This post is more than 5 years old
3 Posts
0
190573
Desktop PC will not boot up (blinking orange light)
I have a Dell Dimension 510 desktop PC that I bought in 2006. Obviously warranty expired on this system. For the past month, I am facing a strange problem. Whenever I shut down my PC (meaning completely power off) and reboot it will not reboot. There is a blinking orange light in the power button. (slow blinks)
I opened the case and thought dust settled inside the PC may be the problem. I cleaned the system up nicely and still it wouldn't boot up. The slow blinking orange light will go on for hours but the system will not boot up. The green LED light was on near the power supply in the mother board.
I unplugged all the cables and plugged it back, but still didn't work. I tested the power supply as mentioned in the following link and the power supply seems to be good.
As a final option, I removed the small battery that is in the mother board near the green LED. Now the LED near my Power button started blinking orange light fast. After about a minute of pressing the power button, the PC booted up. While the computer is on, I carefully put the small battery in the mother board closed the case.
So whenever I accidentally shut down my PC or due to power failures, I boot my PC like this.
1) Power it down,
2) Remove the case
3) remove the small battery in the mother board
4) Power it on (orange light blinks fast)
5) wait for few minutes while pressing the Power button
6) PC boots up.
7) I slid back the battery and close the case.
Its really weird to do all these things to just get the PC started. I paid like $800 bucks for this piece of junk. It didn't even last a year. I called the support and they couldn't care because I don't have an extended warranty. Support won't even help me over the phone to diagnose what's going on. So I've turned to this forum for some hlep.
Will changing the small battery do the trick? Based on the above conditions and my PC's signature below can some one help what is going on? What do I need to change to get my PC boot normally after powering off. I really want to shut down my PC at nights to save some energy. Thanks
Preethi
Dell DM051
Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.00GHz
2.92 GHz
1024 MB
XP Pro 5.1.2600
RoHe
10 Elder
10 Elder
•
43.6K Posts
0
July 10th, 2008 03:00
A new battery is a cheap thing to try. But, typically a blinking amber power button is a sign that there's an issue with the power supply. See the manual for further info and suggestions.
Ron
How to find Service Manual:
If still inside the purchased warranty period and need more assistance, click the "Get Help Now" icon on the right to start a live chat session.
(edited)
tr4
1.7K Posts
0
July 10th, 2008 11:00
I agree that the power supply is your likely culprit.
Dell makes lots of money off of extended warreties because most user will have trouble diagnosing their problems and do things as going through all that effort instead of fixing it.
The power supply takes a lot of punishment from surges yet most people have little to no help in the form of surge protection. That $5 or $10 strip does little to help.
Get a new supply, a good one and a good surge suspressor and happy computing.
Ironically, a new supply and surge unit will be less than the warrenty price
preethi_ramnan
3 Posts
0
July 10th, 2008 17:00
RoHe: I am aware of the link that you had sent me which describes about system lights and machine beeps. But there is nothing in that says conclusively about what is wrong whether its the Power Supply or there is something that is fishy with the mother board.
Here is the content from that link
Blinking amber:
A power supply or system board failure has occurred.
Check the diagnostic lights to see if the specific problem is identified. Also, see "Power Problems" in your computer Owner's Manual.
The above really confuses me. Is it a PSU or mother board? I was really hoping that some one can point me in the right direction based on my PCs symptoms (first post).
As tr4 suggested I can go ahead and buy a Power Supply and replace it. My only concern is what if the problem still continues and I am stuck with another power supply which is not going to help me. I am fairly comfortable with the opening of case and replacing parts.
All I need is a step by step diagnostics to figure out what is wrong with my system based on the causes/symptoms of my PC (based on my first post). If its indeed a problem with the mother board then I can throw the junk in the trash and buy a new PC. If its a PSU then I can buy one. I guess it cannot be as simple as this.
By the way I do have a Surge Protector and I still have those isssues. From a quick search on this forum, I find there are pleanty of folks who have this issue. I think its an inherent problem with these models. I wonder what Dell is doing to address this issue.
Davet50
14.4K Posts
0
July 10th, 2008 17:00
Ok heres a good way to isolate it.
unplug the computer
Open the case
Pull out the ram
Pull out all cards
Leave the power connected to the harddrives and opticals. at this point
Plug the computer back in
Push the power button.
Pay attention to the button light, listen for beeps, listen and look at the Fans and harddrives and opticals see if they spin up.
IF no beeps and the button has not changed and the fans and the drives spin up the ps is proably good and its either the motherboard or the procesor..go with the motherbord.
If anything changes then further ts is needed..
tr4
1.7K Posts
0
July 10th, 2008 18:00
An experienced tech may or not be able to tell if they had it in front of them. We may notice something but most of the time, the most likely item substituted is the best way. over the internet, we have second hand info. You may have a good enough friend that will loan you a compatable power supply to try. You may want to pay a pro who has spare parts to properly diagnose. You may just want to buy a new machine.
No matter what you do, it is going to cost you. Even buying parts that can be returned is an option for you.
shesagordie
10 Elder
10 Elder
•
46K Posts
0
July 10th, 2008 19:00
See here and here.
Bev.
===================================================
Please don't send me questions about your system by DCF Messenger.
Post the issue in the appropriate Board, where they will be answered.
preethi_ramnan
3 Posts
0
July 12th, 2008 04:00
QuickViper:
I totally forgot about the "Floppy Seek" while booting up. I get that too and I am getting it only after I had the blinking amber (orange?) problem. So this issue is more prevalent than we actually thought and all the symptom are very alike.
shesagordie
I saw both links. Although I am not sure how much help it is. One essentially talks about Warranty (and mine expired) and the other about replacing mother board.
When I initially called up Dell, they refused to help me if I do not pay a consulting fee. I think its unfair for this problem which seems to be common among the many users. Is there any Other Dell Customer service center in the DC metro area that I can take my PC for a check up.
I am fairly comfortbale in opening up the case and cleaning the PC with compressed air but changing the mother board and the front control switches is a different animal. Even if I could do it I do not have time. PC is just a toll for my profession not the profession itself (like some of the folks in this board). So any other help?
Moral of the story either way out of this. Don't buy a cheap Dell PC (or any other) bcoz they are giving cheap. There is always a catch.