XPS 420 Fan On High With No Startup

The Power Button Light is blue, the same as it is normally, but the lit up Diagnostic Lights are 1, 3, and 4. I don't know whether this is normal as all different diagnostic lights are lit up during the boot sequence though.

Next time it does not boot, look at the color and condiditon of the power button light, look at the diagnostic lights.

See HERE <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell> for power lights and diagnostic light codes. The report what you find.

On a guess could be the powersupply but still cannot ruleo out other major components

I have a Dell XPS 420, and whenever I turn it on, the fan goes really high, and Vista won't boot at all. Occasionally, I can turn it normally, but that is rare, and most of the time the fan is goes on to full power as soon as push the button. I am using a time when the computer does work to type this, as Vista has booted today. I have taken the power cord out and put it back in numerous times, and I have switched it off and turned it back on many times too, but usually it is the most unexpected times when it actually boots. Has anybody else had this problem, or does anybody have a solution? Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.4Ghz 3.25 GB RAM Dual 300 GB Hard Drives NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit

Hello Raptor 001, Since you list 2 hard drives in your system specs., are they configured in a Raid array?

If so, there have been several members here that have had issues with a Raid array with this system.

It is normal for the fan to run at high speed for a few seconds when the systems boots, but then slow after that.

Hope this helps.

Both the Hard Drives do not have any RAID Configurations, and when I turn it on and the fan runs high, I could leave it all day and it still wouldn't have booted to Vista. It would still be running the fan on high. When this happens though, nothing will display on the screen, not even an error message. Thanks for trying to help anyway.

Diagnostic Lights 1, 3, and 4 stay on during the whole time the fan is running on high. Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

I have been using my XPS 420 for over 1 year now without any problems. This morning I had the same problem as mentioned above. When I turn on the computer all fans are running at maximum speed but the system does not boot. LED 1 3 and 4 are turned on.

Thomas81

Follow the above troubleshooting. Im betting you need a motherboard two.

I have been using my XPS 420 for over 1 year now without any problems. This morning I had the same problem as mentioned above. When I turn on the computer all fans are running at maximum speed but the system does not boot. LED 1 3 and 4 are turned on.

You too? Mine lasted 10 months until I got the problem.

You were right. It was the motherboard. I replaced it, and after having to fix a bluescreen in startup when the Vista loading bar starts, and doing a Start-Up Repair, it works absolutely fine. As good as new.

I had a similar problem...I moved to a new home, and when I unpacked my Dell XPS 420, and powered it on, I got lights 1, 3 and 4, and the fan was at max speed, and the PC did not boot.  Here's exactly what I did:

I opened the case and removed the four memory modules, wiped the contacts with a dry rag, then reseated them.  I wanted to reset the graphics card, but couldnt figure out how to remove it, so I just gave it a firm push into the socket.  Then I powered on the PC....this time, it hung with only light 1 on.  I opened the case, and realized that the memory modules were not fully inserted, I inserted them all, and then everything worked properly, and I havent had any trouble since, its been about a week so far...

When I moved from my old place, I took the opportunity to open the case and vacuum out the dust...perhaps, while doing that, I nudged a card or mem module.  While I tried to be careful hand carrying the pc, something may have got loose in transit....also, had to store the PC for a few days in an unairconditioned garage, it might have gotten to 90 in there, all though the PC was not in use at that time.

In any case, I would try reseating the mem, before replacing the motherboard (which I was prepared to do)...since when you replace a motherboard, you re-install the memory, so it might appear that the new motherboard fixed it, when the memory module reseating is what was needed.

I had already tried reseating the RAM, (under the instruction of tech support, because it was still under warranty at the time), and that did not work. I have replaced the motherboard since, and I have had it happen again recently, though I can get it to turn on if I lightly tap it or something. It really is quite a frustrating problem, so I would like to know if there is any permanent way to fix this.

Again, replace the motherboard (it's good it's still under warranty since it's quite hard to get a BTX motherboard)?

Or buy new RAM, and hope that I will have better luck?

Just speculation: could this problem have started from power surges, or something PSU related? Every time I switch it on at the wall, the PSU turns on for a moment and ticks, and I'm not quite sure if this is normal.

Don't be fooled, I am quite good with computers, but I just don't want to break anything, while the warranty is still valid.

In my case, once I reseated the memory, everything was OK...so perhaps we can infer that a code of (lights) 1,3,4 are indicitive of some memory issue.

Since you replaced the motherboard (but I assume, used the original memory) and still see the problem, I would look to the memory chips.  It may be some sort of intermittent memory chip. 

Not sure if this would work...but do you suppose the PC would boot with 2 or 3 mem modules?  Maybe you could try some combinations and see if you can isolate a "flaky" memory module.  Just a thought...and I didnt mean to imply that you werent good with computers...Im sure you are....I just know how upset I was when my PC was doing this, so I know what youre feeling about it...just trying to help brainstorm some ideas.

I can't try now. It's still under warranty, and I don't particularly want it to be void. Is it possible that it being loose could cause this?

Anyway, it hasn't had a problem for about a month now, so next time it happens, I'll give it a go.

It seems that the 420's are particularly prone to this.