Alpha R2, a costly mistake

Components can fail at any time.  Initially, after a short period, after a year, etc.  A good reason for an extended warranty on a laptop and especially a high cost gaming laptop.  This could have been another brand PC and the same thing happen, its not a "Dell only" issue.  I do PC support and see "premature" failures on all brands.  

The biggest cause of failures is overheating and more so in a laptop.  Overheating may not cause an immediate failure but sometime later (could be a year or two) it will fail for no obvious reason at the time and if the user knew it was because of an earlier undetected overheating.

I would check the power brick AND the heatsink fan AND the CMOS battery.

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@Jas5 wrote:

 

causes the PSU to shut down altogether when you plug it in (the power indicator on the 180watt PSU goes out, the only way to get it on again is to unplug it from the Alpha and then disconnect and reconnect the mains). Not so much as a flash of an LED or a kick from the fans. 

2. My first thought was the PSU, so I borrowed one from a Dell docking station... same problem. Both PSU’s happily charge a laptop so no issues there.

3. I checked out the service book and re-seated all the connectors, reset the CMOS, pressed and help the power switch etc etc.

5. Frustratingly I had always built my own desktops before buying the Alpha.

6. I was thinking of buying an XPS Laptop but couldn't handle throwing it away after a couple of years. but really?... after 2 years!

 

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2. Good troubleshooting.

3. Good. Is the DC-DC converter a separate PCB inside, or is it on the motherboard?

5. That is quite a departure. You know the Alpha-R2 is more like a laptop (with an external screen), right? There is a similar OptiPlex 5050-Micro. I don't care for it (too small), but I think the OptiPlex-5050-SFF is pretty awesome.

6. Now-days, I keep everything on extended contract. I blame early failures of computerized equipment (which is everything now-days) on lead-free-solder and required PCB processes. The only other way is like you did ...
- buy the cheapest/most-minimal machine
- save the warranty money
... be ready to use both saved moneys to replace whole machine in 2 years. It fits with fast/cheap/good-enough/quick-obsoleted and disposable society.

All computers and expensive consumer electronics should be protected from AC-Power abnormalities (spikes, surges, and brown-outs) with a good UPS (like an APC with a LCD and AVR tech). This is a real issue. If AC-Power problems don't immediately damage the machines, it can wear-them-down over time.

Keep the Dell laptop under warranty and you should be fine. However, the business Latitudes and Precisions are better (more reliable).

Would you like to hear how the MotherBoard on my (brand new) $2000 Lenovo X1-Carbon Touch went-out at 2.5-years old? How about the fact that its built like a mobile-phone inside and cpu/ram are soldered onto MB.

Hi all

Thanks for the replies and info. I guess things just aren't meant to last these days. I don't buy into the 'extended warranty' lifestyle that manufactures push towards, it's a massively profitable excuse for lower quality.

I've never had such an issue with the Latitude laptops I use at work and my wifes Inspirion has been rock solid since we bought it four years ago... maybe the odds were against us with all the Dell kit floating around.

It's definetly not overheating issue as I blow the dust out of the fans and heatsinks fairly regularly.

I'm going to go see a local PC repair store today for a second opinion.

@Tesla1856 the dc-dc inverter must be on the motherboard as the psu connects direct through the back straight to the board, I'll take another look though. Since the motherboard is probably toast anyway I might test and try and replace it if I can find the part. I'm a little rusty but I know one end of a soldering from the other. Nothing to lose :)

Thanks
Jas

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@Jas5 wrote:

Hi all

Thanks for the replies and info. I guess things just aren't meant to last these days. I don't buy into the 'extended warranty' lifestyle that manufactures push towards, it's a massively profitable excuse for lower quality.

 

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I hear you friend (you are preaching to the choir). 

I used to think like you, and back when they used:
- proper leaded solder
- not everything was computerized or micro-controller controlled
... it was actually a viable solution. The nice, expensive stuff lasted it's usable lifetime. Ever notice how the machines from the 90's and early 2000's are still working?

What changed? Well, this list isn't complete, but:
- Using garbage lead-free solder. It only takes one failed solder-joint to kill a machine.
- Mil-Spec doesn't ensure lead-free solder was used.
- Everything is computerized now
- Removal of sockets and the popularity of the dreaded BGA package
- Everything is at least partially "built like a mobile phone" (SMT, sealed and virtually un-servicable )

It's fine if you buy cheap/disposable/barely good-enough machines. But wait until you are older and can afford higher-end stuff like:
- The latest cutting-edge technology (mobile devices and computers)
- High-end Networking equipment (routers, gateways, ethernet-switches, etc.)
- Luxury-brand and performance vehicles
- Nice high-end appliances
- High-end Home Theater
- The list goes on-and-on

Do some research on BGA reliability and especially lead-free solder. Not surprisingly, the Military (weapons systems) and space-exploration (ie NASA) are exempt. However, electronic medical machines are not, so think about that the next time you are in the hospital