# Dell Dimension 3000 Won't Power On



## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

My friend's dell dimension won't turn on. Pushing the power button does nothing. The computer was working fine recently then there was a power outage around the time. It doesn't seem like the PSU because I had it plugged in with the case open and there was a glowing green light on the motherboard which disappeared upon unplugging the computer. 

Now here is exactly what happens when pushing the power button. No fans and/or indicator of being on. Nothing, no harddrive etc.
It really makes me think it is the switch. 

How would I go about fixin this. 
Bear with me and do try to be quick as the hurricane tomorrow may not allow me to get back on for a week.

Thanx in advance very much


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

If your power supply fan doesn't even turn on, and nothing else does either, I would start to suspect the power supply.


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

Is there a way to reset/check the power supply? That would make sense as if no fans come on then the PSU could be messing up, and although power will still flow (right?) likely there would be failsafes stopping the computer from starting up?


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

See if the "diagnostic lights" at the rear tell you anything:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim3000/en/SM/adtshoot.htm?c=us&l=en&cs=19&s=dhs

I've seen faulty memory issues also cause a similar condition. Try reseating the modules or booting on just one.


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

I think I would agree that if the power supply fan does even start to turn that I would suspect a bad powersupply.


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

Ok, well hurricane  isn't here yet. 
Can't find the diagnostic lights.
There is no fan movement, but since pushing the power button does nothing, and I can still see the light, how would I figure out if it is the switch or not.
I'll remove a ram stick soon.
On the right track?

*updated*


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## brite750 (Mar 16, 2002)

iXneonXi said:


> Ok, well hurricane  isn't here yet.
> Can't find the diagnostic lights.
> There is no fan, but since pushing the power button does nothing, and I can still see the light, how would I figure out if it is the switch or not.
> I'll remove a ram stick soon.
> On the right track?


there is NO fan in the psu?? a psu has 3 voltage rails two may still be working while one is screwed, if you want to pull the mobo out of the case, unplug the switch and short the two switch terminals to see if it is the switch, but odds have it on a bad psu.


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

err  bad wording. The fan doesn't move.
OK i get your thing about the voltage rails.
Now since I can't find the diagnostic lights, how may I go about tweaking the switch?


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## brite750 (Mar 16, 2002)

iXneonXi said:


> err  bad wording. The fan doesn't move.
> OK i get your thing about the voltage rails.
> Now since I can't find the diagnostic lights, how may I go about tweaking the switch?


I would think that the fan not moving on the psu means its dead, most likely the 12v rail is gone, so you are getting some power to the mobo, etc, but not enough to get through the post, playing with the switch is not going to help. if you still want to try that, there are 2 pins on your mobo where the case switch connects to, if you short those two pins with a flat blade screw driver momentarily, it is the same as if you used the switch. If that doesnt work, then it is not the switch. to get at these two pins you may have to remove the mobo from the case, unplug all the drives leaving just the psu, mobo/cpu+hsf/ram/gfx card combo, no drives, if you do remove the mobo make sure it is on a non conductive surface, cardboard would do, and of course take percautions with static when handling pcb's.

and just a reminder when playing with the case open, unplug the darn thing.


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

Ok well undoing the mobo is out of the question, so I'll see if it is in an accessible spot. Now, doesn't it have to be plugged in to short it? I'd have to get the screwdriver and quickly tap the spot where the switch itself connects to the mobo, thus hopefully making it startup?


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## CarlssonMB (Oct 30, 2004)

To do that it has to be plugged in but any other time your fooling around with it, it should be unplugged


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

Makes sense  then I have heard some leave it plugged in to ground themselves w/ an antistatic band but that makes no sense. I always unplug.


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

The "diagnostic lights" are 4 leds on the rear panel -- seen as ABCD in this shot.

Normally they are all green (you can't see that here) -- if none of them are lit:



> The computer is in a normal off condition or a possible pre-BIOS failure has occurred.


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

Oh now I see them, I'll post what they show soon.


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

Lights arent lighting up. Things have quited down @ the house I think I can hear a mild buzz when I put my ear by the computer.


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

I opened the case, unplugged the cable that connects the switch to the mobo. That cable also connects the two lights on the front (HD indicator and power it seems). I used a screwdriver to tap the pieces sticking out from the connection that I just exposed. (the two pieces I tapped were orange and blue, the one that lead to the button as far as I can see). Nothing happened, although i can tell it is getting some power because of that small mobo light.

Any further tests I can do to see for sure if it is the PSU?


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Is there a power light on the _front_ panel that is lit or blinking in any fashion? If not it is probably a power supply failure.

I don't think there is any practical test we can otherwise give you for that. You would have to be experienced with a multimeter and know the pinout of the power leads -- and even then the results would not be conclusive.

With respect to the front panel light significance see the description under "Power lights" here:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim3000/en/SM/adtshoot.htm?c=us&l=en&cs=19&s=dhs

Power supplies will tend to make a slight hum when on -- that doesn't mean they are good. But you should not be hearing a loud buzz.


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

Nope, only light that stays on or is on when I push the button is the one on the mobo. No other lights are on. Pushing button does nothing.
I know a decent amount about multimeters but very little about PSU's, so I guess I'm outta luck?
Now what is possible is if the PSU were to be removed and ofcourse unplugged, my multimeter can check power flow, would that be useful?


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

This is a tricky area because depending on when that computer was made (perhaps just 2 or 3 years ago) Dell used a proprietary connector for their power supplies and replacing a Dell power supply with a "standard" one would fry the system.

There have been some previous threads in the forum addressing this issue -- perhaps you will get some further help in sorting it out.

In any case the voltages you are looking for with a multimeter are:

250W
+5v / 22.0A
+12v / 14.0A
-12v / 1.0A
+3.3v / 18.0A
+5VSB / 2.0A

... but you will not be able to test "power flow" since this requires the power supply to be under load.

Here are two pinouts -- one for a "non standard" Dell:

http://pinouts.ru/data/dell_atxpower_pinout.shtml

And one for a standard ATX:

http://pinouts.ru/data/atxpower_pinout.shtml


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

Howmuch load? I know the multimeter I have will generate enough power to test flow, it is one of the big reasons why I got that one. Which leads should I connect it too? If I were to do it for both voltages and flow. Then I may not even go there with the hurricane and just because. still nice to know


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

I can't advise you on that. If it were mine I would stick to testing voltages only. To test a power supply at rated flow would require at least 250 watts for what you probably have there.

But for what it's worth here is a recent thread devoted to the Dell "propietary" issue:

http://forums.techguy.org:80/t386219.html

*edit* I notice that both those pinouts apparently have "quality" tests on one pin. I've never done any supply testing myself on computer power supplies -- but I would check the voltage on those pins.

Connect your ground lead to pin 13 which is common in both cases.

On the Dell "propiertary" pinout -- pin 5 is a "Power_Good" pin. Which should mean that any positive voltage in the 3-5 range is a "1" or "good"

On the standard ATX pinout this is pin 8


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## I Fix 4 U (Jul 19, 2004)

The computer was in warranty so the guys at dell sent the spare part in for free. Turned out it was dead mobo and not PSU. The one who owned the computer sent it to the tech's at his work (free) who figured that out. I never wouldv considered it because of that light, but I guess since mobos are so sophisticated something could be messed up and the rest could be fine.


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