computer won't start - no sounds

joe

It is a dell E510. I know this isn't a dell forum but still the smartest
forum around and so here I am with this question. The dell was
not starting. I changed out the power supply and no luck. With
either ps, the green light on mobo is on.

I press start button and there is a yellow light that blinks inside just
behind the switch.

I have been working on this for weeks because after a day or two,
it will start fine.

What do you all think??

Right now it is in state where it will not start. I put the new ps in
again and still it won't start.

philo

"joe" <bry333@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:btB4k.5003$LL4.4910@bignews7.bellsouth.net...
> It is a dell E510. I know this isn't a dell forum but still the smartest
> forum around and so here I am with this question. The dell was
> not starting. I changed out the power supply and no luck. With
> either ps, the green light on mobo is on.
>
> I press start button and there is a yellow light that blinks inside just
> behind the switch.
>
> I have been working on this for weeks because after a day or two,
> it will start fine.
>
> What do you all think??
>
> Right now it is in state where it will not start. I put the new ps in
> again and still it won't start.
>
>
>
Things to do:

Try resetting the cmos.

Also check the voltage on your cmos battery...
funny things can happen with a low (but not totally dead) battery.

Also check that all your cards and RAM are properly seated

joe

I found batt that I am sure is fairly new, and reset cmos jumper.
Reseated ram and video card.
At some point it tried to start and I got the following error code.

Error code
long beep, long pause, then three long beeps with short pauses between
them, then long pause and then two long beeps with only a short beep
between them. That is it. A total of 6 beeps.

"philo" <philo@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:7--dnZbjZu88bc_VnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@ntd.net...
>
> "joe" <bry333@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> news:btB4k.5003$LL4.4910@bignews7.bellsouth.net...
>> It is a dell E510. I know this isn't a dell forum but still the smartest
>> forum around and so here I am with this question. The dell was
>> not starting. I changed out the power supply and no luck. With
>> either ps, the green light on mobo is on.
>>
>> I press start button and there is a yellow light that blinks inside just
>> behind the switch.
>>
>> I have been working on this for weeks because after a day or two,
>> it will start fine.
>>
>> What do you all think??
>>
>> Right now it is in state where it will not start. I put the new ps in
>> again and still it won't start.
>>
>>
>>
> Things to do:
>
> Try resetting the cmos.
>
> Also check the voltage on your cmos battery...
> funny things can happen with a low (but not totally dead) battery.
>
> Also check that all your cards and RAM are properly seated
>
>

Paul

joe wrote:
> I found batt that I am sure is fairly new, and reset cmos jumper.
> Reseated ram and video card.
> At some point it tried to start and I got the following error code.
>
> Error code
> long beep, long pause, then three long beeps with short pauses between
> them, then long pause and then two long beeps with only a short beep
> between them. That is it. A total of 6 beeps.

Beep codes are available in the upper right hand corner of this page.
Try to use the page that corresponds to the BIOS brand used with the board.
Phoenix uses more complicated codes than some of the others. If you don't know
what BIOS is used, either look for a label stuck to the BIOS chip on the
motherboard, or look at pictures of the BIOS screen in the user manual,
and see if there is branding information printed on one of the BIOS pictures.

http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/phoenixbeep.htm

When dealing with bad hardware, try to remove portions of the hardware
to simplify the setup. Make careful note of where the connectors go, their
orientation and so on, so you can put them back correctly later.

For example, if you remove all the RAM from the motherboard, you should get
a "missing RAM" beep code. If you're still getting your complicated beep
code, then that would suggest a test that occurs before an attempt to use
the RAM, is failing.

Before adding or removing hardware from a computer, always unplug it. The
purpose of unplugging, is to ensure that +5VSB is not available to the
motherboard. On Asus motherboards, there is a green LED on the surface of
the motherboard, which glows to warn you that +5VSB is still present.
By unplugging the power cable, you can be sure that the power is not
present, so it'll be safe to remove things like the RAM.

Paul

>
> "philo" <philo@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:7--dnZbjZu88bc_VnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@ntd.net...
>> "joe" <bry333@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
>> news:btB4k.5003$LL4.4910@bignews7.bellsouth.net...
>>> It is a dell E510. I know this isn't a dell forum but still the smartest
>>> forum around and so here I am with this question. The dell was
>>> not starting. I changed out the power supply and no luck. With
>>> either ps, the green light on mobo is on.
>>>
>>> I press start button and there is a yellow light that blinks inside just
>>> behind the switch.
>>>
>>> I have been working on this for weeks because after a day or two,
>>> it will start fine.
>>>
>>> What do you all think??
>>>
>>> Right now it is in state where it will not start. I put the new ps in
>>> again and still it won't start.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Things to do:
>>
>> Try resetting the cmos.
>>
>> Also check the voltage on your cmos battery...
>> funny things can happen with a low (but not totally dead) battery.
>>
>> Also check that all your cards and RAM are properly seated
>>
>>
>
>

RobV

joe wrote:
> I found batt that I am sure is fairly new, and reset cmos jumper.
> Reseated ram and video card.
> At some point it tried to start and I got the following error code.
>
> Error code
> long beep, long pause, then three long beeps with short pauses between
> them, then long pause and then two long beeps with only a short beep
> between them. That is it. A total of 6 beeps.
>

May be A RAM problem. Try reseating the memory. Also could be a video
card problem. Do the same; remove the card, make sure the slot is
clean, then plug it back in, making sure it's in all the way.

joe

I removed the video card. There was a plastic cover over the video
from the motherboard. I guess the video card was an option. I also
removed the modem card which won't be used anyway. Just to test
the beep codes, I removed both 256M memory sticks.

