motherboard dead?

After a power outage last week my son's Dell Dimension 2400 won't boot, light
in front flashes amber, it makes no noise at all, but the green light is on
inside. The hard drive is fine (checked on another PC). Before I buy a mobo
for it, I just want to know if there's anything else I should check. Thanks
for any feedback.

Elgeebell wrote:
After a power outage last week my son's Dell Dimension 2400 won't
boot, light in front flashes amber, it makes no noise at all, but the
green light is on inside. The hard drive is fine (checked on another
PC). Before I buy a mobo for it, I just want to know if there's
anything else I should check. Thanks for any feedback.

If the machine doesn't even POST then th MB is probably toast.

With a new MB you may have to do a repair install, unless of course it is
the same type of MB that the machine came with. If it is not then your OS
CDs may not even work with a non-Dell MB.

Elgeebell wrote:
After a power outage last week my son's Dell Dimension 2400 won't
boot, light in front flashes amber, it makes no noise at all, but
the green light is on inside. The hard drive is fine (checked on
another PC). Before I buy a mobo for it, I just want to know if
there's anything else I should check. Thanks for any feedback.

It's more than likely the power supply - not the motherboard.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Elgeebell wrote:
After a power outage last week my son's Dell Dimension 2400 won't
boot, light in front flashes amber, it makes no noise at all, but
the green light is on inside. The hard drive is fine (checked on
another PC). Before I buy a mobo for it, I just want to know if
there's anything else I should check. Thanks for any feedback.


"Shenan Stanley" wrote in message
...

It's more than likely the power supply - not the motherboard.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP

The practical point is that a power supply module can be
tested (at a competent PC service store) in about 1 min.
while you wait, and if needed a replacement fitted in hardly
2 min. longer for about $30. I have needed to replace PC
power supply three times in 25 years of home computing:
this seems about average; it is cheap and easy.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

X2, try a new power supply first.

--

----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375



"Shenan Stanley" wrote in message
...

It's more than likely the power supply - not the motherboard.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Originally Posted by GreenieLeBrun

Elgeebell wrote:
After a power outage last week my son's Dell Dimension 2400 won't
boot, light in front flashes amber, it makes no noise at all, but the
green light is on inside. The hard drive is fine (checked on another
PC). Before I buy a mobo for it, I just want to know if there's
anything else I should check. Thanks for any feedback.

If the machine doesn't even POST then th MB is probably toast.

With a new MB you may have to do a repair install, unless of course it is
the same type of MB that the machine came with. If it is not then your OS
CDs may not even work with a non-Dell MB.

Actually, there are a number of things that could cause a Dell to display an amber power light. The primary things to check a
* Ensure that the processor power cable is securely connected to the system board power connector (POWER2)
* Remove and then reinstall all memory modules
* Remove and then reinstall any expansion cards, including graphics cards

My personal recommendation would be to pull all the cards, including memory, disconnect the drives from the motherboard and power up the computer to see what it does. If the system still shows the amber power light then we know it has to be the motherboard, power supply or processor.

If the problem is caused by one of the removed parts you should get the diagnostic code (from the four LEDs on the back of the tower) for missing or failed memory: A & B amber, C & D green. To determine which one you just start putting pieces back in and testing the system, one piece at a time.

Hopefully this will help get the problem fixed. If you have any other questions about the system I'll be happy to help.

Larry
Dell Customer Advocate

After a power outage last week my son's Dell Dimension 2400 won't
boot, light in front flashes amber, it makes no noise at all, but the
green light is on inside. The hard drive is fine (checked on another
PC). Before I buy a mobo for it, I just want to know if there's
anything else I should check. Thanks for any feedback.

I don't know what the flashing light means; you should be able to look
that up in your documentation or at their web site.
If I were you I'd suspect the power supply first. In fact, maybe
check the fuse in it, then see if it's putting out proper voltages. If
you're willing to replace a mobo you should have the expertise to ts the
power supply and its fusing/breakers. Else you should probably try
taking it to a shop.

Originally Posted by Twayne[_2_]

After a power outage last week my son's Dell Dimension 2400 won't
boot, light in front flashes amber, it makes no noise at all, but the
green light is on inside. The hard drive is fine (checked on another
PC). Before I buy a mobo for it, I just want to know if there's
anything else I should check. Thanks for any feedback.

I don't know what the flashing light means; you should be able to look
that up in your documentation or at their web site.
If I were you I'd suspect the power supply first. In fact, maybe
check the fuse in it, then see if it's putting out proper voltages. If
you're willing to replace a mobo you should have the expertise to ts the
power supply and its fusing/breakers. Else you should probably try
taking it to a shop.

I just realized when I posted last time I missed the fact the power light was blinking, and not solid, amber. As others have stated, this is almost always something with the power supply.

The power supply the system originally shipped with will be a 200W, so if testing verifies the PSU is the problem make sure that you don't get a smaller one. A larger PSU should work fine (and would be needed for upgrades like a higher end video card) as long as it fits into the chassis.

Larry
Dell Customer Advocate

Check the power supply unit (PSU) first this may be the cause of the
problem, but at the same time the power outage may also have damaged the
motherboard. My PC had a power outage just before Christmas 2007 so I
straight changed the PSU, unfortunately in the end it turned out to be both
the PSU and motherboard that had been fried.

--
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

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"Elgeebell" u43420@uwe wrote in message news:83b80b67781af@uwe...
After a power outage last week my son's Dell Dimension 2400 won't boot,
light
in front flashes amber, it makes no noise at all, but the green light is
on
inside. The hard drive is fine (checked on another PC). Before I buy a
mobo
for it, I just want to know if there's anything else I should check.
Thanks
for any feedback.