Optiplex 280 no display and strange problem

Are you actually running a flash update every time or are you just removing the BIOS jumper to reset it to factory defaults?

The LED on the motherboard only means it's getting some power, but not necessarily the right power.

A,B,C orange, D green is a BIOS failure. Since resetting BIOS seemed to  solve the problem, that suggests the motherboard battery may have died so NVRAM is unable to hold BIOS settings and/or they're getting corrupted. So I'd replace the battery.

Be sure to unplug and press/hold the power button for ~15 sec before removing the battery. After you remove the old battery, press/hold power button again for ~30 sec. Then install the new battery, right-side-up(!). It's a 3-volt CR2032 lithium coin cell battery, about $2-$3 at discount stores.

Ron

Dear RON,

Thanks for ur prompt reply. I replaced the battery and checked its voltages its working fine, but the computer problem is still there means no display yet. I flashed the bios using reset jumpers.

Today computer is working again and displaying no errors and working fine. I have taken necessary backup from HDD. Now it will work fine until I shutdown and unplug power cord from it. Help me now what to do???? It urgent

I am going to update bios to newer version....

When you move that jumper, you're not "flashing" bios. All you're doing is resetting bios to the factory defaults. It's still the same version of bios. When you run a flash update, you're actually loading an entirely new bios file onto the NVRAM chip.

You can try doing the flash update, but be sure to disconnect all peripherals including network/modem cable, leaving only mouse, monitor and keyboard connected before you start. And don't run the flash if there are any thunder storms in your area, or a chance the power might blink.

Keep in mind there's always a chance a flash bios update will fail and the only fix for that is a new motherboard. Though if NVRAM isn't holding the bios settings correctly, there's already a chance that the motherboard needs to be replaced.

Do you remove the power cord every time? Can't you leave it plugged in, if that solves the problem?

Ron

Dear Ron,

Yesterday computer was working fine therefore i did not flash the bios there was no problem at all. every day i plug out the power cable. Yes ur right i m setting the bios to factory settings.

Today i am facing other errors. computer was working fine suddenly white screen appears and computer was hanged. Then I restart it after that it stars showing mysterious behaviour. It show following errors at different time.

1. It does not give display at monitor and A B D are green and C is yellow.

2. It passed all checks A B C D are green but computer halts after few mins.

3. Power light is yellow and processor fan is running at high speed.

4. A B D are green and C is yellow and computer halts at dell logo display.

Computer is displaying different error code at each startup but the most frequent is all lights are green but computer halts after few mins. There is no problem with operating system because i did not boot to operating system first I go to bios and wait for few mins to monitor computer's behaviour.

Any help in this regard is highly appreciated.

Regards!

Look in Windows Event Viewer for any error messages around the time of a shutdown that might give you a hint of the problem.

Any signs of overheating? Are all fans working and all air vents clean? You may want to use canned air to blow out the dust bunnies.

Check to make sure the heat sink (HOT!) is firmly attached. Check the motherboard for bulging or leaking capacitors. They should all be perfectly round little "cans" on the motherboard with perfertly  flat tops.

You may have to strip it down to bare minimum. Disconnect all drives except boot drive, remove all PCI cards, except video card, reseat RAM modules in their slots, etc.

Ron

Fan and heat sink is clean. I unplug all cards, drives and peripherals, ram and processor but the same result. computer is halting after few mins even in bios too. i m unable to boot to window bkz computer strucks therefore can't view event viewer.

I think there is no leak sign on capacitors.

Starts the computer with ram, processor and hard disk and cd drive but now power light is yellow and fan speed is very fast.

What color are the 4 diagnostic LEDs on rear of the tower now?

Is power button solid yellow or blinking? A solid yellow power button means "a device on the system board may be faulty or incorrectly installed." So check that everything is correcly installed, eg reseat RAM modules, etc again, check all cable connections etc. Don't add back anything unessential, and you may want to disconnect the CD drive too at this point. When things are reseated, remove the motherboard battery and press/hold power button for ~30 sec. Then reinstall the battery and try to boot.

If power button is blinking yellow, that's typically a power supply failure, which might be consistent with it shutting off randomly, though overheating could do that too.

Ron

Dear Ron,

System is showing different error codes on each start and restart. I have already mention all errors codes in my previous posts plz refer to them. Yellow light is stable. I have removed all components many times and starting the computer with ram, processor and hard disk only.

Some times computer gives display at monitor but after few mins it halts. When I restart it again its starts giving different errors code on each start up.

Regards!

ABD, green, C yellow is not a listed error code. Since you've removed all the non-essential stuff, it's either the video card or the motherboard.

Do you have integrated video or an add-in PCI-e x16 video card? If you have integrated video, you could try installing a PCI-e video card. Or, if you have an add-in video card now, you might remove it and switch back to integrated video.

Ron

Thanks Ron for ur help. I am sending my pc to electronics maintaince workshop for mother board repair. I think there is problem with bios or any other component is generating different interupts at different time. As date and time on system is always correct therefore battery is not an issue.  i m using integrated vga infact i have removed pci bridge from pc to put it into function. i m tired of 280's mother boards. if problem can't fix i will replace it with another one. plz tel me which mother board will fit into this casing and with said components?

Thankx again.

Regards!

You're welcome. Hope the repair shop can fix it.

Unfortunately, Dell typically uses custom connectors between the motherboard and the front panel. So it's not easy to install a different motherboard in a Dell case, even if it's a Dell motherboard for a different model PC.  Wiring for those connectors isn't publicly available so unless somebody can figure out those connectors, you won't be able to install anything but another GX280 motherboard.

You can purchase a replacement GX280 motherboard here for ~$70. It comes with a warranty, but doesn't mention the form factor (eg, desktop, small minitower etc) or if it's new, used or refurbished.

There are a number of them here for $29, but only certain form factor boards are available.

There's a refurbished one here for ~$70 too, but it also doesn't mention fhe form factor.

Good luck!

Ron

Dear Ron,

Guys from hardware maintainence told me that my motherboard is faulty and can't be repaired. But i don't believe this because it give me display many times and every time shows different error. Any how I am thinking to replace my PC with Dell Dimention E521 Tower Casing. Is there any issue with this model?

Regards!

If the NVRAM chip is damaged, it might not hold bios settings correctly which could lead to random errors.

If you can borrow a PCI-e x16 video card from another system, you could test to see if the problem is with the on-board graphics. If a PCI-e card solves the problem, just buy a new video card for this system.

Not sure what you mean by "replace my PC with Dell Dimention E521 Tower Casing". Do you mean you're thinking of buying a E521 system? I don't think Dell sells that model any more. They're selling Inspiron and XPS models now.  Either way, look around the forums for posts about the model you choose to get an idea of the issues people are having, so you'll know what you're getting into. :emotion-5:

Keep in mind that any new system will probably come with Win 7 since Dell doesn't offer XP as an option any more. So you will want to check if the software you use works with Win 7, and if your hardware (eg, printers, scanners, etc) has drivers for Win 7. Otherwise, you'll also have to replace those things too.

Good luck!

Ron