Optiplex 980 No Boot 2,4 LED's

Question

Hi folks. I'm trying to fix up an old Optiplex 980 that will not boot. No BIOS, no nothing. It powers on, the front panel LED's do a little dance, and finally settle on 2,4 which indicates GPU failure per A reference guide to the Dell OptiPlex Diagnostic Indicators | Dell US. Well the only graphics is the integrated graphics in the i7 860, so I put a new one in and nothing changed. I tried resetting the CMOS thinking maybe it was looking for a dedicated GPU card that is no longer there (one of the punch-outs is missing, so maybe?), but that did nothing as well.

What could I be missing? I find it highly improbable that I replaced a processor with bad graphics with another also with bad graphics.

This is my first time dealing with these front panel LED indicators, and I'm wondering if there's more to it than the pattern they finally stop at. They also pause on a couple other patterns for a moment, but only a second or two before reshuffling and finally stopping on 2,4. Could those other interim indications mean anything, or is that just it going through it's POST process?

Thanks for any tips!

JOcean · Answer

It could be a MB failure but try replacing the CMOS battery with a brand new fresh battery. Also just to change things up a bit try installing a discrete card and watch for any changes in the LED pattern. And just to make sure we are on the same page, you have the LED display with numbers 1 to 4 correct?

UnusedRAM · Answer

@JOcean wrote:

And just to make sure we are on the same page, you have the LED display with numbers 1 to 4 correct?

Correct, which I kinda like!

I can try both those suggestions tonight and report back. I have a Radeon R7 240 SFF in my personal 7010 that I can borrow. Hopefully it's compatible as it's of similar age, though my CPU is 2 generations later so I'm not entirely sure.

UnusedRAM · Answer

So I tried out that Radeon, and it worked fine! Booted up, browsed around the BIOS, nothing looked strange, OK. Then unfortunately but also unsurprisingly, when I pulled the card back out, it did not boot. Same LED's.

Is it possible that something on the motherboard can be broken that prevents integrated graphics from working? It doesnt seem sensical, but I guess I don't understand either of those things well enough to dispute the idea. All thoughts are welcome.

I hope this is a solvable problem because I don't think I'd like to spend even the $50 it would take to get this thing a used SFF graphics card.

bradthetechnut · Answer

To keep it going, the alternative is replace the MB.  Likely easily get one for less than $50 off of eBay.  Graphics card is easier of course depending on now much $ and effort you want to stick into it.  If it's not something you like enough to keep going, one more option - recycle bin.

UnusedRAM · Answer

I do think this thing is worth reviving, but not worth swapping the motherboard cuz that's just annoying to do. I took to eBay and found quite a few graphics card options in the $25 range, and ended up with another R7 240 heading my way.

Still curious what went wrong though. What on a motherboard controls the operation of integrated graphics? Could it be something physical like bad pin in the socket or a tiny resistor somewhere? Just a corrupt BIOS? I guess I assume that if the CPU worked, integrated graphics should work too.

bradthetechnut · Answer

During this thread, I forgot to mention integrated graphics is in the CPU. Much easier to replace than MB. That could be a bent pin or CPU partial failure. I've seen in this forum a bent pin(s) can also affect RAM.

So, whatever you do with it, good luck. : ) It also looks like you may be having at least a little fun along the way keeping it going.

UnusedRAM · Answer

I saw that too in a recent thread and it got me thinking it's worth taking a look under the CPU. I did swap out the original for another of the same model to no effect, but I did not take a close look at the pins underneath. Certainly worth a look while I wait for USPS.

UnusedRAM · Answer

So nothing unusual under the CPU, but some new puzzling behavior outside of it. So if I connect a monitor over VGA, I get the 2,4 code. If I plug one in over display port, I get 1,2,3 and a beep (or two?) which the table says means the CMOS battery is dead and to take it out for a minute and put it back in, but that doesn't do anything. Also, if this is true, why doesn't it care about that battery with a graphics card hooked up? I'm going to get a new battery and see if that really is an issue, but I'm starting to wonder if something else is up on this motherboard...

UnusedRAM · Answer

Omg. You guys. How could you let me get away with this nonsense. The i7 860 does not have integrated graphics!!!

I was clicking around, taking a mental break at work, and started perusing the Technical Guide. Only there did I notice a little note, "Quad Core processors require a discrete add-in graphics card." I feel like I should delete my account and just buy Macs from now on. So embarrassed.

bradthetechnut · Answer

Ha, you're embarrassed?  I've been on this forum over 4 years and never knew Dell snuck in a few CPU's without integrated in certain Optiplex's.  That's what they normally do for some servers.

Optiplex Desktops

Optiplex 980 No Boot 2,4 LED's

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