Dell™ Dimension™ 3000 Systems Service Manual - Documentation

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• If the power light is blinking amber, the computer is receiving electrical power, but an internal power problem might exist.
  
  
  • Ensure that the voltage selection switch is set to match the AC power at your location (if applicable).
    
  • Ensure that the processor power cable is securely connected to the system board.
    
• If the power light is steady amber, a device might be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed.
  
  
  • Remove and then reinstall the memory modules.
    
  • Remove and then reinstall any cards.
    
  • Remove and then reinstall the graphics card, if applicable.
    

    Diagnostic Lights

    CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.

    To help you troubleshoot a problem, your computer has four lights labeled "A," "B," "C," and "D" on the back panel. The lights can be yellow or green. When the computer starts normally, the lights flash. After the computer starts, all four lights display solid green. If the computer malfunctions, the color and sequence of the lights identify the problem.

    Light Pattern	Problem Description	Suggested Resolution
    	The computer is in a normal off condition or a possible pre-BIOS failure has occurred.	Plug the computer into a working electrical outlet and press the power button.
    	Memory modules are detected, but a memory failure has occurred.	If you have one memory module installed, reinstall the memory module and restart the computer. If you have two or more memory modules installed, remove the modules, reinstall one memory module, and then restart the computer. If the computer starts normally, reinstall an additional module. Continue until you have identified a faulty module or reinstalled all modules without error. If available, install properly working memory of the same type into your computer. If the problem persists, see "Contacting Dell" in your Owner's Manual for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
    	A possible graphics card failure has occurred.	If the computer has a graphics card, remove the card, reinstall it, and then restart the computer. If the problem still exists, install a graphics card that you know works and restart the computer. If the problem persists or the computer has integrated graphics, see "Contacting Dell" in your Owner's Manual for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
    	A possible floppy or hard drive failure has occurred.	Reseat all power and data cables and restart the computer.
    	A possible USB failure has occurred.	Reinstall all USB devices, check cable connections, and then restart the computer.
    	Memory modules are detected, but a memory configuration or compatibility error exists.	Ensure that no special memory module/memory connector placement requirements exist (see Specifications). Verify that the memory modules that you are installing are compatible with your computer (see Specifications). If the problem persists, see "Contacting Dell" in your Owner's Manual for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
    	A possible expansion card failure has occurred.	Determine if a conflict exists by removing a card (not a graphics card) and restarting the computer. If the problem persists, reinstall the card that you removed, remove a different card, and then restart the computer. Repeat this process for each card. If the computer starts normally, troubleshoot the last card removed from the computer for resource conflicts. If the problem persists, see "Contacting Dell" in your Owner's Manual for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
    	Another failure has occurred.	Ensure that the cables are properly connected to the system board from the hard drive, CD drive, and DVD drive. If there is an error message on your screen identifying a problem with a device (such as the floppy drive or hard drive), check the device to make sure it is functioning properly. The operating system is attempting to boot from a device (such as the floppy drive or hard drive); check system setup to make sure that the boot sequence is correct for the devices installed on your computer. If the problem persists, see "Contacting Dell" in your Owner's Manual for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.
    	The computer is in a normal operating condition after POST.	None.

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    Beep Codes

    Your computer might emit a series of beeps during start-up if the monitor cannot display errors or problems. This series of beeps, called a beep code, identifies a problem. One possible beep code (code 1-3-1) consists of one beep, a burst of three beeps, and then one beep. This beep code tells you that the computer encountered a memory problem.

    Reseating the memory modules may fix the beep code errors in the following table. If the problem persists, see "Contacting Dell" in your Owner's Manual for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.

    Code	Cause
    1-3-1 through 2-4-4	Memory not being properly identified or used
    4-3-1	Memory failure above address 0FFFFh

    If you hear one of the following beep codes, see "Contacting Dell" in your Owner's Manual for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.

    Code	Cause
    1-1-2	Microprocessor register failure
    1-1-3	NVRAM
    1-1-4	ROM BIOS checksum failure
    1-2-1	Programmable interval timer
    1-2-2	DMA initialization failure
    1-2-3	DMA page register read/write failure
    3-1-1	Slave DMA register failure
    3-1-2	Master DMA register failure
    3-1-3	Master interrupt mask register failure
    3-1-4	Slave interrupt mask register failure
    3-2-2	Interrupt vector loading failure
    3-2-4	Keyboard Controller Test failure
    3-3-1	NVRAM power loss
    3-3-2	NVRAM configuration
    3-3-4	Video Memory Test failure
    3-4-1	Screen initialization failure
    3-4-2	Screen retrace failure
    3-4-3	Search for video ROM failure
    4-2-1	No time tick
    4-2-2	Shutdown failure
    4-2-3	Gate A20 failure
    4-2-4	Unexpected interrupt in protected mode
    4-3-3	Timer-chip counter 2 failure
    4-3-4	Time-of-day clock stopped
    4-4-1	Serial or parallel port test failure
    4-4-4	Cache test failure

Dimension 3000. Computer power light comes on but nothing else. Intermittent buzz for a few seconds. Diagnostic lights show GREEN, YELLOW, YELLOW, YELLOW. This sequence is not listed in the manual. Any advice please?

 kookumber

What colour is the bi-colour power button LED and is blinking, or steady?

Are there any 'Beeps'?

If you are comfortable working around computers, you could try the following:

Note: The only 100% method of testing a PSU, is to install a known working power supply.

Unplug the cord from the power supply, hold the power button in for about 15/20 seconds, open the case, unplug the 20-pin power connector from the motherboard and jump the Green wire to one of the Black wires, reconnect the power cord and power the system on, if power supply's fan and the hard drive run, then the PSU should be good.

Note: Do not remove any wires from the plug, use a small piece of wire or a paper clip as a jumper.

Power supply checks out and the system still does not work, again remove the power cord, hold the power button in for several seconds to discharge the residue power, reconnect the 20-pin connector to the motherboard.

Remove all the PCI cards, the video card [if applicable], memory, all peripherals, disconnect the data and power cables to all the drives, check that the front panel cable is connected to motherboard, with nothing else connected to the system, reconnect the power cable and power the system on.

If you do not get any beep codes and/or there is no change in the diagnostic lights, it would appear that the motherboard and/or the processor has died.

Bev.

Thanks for your help but it's knackered :( Bob

Bev, many thanks for detailed reply. A bit scared but as a fellow geordie had a go. The operation was a success but the patient died.

About time I got a new one anyway :))

Regards

Bob

Bob.

Sorry to hear that.  :emotion-6:

Bev.