When I plug power back in, the green mobo light is on (that has always
worked), but when I press the power on switch, nothing happens. And
I have replaced the power supply several times. Right now, the ps that
came with it is in place.

So I am suspicious of the on switch. I am not familiar with this mobo
and don't know how to short the switch. It is hidden in the front panel
with no clear way of getting to it.

Any suggestions??

Paul

joe wrote:
> I removed the video card. There was a plastic cover over the video
> from the motherboard. I guess the video card was an option. I also
> removed the modem card which won't be used anyway. Just to test
> the beep codes, I removed both 256M memory sticks.
>
> When I plug power back in, the green mobo light is on (that has always
> worked), but when I press the power on switch, nothing happens. And
> I have replaced the power supply several times. Right now, the ps that
> came with it is in place.
>
> So I am suspicious of the on switch. I am not familiar with this mobo
> and don't know how to short the switch. It is hidden in the front panel
> with no clear way of getting to it.
>
> Any suggestions??
>

Is there a cable coming from the front panel, to a "PANEL" header
on the motherboard ? (It might be a 2x4 header, but I don't see it in
the manual.)

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...sm/techov1.htm

Perhaps there is a cable with a 1x2 connector on the end, that comes
from that power switch ? In an emergency, you should be able to swap
the reset and power cables, to the PANEL header, so that the reset switch
can be used as a power switch. Both switches are momentary contact
type switches, so they should be interchangeable. And the switches don't
have to be connected. For example, when debugging on my table, sometimes
I stick a screwdriver tip, between the two pins that would normally
go to the power switch, so the motherboard starts with just a quick
touch of the pins. (Only do this, if the motherboard is out in the
open and in plain view. You don't want to stab the wrong things with
your screwdriver. I'm only making this point, to emphasize that the
switch is momentary contact.)

The manual claims there are the infamous diagnostic LEDs on this
machine. Do you see anything matching this description ?

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1120147

Put one stick of RAM back (with the power off), and try the system again.

Paul

joe

"Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message news:g30c6u$k1o$1@aioe.org...

>>
>
> Is there a cable coming from the front panel, to a "PANEL" header
> on the motherboard ? (It might be a 2x4 header, but I don't see it in
> the manual.)
>
> http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...sm/techov1.htm
>
> Perhaps there is a cable with a 1x2 connector on the end, that comes
> from that power switch ? In an emergency, you should be able to swap
> the reset and power cables, to the PANEL header, so that the reset switch
> can be used as a power switch. Both switches are momentary contact
> type switches, so they should be interchangeable. And the switches don't
> have to be connected. For example, when debugging on my table, sometimes
> I stick a screwdriver tip, between the two pins that would normally
> go to the power switch, so the motherboard starts with just a quick
> touch of the pins. (Only do this, if the motherboard is out in the
> open and in plain view. You don't want to stab the wrong things with
> your screwdriver. I'm only making this point, to emphasize that the
> switch is momentary contact.)
>
> The manual claims there are the infamous diagnostic LEDs on this
> machine. Do you see anything matching this description ?
>
> http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1120147
>
> Put one stick of RAM back (with the power off), and try the system again.
>
> Paul

I meant to say there was no beep codes with everything removed. That means
the
power switch must not be working - right??

I tried one stick of ram and no sticks of ram - no beep codes. That surely
isn't right.
The only blinking lights are two yellow leds on front panel when I press the
power
switch on front of computer.

There is a ribbon cable from mobo to small circuit board that has front
panel usb's on
it and yellow led's. I have to figure out how to get to the power switch on
front panel.
It is not obvious how I get to it.

philo

"joe" <bry333@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:HDG4k.4669$Nr.1353@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
> I found batt that I am sure is fairly new, and reset cmos jumper.
> Reseated ram and video card.
> At some point it tried to start and I got the following error code.
>
> Error code
> long beep, long pause, then three long beeps with short pauses between
> them, then long pause and then two long beeps with only a short beep
> between them. That is it. A total of 6 beeps.
>

Consult the manual for your motherboard to see what that error code means.
If you do not have a manual, it will be avail on-line.

(Most beep codes are for either RAM or video errors.)



> "philo" <philo@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:7--dnZbjZu88bc_VnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@ntd.net...
> >
> > "joe" <bry333@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> > news:btB4k.5003$LL4.4910@bignews7.bellsouth.net...
> >> It is a dell E510. I know this isn't a dell forum but still the
smartest
> >> forum around and so here I am with this question. The dell was
> >> not starting. I changed out the power supply and no luck. With
> >> either ps, the green light on mobo is on.
> >>
> >> I press start button and there is a yellow light that blinks inside
just
> >> behind the switch.
> >>
> >> I have been working on this for weeks because after a day or two,
> >> it will start fine.
> >>
> >> What do you all think??
> >>
> >> Right now it is in state where it will not start. I put the new ps in
> >> again and still it won't start.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > Things to do:
> >
> > Try resetting the cmos.
> >
> > Also check the voltage on your cmos battery...
> > funny things can happen with a low (but not totally dead) battery.
> >
> > Also check that all your cards and RAM are properly seated
> >
> >
>
>