We use the 270's at work about 300 of them and a few have had this same problem, its always the same thing, theres a bad capacitor on the motherboard, once the motherboard is replaced problem solved.

Bad video is a key symptom of motherboard failure, especially the fact that you cannot bring it back up. The diagnostic lights for the mobo failure DO NOT always show that it's that. In fact this loss of video problem will occur after the system has booted and the LED light will still be green.

Top 3 Symptoms of GX270 mobo failure:
1) Crusted, leaking or swollen capacitors
2) Loss of video in Windows or shortly after POST (the dell screen)
3) Random system reboots.

although it probably is the capacitors dont just assume. Check there is still power getting to the system when it happens by checking the power LED, and check the 4 lights at the back. If they are off and it still has power and youve identified capacitors its motherboard for sure. I mean what you described could be anything, losing power due to a faulty PSU/socket/cable, power saving issues with the BIOS..GX270 != motherboard every time

just making a point not to assume, i have flashed the BIOS on a system that had a similar issue - randomly losing video after boot, and it resolved the issue.

Dont be bombastic and derogatory. We do not assume anything. We make informed judgement based on BAD experience and TRENDS. There have been more than enough problems with bad capacitors to make the
assessment that there is a problem with capacitors and motherboards and the screen going black or saying no signal.

theres no need to take offense, but it is an assumption. Anyone can say stuff like 'oh hard drive not detected needs a new drive' or 'no video thats the caps on a gx270' its not valid troubleshooting at all. As soon as i saw what he wrote i immediately thougt probably caps on this 1 straight away. Dont treat the system any different from another based on known issues

There is need to take offence when you presume to be in judgement of help provided here where Only YOUR advice is good advice and everyone elses is wild assumption.

It costs ZERO dollars to open the cover and LOOK AT the Capacitors.

I consider my advice and the advice of others on the forrum based on more than 20 years experience with thousands of dells over that period of time. Advice is based on what I know and what I have experienced. Not assumptions.

Berating and debating that advice given is an "assumption" is derogatory and does not give due credit for "knowing a thing or 2" about dell computers.

i agree it does take 2 seconds to look at the capacitors, and it probably will be the motherboard which is at fault. Does it say anywhere in his post that he DID look at the capacitors and identify them as being faulty? no, but you still said he needs a new motherboard without that information. Quite frankly i dont care how much experience you have and you can take offense to my comments as much as you like. You go around the board telling people what new parts they need based on limited information making what can only be best guesses, are guesses professional? i think not. Ask him to check the capacitors and then tell him its PROBABLY the motherboard next time instead of assuming your experience means you can cut corners in troubleshooting. Like i said ive seen computers with this exact fault which has turned out NOT to be the capacitors just because its most likely doesnt mean it is.

Like this bickering is gonna help solve the problem.

This link will explain completely what is happening with bad capacitors.

http://www.badcaps.net/