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Possible processor error Dell E521
Dell E521
Processor: amd dual core
On boot: 3 bios beep codes: long, short, short amber light blinks once only on power button & light #3 remains on
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dimE521/en/SM_EN/adtshoot.htm says either processor failure according to the 3 or Memory test failure according to beep codes.
Please advise of possible solution?
Admin note: Service Tag deleted
RoHe
10 Elder
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March 27th, 2009 13:00
Power off and disconnect the PC from the wall. Press/hold the power button for ~15 sec. Open the case and carefully remove and reseat the RAM modules in their slots. Try to boot now. If it fails, power off, disconnect PC, press/hold... and then remove all RAM modules except the one in slot 1. Try to boot.
If that works, install a module in slot 2. Repeat the entire process until you've either tested all modules in slot 1, or you reinstall all of them until you find one that fails. If one does fail, be sure to swap a module that works in another slot into that slot, just to make sure it's not a slot failure.
If it won't boot with any module in slot 1, then either the motherboard or CPU may have failed...
Always remember to power off, unplug, press/hold the power button each time, before removing or installing any components.
Ron
tcjmiami
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March 27th, 2009 14:00
Yes, have had this trouble before and simply reseating the ram has fixed it. This time no good. Just retried with fingers crossed...no luck.
RoHe
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March 27th, 2009 14:00
Did you try each of them 1 at a time in slot 1?
Ron
tcjmiami
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March 27th, 2009 15:00
Yes, didn't change a thing.
RoHe
10 Elder
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March 27th, 2009 16:00
If you're still under warranty, contact Dell Tech Support for further assistance.
Try testing the RAM modules one at a time just in slot 3 -all the other slots empty. If that boots, the motherboard has a slot 1 failure.
Unless somebody else has a better idea, you may need to remove the heatsink and reseat the CPU in its socket too. Remove old thermal paste from the CPU and from the heatsink and apply a thin layer of fresh paste (eg, Arctic Silver). Then reinstall the heatsink. Hard to tell if it's a dead CPU or motherboard, unless you can test the CPU in another system or have another compatible CPU you can test here. Got a friend at a local PC shop that might test the CPU for you?
Bummer. :emotion-9:
Ron