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Dell Studio 540 seems to have "died"
Hello,
my computer seems to have died -- for lack of a better word. I left it in perfect working order on Friday, and when I came back yesterday it didn't respond. My computer is a Dell Studio 540 desktop computer which is almost brand new.
I have been having a look at it, and here's the best I can come up with to describe the problem:
1) When I attempt to power it up, it either
a) Doesn't respond
b) Has a brief flicker of activity, and goes to a)
I have checked the light on the PSU (behind the computer); whenever I manage to get it to be on (usually, by unplugging and re-plugging the power cable) I get b), after which the light turns off (ergo, the PSU isn't getting any power, or isn't working, anyhow).
I called tech support earlier this morning but they weren't much help at all. I can't afford to wait for them to take my computer away and bring it back a week or so later because of my work, so I'd like to attempt to fix this myself, having a modicum of experience in fiddling with the internal components of my computers (no real knowledge, just enough not to blow the thing up! :P)
I would be extremely grateful if someone could help me out on this issue. Sorry if my description isn't all that complete, there just isn't much more to it! However, I will perform any tests/check anything in the interest of a better diagnosis.
Thank you in advance
Muire
4 Posts
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December 2nd, 2009 06:00
I can see the LED, but there isn't a black button as far as I can tell. When I attempted to turn on the computer, the LED just turned off almost instantly.
DELL-Chris M
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December 2nd, 2009 06:00
Look at the back of the power supply. Do you see a black button and under that an LED? If yes, press and hold the black button in. If the LED stays green, the power supply is functioning. If not, we should replace it. If you do not have the black button, does the power supply fan spin when you turn it on?
Muire
4 Posts
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December 2nd, 2009 07:00
I checked; it seems to move a bit before stopping, as does the regular fan as well.
DELL-Chris M
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December 2nd, 2009 07:00
and the power supply fan?
Muire
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December 2nd, 2009 08:00
Already several people have suggested that this is probably a PSU problem; could changing the PSU solve it?
BulkHedd
34 Posts
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January 7th, 2010 11:00
I seem to be having the same problem. My Studio 540 is 13 months old (one month out of warranty). Yesterday I came home for lunch and the screen wouldn't come on when I moved the mouse. I noticed the power light was off so I pressed the button...nothing happened. I pressed it a couple more times with no result. I then held the button down and after releasing it and pressing it again it came back on. I didn't think too much about it but today, again, the machine was off again so I went through the same steps and it came back on. This time, however, as soon as I launched my web browser it instantly shut off. From that point on I was unable to get it powered back on. I can get it to start but it shuts down right after the beep sequence. The machine is plugged into a UPS and I wanted to rule that out so I moved it to another outlet. The green LED on the back of the case (under the PSU) comes on, as does the fan, but after the beep the fan shuts off and then the LED goes off.
Does this sound like I need a new PSU? It kind of irks me that this thing is just out of warranty. It's pretty much the stock system but I did install Windows 7 in September. Is there any chance that Dell will send me a new PSU at no charge? How can I determine that it is indeed the PSU?
BulkHedd
34 Posts
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January 7th, 2010 15:00
I have found out that when I hold the power button down for a while the green LED on the back will come on. That is why after that I can tap the power button again and it will try to start up. So right now the green LED is off....I hold down the power button for 5 seconds and the green LED on the back comes on....I press the power button and see the DELL screen on my monitor...and hear the POST beep.....I see the Windows splash screen then the system shuts down. Sometimes it shuts down before the Windows splash screen and sometimes even before the POST.
EDIT: I spoke with Dell and they will not help me without charging me a fee because it's a month out of warranty.
Amanda Hugnkiss
2 Posts
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January 31st, 2010 16:00
Hi!
I have exactly the same problem with my 6 month old Studio 540. Dell support had me open the case and disconnect/connect the powersupply to the motherboard. The pc booted up just fine after that. and the tech guy suggested it was just static that had to be discharged by disconnecting the power from the motherboard.
No problems for a whole week, and then the same thing happened again. I repeated the trick from last week, had to do that twice this time to get any power. Now I dread shutting the machine off, since I have no garantee it will boot up ever again.
I'm wondering what the solution was for you, Muire?
Cheers!
Anonymous
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April 28th, 2010 03:00
For those that have this issue i have been faced with every possible thing on my studio 540 that could go wrong i bought it in september 2 months in a video card issue with drivers... then just in February the hard drive went on it.. and just this past week the fan issue.. everything that is being stated here is something of a worry.. does anyone know how to check to ensure the battery is working my pc is 7 months old and under warrenty till september and i have pushed to have this thing run and test done even though dell says I did the stuff and said its fraud.. I was actually accused by a manager at Dell for pulling fraud .. when i had clear snap shots and everything.. I am almost to the point where i will take this to the local tv station and consumer affairs.. the pc is lagging now since the fan has been installed and I am going to insist they send a guy here to fix it or send me a brand new one.. .. if anyone can get back to me with the issues you have faced that are not under warrenty anymore I will be sure to point those out if I do report it.. I already had one laptop that crapped out after its first 1 year.. with a adapter /bios issue not being done when it got sent out.. and now its toasted a battery adapter as a result.. email me at . I would love to hear your concerns if this goes further
Dustin
<ADMIN NOTE: Email id removed per privacy policy>
jsktx
729 Posts
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April 28th, 2010 06:00
Muire,
If you computer is still under warranty, contact Dell for support and if it is just the PSU they will send one out and schedule a tech to install it.
jsktx
729 Posts
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April 28th, 2010 06:00
Bulkhedd,
Sounds like a bad PSU to me. Sorry but Dell isn't going to send you a new one for free. You can purchase any ATX PSU from an online or local store. HERE <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell> is the instructions for installing one.
jsktx
729 Posts
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April 28th, 2010 06:00
Amanda,
Since your computer is still under warranty I would press Dell for a more permanent solution. You paid for this system and it came with a warranty. Hold them to it.
Amanda Hugnkiss
2 Posts
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April 28th, 2010 17:00
It was fixed by a technician after two separate tries. It works now, three motherboards and two powersupplies later. The fault was in the motherboard.
So far, so good.
tt_24018
1 Message
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June 2nd, 2010 10:00
I had this problem. The Studio 540 that I was working on would not POST. Amber power light. Fans worked, but no video on either the built in video or the video card.
I removed the cmos battery, reseated it, and the system booted right up.
Anonymous
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November 11th, 2010 16:00
If it is under warranty send it back ... the problems with dell computers is that they never make good new products they use old parts to build new machines.. Anyways i hope you are able to get a full refund.. I only had mine for 6 months .. I took them to the better business as well and consumer affairs you may have to do that as well ... Good Luck!