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Optiplex GX150 won't POST
A friend gave me his Optiplex GX150 because it wouldn’t POST. The power-switch flashes yellow but won’t turn the computer on or off. Whenever the power plug is inserted the fans start, the motherboard light glows and the motherboard and floppy drive make a rapid dull clicking sound at the rate of around 240/second. After the floppy drive is disconnected the clicking is still heard from the motherboard area but I can’t pinpoint the exact position.
There are no beeps or anything on the monitor.
Disconnecting the drives and removing RAM and cards makes no difference. After numerous power-on attempts things changed where there was no clicking but the fans would stop, although the motherboard light was still illuminated. After further attempts it booted and I installed an OS and flashed the latest BIOS. I used the computer for a few hours and it rebooted without problems. The next day it was back to the clicking again but after a lot of power plug pulling it booted. The next day it’s clicking again and won’t POST.
The processor doesn’t look burnt and the computer works well when it is working. I don’t have a spare motherboard, processor or power supply to test the components so is there anything else I can try?
Brian
There are no beeps or anything on the monitor.
Disconnecting the drives and removing RAM and cards makes no difference. After numerous power-on attempts things changed where there was no clicking but the fans would stop, although the motherboard light was still illuminated. After further attempts it booted and I installed an OS and flashed the latest BIOS. I used the computer for a few hours and it rebooted without problems. The next day it was back to the clicking again but after a lot of power plug pulling it booted. The next day it’s clicking again and won’t POST.
The processor doesn’t look burnt and the computer works well when it is working. I don’t have a spare motherboard, processor or power supply to test the components so is there anything else I can try?
Brian
DELL-Jesse L
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January 17th, 2005 16:00
lennoxhd,
Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.
Try putting in another harddrive. That sounds like what is clicking. The clicking noise is the little metal arm inside the harddrive trying to get itself back upon the disk in order to read the tracks and it is not making it back ontop. Sort of like a record player and a needle that reads the record. If it does not get ontop to read the record then it just keeps clicking off the sides.
lennoxhd
37 Posts
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January 17th, 2005 18:00
The rapid clicking comes from the MB and also from the floppy drive if that is connected.
Brian
FuZzZ
63 Posts
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January 19th, 2005 12:00
Have you already tried to reaset everyting that can be reseated? (CPU, RAM, powercables etc.)
lennoxhd
37 Posts
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January 19th, 2005 18:00
I suspect a faulty power supply but without a replacement I'm stumpted.
Brian
mdrago
24 Posts
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January 20th, 2005 15:00
lennoxhd
37 Posts
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January 20th, 2005 18:00
Brian
lennoxhd
37 Posts
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January 21st, 2005 20:00
http://www.quepublishing.com/articles/article.asp?p=31105&seqNum=12
See the section "Figure 3.18 Back probing the power supply connectors."
My Power_Good wire voltage was .3 to 1.1 Volts when the MB was clicking and 5 Volts when the computer was actually working. I gather the clicking is the processor turning on and off.
I've ordered another Power Supply. The above web site was very helpful.
Brian
lennoxhd
37 Posts
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March 6th, 2005 19:00
Brian