Dimension 4500

[exatc]

Dimension 4500 tower case.  Attempted to upgrade RAM.  Installed two 512MB sticks.  Turned on computer all I got was three beeps. Attempted to reinstall original RAM (two 256MB) and all I got was three beeps.  I unsucessfully atempted to find some info from Dell tech support.  I won't go into that scenario (three and a half days.  I was told repeateedly that removing the CMOS battery was a simple task.  Repeatly.  I couldn;t get my big fingers to the release.  So I decided to shop for a replacement mother board (2P997). another thought was to possibly replace the mother board with a newer/better motherboard that would fit the mid-tower case.  Once again Dell was no help.  You probably are my last resort.  Thanks

[shesagordie]

exactc

Dell systems have motherboards and cases that have proprietary features, the best match to the 4500, would be the 4550, or a 8300 motherboard, but the latter would require new memory, but this would not be much of an upgrade and probably not worth the expense.

Did you try resetting the BIOS defaults, see here,

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid=...=

Bev.

[exatc]

exactc

Dell systems have motherboards and cases that have proprietary features, the best match to the 4500, would be the 4550, or a 8300 motherboard, but the latter would require new memory, but this would not be much of an upgrade and probably not worth the expense.

Did you try resetting the BIOS defaults, see here,

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid=...=

Bev, thank you very much,  I could not access the BIOS.  At power on all I get is the three beeps.  No video or anything else.  That's why with my limited knowledge I felt the motherboard might be bad. 

Al

[shesagordie]

Hi.

Yes, it's possibly the motherboard is bad.

There are four diagnostic lights on the back panel, are they lite, if they are, what is the sequence of both the lights and the power button LED, see here

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4500/advanced.htm#1118998

Bev.