fan/exhaust. Are these capacitors domed at all or leaking?

PC isn't reaching BIOS if none of the LED's come on or even flash. It's not a good sign I'm afraid.

Each Optiplex (with an Intel interestingly) does have a 3 year warranty but the GX280 are coming to the end of that - about 3 months ago in fact.

http: //support.euro.dell.com/support/topics/topic.aspx/emea/shared/support/my_systems_info/en/details?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs

Worth a quick check anyway - It may still have warranty left!

Done all of above, still the same.

The PSU I'm sure is ok as I loaned it to a mate who's PSU had broken and it worked his system ok.

I think it has to be motherboard that is faulty

out of warranty aswell

[Edited on 17/8/08 by stuart_g]

the_fbi - 17/8/08 at 01:57 PM

quote:
Originally posted by stuart_g
The PSU I'm sure is ok as I loaned it to a mate who's PSU had broken and it worked his system ok.

And he definately gave you your working one back rather than his faulty one?

If the PSU's been out, check all the pins on the connectors to the motherboard, they can come dislodged in their housing.

Also check you've got all the connections you should have from the PSU to the motherboard. Specifically the yellow/black wired 4 pin (although I still think you'd get something without that on).

I presume there is actually a CPU under the heatsink assembly? (have you removed the heatsink to check?)

McLannahan - 17/8/08 at 01:59 PM

Did you check the capacitors behind the CPU Stu? Row of about 8 or so?

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 02:12 PM

Definately my PSU as it is completely different to mates one.

The row of 8 capacitors appear to be ok.

McLannahan - 17/8/08 at 02:21 PM

Not looking great then?!

Have you removed any memory and tried booting?

If there's two/four modules installed remove each in term and if there's only one swap it to the other slots?

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 02:45 PM

quote:
Originally posted by McLannahan
Not looking great then?!

Have you removed any memory and tried booting?

If there's two/four modules installed remove each in term and if there's only one swap it to the other slots?

Tried that aswell mate, no good.

I may be able to get another where I got this one from. I'll have to see next time I'm there.

Thanks all for your help.

joneh - 17/8/08 at 04:30 PM

Dell use a different PSU pinout compared to standard ATX format - was it a Dell PSU you borrowed?

stuart_g - 17/8/08 at 05:45 PM

quote:
Originally posted by joneh
Dell use a different PSU pinout compared to standard ATX format - was it a Dell PSU you borrowed?

I didn't borrow a PSU. I lent mine to a mate who's PSU was playing up. It powered his non Dell PC ok while we waited for his replacement to turn up.

martyn_16v - 17/8/08 at 05:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cerbera
I may be wrong, but you cannot put a hard disk with a windows operating system from one pc to another.

Yeah you can. As long as the OS can find the drivers for the new hardware it'll boot up quite happily. Even if it can't quite find the right drivers it'll still get itself working to some degree more often than not, then you just have to trawl the net to find the missing ones (usually network cards and the correct video/audio drivers). Windows 2000 would then probably ask for a restart, but be happy forevermore. Win XP and later will decide it's in a new machine and give you three days to re-activate it, during which it'll still work.