[olug] OT: Dell Help?

[Craig Wolf]

Thank you all for the ideas!!

This is a Dell XPS 8940 with a proprietary PS (long square ones) that
delivers power to the drives through the MB.  Don't have any with that
style power supply to pull from to test with.  Replacement PS was
guaranteed to function so there is that...  No lights on the MB when
plugged in or power on attempted.  MB capacitors are clean.  Both power
supplies do not have the test switch.
Last item to test before the MB HAS to be the problem is the power switch.
I ordered one for $15 to verify if it is the problem child.  Power switch
has 5 pins so not even sure WHICH ones to short to see if it is the switch,
hence the purchase...
Has an Nvidia card and built in video, hasn't made a difference if in or
not.
System warranty expired last year so no help there and Dell wants me to pay
to troubleshoot with them (understandably).

Craig Wolf
(402)990-3010

Strengths: Activator, Relator, Adaptability, Learner, Achiever
Take a moment to Make a moment! - Shekeela/VZW


On Wed, Jun 21, 2023 at 9:20 AM Steve Litt <slitt at troubleshooters.com>
wrote:

> William Mihalo said on Tue, 20 Jun 2023 18:13:00 -0500
>
> >Here is what I would do.
>
>
> >   4. Test for a failed component. Disconnect all peripherals from the
> >   motherboard--including the video display card and try powering on
> > the computer. If the power supply starts running, then you may have a
> > failed peripheral.
>
> The preceding is the standard practice for diagnosing a "won't turn on"
> if you don't have a POST card. Disconnect everything but
> microprocessor and RAM. I'd recommend that the first time you *don't*
> disconnect the video card, because your monitor gives you a lot of good
> symptom information and enables you to get to the BIOS. If you have a
> known good spare video card, you can swap. Otherwise, leave the old
> video card in after lightly applying a lubricant to the video card's
> gold fingers and pressing it in and out ten times.
>
> By the way, some nVidea cards are known to cause non-starts,
> intermittent or repeated reboots, and failure to start, when used with
> the GNU/Linux OS. I'd recommend you order a spare video card, for
> moments like this one. Here's a cheap fanless Radeon:
>
>
> https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/accessories-and-software/graphics-cards/graphics_cards/78137300
>
> I use this same card, but with 2GB RAM instead of 1GB, every day, and I
> love it. Even if it isn't the card of your dreams, when something like
> this happens, you can swap it in for diagnosis, and if the problem had
> been your video card, you can limp by with this non-gaming card until
> you get the (non-nVidea) card of your dreams.
>
> [snip]
>
> >However, the description of your problem sounds like you may have
> >received a failed power supply.
>
> Try double swapping a power supply from a working computer and this
> computer. If the problem moves with the power supply, suspect the power
> supply. If the problem stays with the bad computer, you've ruled out
> the power supply as a root cause, to a reasonable doubt.
>
> >Finally, check all your connections to
> >the motherboard and power supply and make sure nothing is loose. Also
> >check the front panel to motherboard connections.
>
> The preceding is a must. Intermittent power switches and reset switches
> do this stuff all the time. Just be sure to, one way or another, record
> how all the front panel wires hooked up. To boot the computer you'll
> need to short circuit the two pins that the power switch was connected
> to.
>
>
>
> SteveT
>
> Steve Litt
> Autumn 2022 featured book: Thriving in Tough Times
> http://www.troubleshooters.com/bookstore/thrive.htm
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