# Dell Won't Power On (Orange Blinking Light)



## Klax0r

Yesterday, I was just sitting there watching TV at my computer desk, with the computer on, next thing I know- I look over and the computer was shutdown. I didn't know why, so then I go to turn it on, it will not turn on- and the power button, that should be green, starts blinking orange. I'm not sure what the problem is, I think something might be dead. I have been getting a message that says "Alert! System Battery Voltage Low" for about 2 years, I'm not sure if that would be it or not (Maybe that died? Would that do it? I don't know). 

When I try to turn it on, I can see the fan and stuff turn on for about half a second, then everything just turns off except for the mobo light and the orange blinking light. I've tested my brothers working power supply in mine, so I know that mine still works because that didn't fix it. I've taken the graphics card out, that didn't do it either. I don't know what else I could do, please help somebody, I'm lost without my computer... Thank you.


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## steigrafx

A blinking orange power light typically means a hardware failure. You've ruled out the power supply, so it could be the motherboard or even your hard drive. Try unplugging your hard drive and see if the PC turns on.


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## Klax0r

Okay, I tried the Hard Drive, it's not that either. Also, the light on the motherboard still lights up, could that mean it isn't that either or could it still be?


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## steigrafx

I googled dell blinking orange light and dell flashing orange light, and there is no single solution to the problem. I would disconnect everything that isn't necessary to go through the POST, such as hard drive, CD/DVD ROM drives, floppy. Boot with only the video card and memory installed. If that still fails, you can remove the memory and see if the PC errors out with beeps.


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## giovannicosta

The reason is because dell make cheap PCs with are rubbish, anyway try what steigrafx said, good idea, bur earth yourself first...


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## Klax0r

Okay, now I've tried taking out everything except the CPU and Mobo. Does this mean that one of those are most likely done for or what? I guess I could take out my brothers CPU and put it in mine if I should test that too.


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## giovannicosta

Did it work? You didnt say


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## Klax0r

giovannicosta said:


> Did it work? You didnt say


Nope, it didn't...


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## Klax0r

Also... it's letting out a beep everytime I try to start it now.


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## Rich-M

Can we back up a step here and ask what is your pc model and what is your brother's as I think we are way past the solution. Dell's typically have crappy power supplies and also proprietary ones so unless these are the same models, I doubt you ruled out the psu, which this probllem sounds like.
In posting on a froum where you are seeking help, it is always a good idea to tell the helpee as much as you can about the pc involved, and any others you are sharing parts with if you want an intelligent answer.
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## giovannicosta

yeah that means something is wrong...

Do the POSt thing...


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## Klax0r

My computer specs are in my profile, we both have Dell Dimension 8250's but I don't have the original Dell PSU (and theres nothing wrong with it either because I tested my brothers PSU which is working just fine for him). The only difference between our computers is the PSU, different graphics cards, and I have 512 more ram.


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## Klax0r

giovannicosta said:


> yeah that means something is wrong...
> 
> Do the POSt thing...


What is POSt?? Piece of **** Test? If that is removing part by part and testing the computer over and over to find which part is the piece of ****, then I already did that except for the CPU and Mobo.


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## giovannicosta

No, I Donrt No How 2 Explain It..


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## giovannicosta

pOST oRDER SELF TEST!!!!!!!!!!!


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## steigrafx

In a nutshell, POST is short for Power On Self Test. When you boot your PC, your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) checks your devices, such as RAM, video, drives, etc., and gets them ready for use. It basically takes an inventory of your computer and gets prepared to run.


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## Rockn

I have had numerous DELL computers with this problem and it has usually turned out to be a bad PSU. Only the earlier DELL's had the porprietary power supplies. I have a Dimension 2400 sitting here with an Anetc PSU in it right now. Try a PSU out of another PC.


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## Rollin' Rog

Have you looked at the rear panel diagnostic lights?

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8200/codes.htm


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## Klax0r

Rollin' Rog said:


> Have you looked at the rear panel diagnostic lights?
> 
> http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8200/codes.htm


I've looked all over the back and all inside. I don't see any lights at all except for the 1 green one in the middle of the motherboard and the ethernet port light.


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## Klax0r

Can anybody tell me, is this most certainly a failed part that I will need to have replaced?


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## Rockn

Trial and error...try one component at a time with known good components.


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## Rollin' Rog

You don't see this on the back panel (see screenshot)?

Item 12 here > http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8250/tour.htm#1084976


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## Lurker1

Usually as stated this is a power supply issue. Since you have already swapped that out the next most likely cause is the system board. Yous should be able to swap out all the parts with your brothers system but its probably going to be a bad system board.


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## Klax0r

Okay, now... several days later, I finally got around to testing the parts by using my brothers computer. I've switched out the CPU, Video Card, PSU, HDD, and RAM. I've unplugged and tried turning the computer on without the CD Drives, and Sound Card plugged in. It hasn't worked so far, is this most certainly the motherboard?


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## Rich-M

Yes you have worked your way to it...


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## steigrafx

The process of elimination. Only the motherboard remains suspect.


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## clayco

BIOS Power-On Self Test (POST)

The first thing that the BIOS does when it boots the PC is to perform what is called the Power-On Self-Test, or POST for short. The POST is a built-in diagnostic program that checks your hardware to ensure that everything is present and functioning properly, before the BIOS begins the actual boot. It later continues with additional tests (such as the memory test that you see printed on the screen) as the boot process is proceeding.

The POST runs very quickly, and you will normally not even noticed that it is happening--unless it finds a problem (amazing how many things are like that, isn't it?) You may have encountered a PC that, when turned on, made beeping sounds and then stopped without booting up. That is the POST telling you something is wrong with the machine. The speaker is used because this test happens so early on, that the video isn't even activated yet! These beep patterns can be used to diagnose many hardware problems with your PC. The exact patterns depend on the maker of the BIOS; the most common are Award and AMI BIOSes. This part of the Troubleshooting Expert will help you figure out what the POST beep codes mean and what to do about them, if you are having this problem.

Note: Some POST errors are considered "fatal" while others are not. A fatal error means that it will halt the boot process immediately (an example would be if no system memory at all is found). In fact, most POST boot errors are fatal, since the POST is testing vital system components.

Many people don't realize that the POST also uses extended troubleshooting codes that you can use to get much more detail on what problem a troublesome PC is having. You can purchase a special debugging card that goes into an ISA slot and accepts the debugging codes that the BIOS sends to a special I/O address, usually 80h. The card displays these codes and this lets you see where the POST stops, if it finds a problem. These cards are obviously only for the serious PC repairperson or someone who does a lot of work on systems.


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## malcolmswaine

I had exactly the same issue after a power outage. Powering my Optiplex GX270 back onj resulted in a short burst of activity followed by an orange flashing power button. 

Pulled the power cord out and left it unplugged for 30 minutes. Tried it again, powered up fine. Lucky :up:


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