Motherboard problem

Artpb · 08-03-2007, 06:11 PM

Hi I have lurking here for some time and joined up today. You guys have already taught me a lot, Thanks!

Maybe you can help me some more.

This my friends Dell Dimension 8400 series desktop, aproximently 3 years old.
When you turn it on all that happens is the blower on the heat sink takes off and sounds like a jet engine, it is much louder than normal. She has had problems with it doing this for a while, but after restarting it would eventually come alive, not anymore. Refuses to start, monitor stays black. Have it at my home now and it won't light up the screen on a known working monitor. The light on the start botton on the front is a steady amber.
Dell diagnastics says steady amber light means -
A device might be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed. It then goes on to tell you to remove and reinstall memory modules, any cards and graphics card. Did that - no help.
I see that some of the capcitors are bulging on top and leaking so I ordered a used motherboard.

Ordered one off of ebay, get it yesterday and installed this morning. Very esay install, if only I hadn't caught one of the wires leading to the cooling fan and pinched it between the case and the back side of the motherboard, yep I broke the wire. I spliced it and taped it.

So I plug her in and almost the same problem, except know it starts on it's own as soon as it's plugged in, without pushing the start up button! The botton doesn't light or do anything. Amost sounds as if hard drive is running to, actually just went and double checked and hardrive is running and cooling fan is screaming high RPM

Well I am stumped, any suggestions ?

hNic · 08-03-2007, 06:48 PM

i want to say the power suply is dying.....buuuuut some of the symptoms conflict....hmmmm....have u tried using another hard drive and trying to install an OS and see how that runs?

Artpb · 08-04-2007, 01:47 AM

Thanks for the reply hNic. I have thought about the power supply also, and the harddrive too. Can a power supply come on by itself? I guess with the minature circuit boards anything can happen.

I might throw another $50.00 or so at it, as it is a learning experience as well.

08-03-2007, 06:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Artpb New Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CT Posts: 2	Motherboard problem Hi I have lurking here for some time and joined up today. You guys have already taught me a lot, Thanks! Maybe you can help me some more. This my friends Dell Dimension 8400 series desktop, aproximently 3 years old. When you turn it on all that happens is the blower on the heat sink takes off and sounds like a jet engine, it is much louder than normal. She has had problems with it doing this for a while, but after restarting it would eventually come alive, not anymore. Refuses to start, monitor stays black. Have it at my home now and it won't light up the screen on a known working monitor. The light on the start botton on the front is a steady amber. Dell diagnastics says steady amber light means - A device might be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed. It then goes on to tell you to remove and reinstall memory modules, any cards and graphics card. Did that - no help. I see that some of the capcitors are bulging on top and leaking so I ordered a used motherboard. Ordered one off of ebay, get it yesterday and installed this morning. Very esay install, if only I hadn't caught one of the wires leading to the cooling fan and pinched it between the case and the back side of the motherboard, yep I broke the wire. I spliced it and taped it. So I plug her in and almost the same problem, except know it starts on it's own as soon as it's plugged in, without pushing the start up button! The botton doesn't light or do anything. Amost sounds as if hard drive is running to, actually just went and double checked and hardrive is running and cooling fan is screaming high RPM Well I am stumped, any suggestions ?

08-03-2007, 06:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
hNic Silver Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 239	i want to say the power suply is dying.....buuuuut some of the symptoms conflict....hmmmm....have u tried using another hard drive and trying to install an OS and see how that runs? __________________ PC!! Asus K8N 4E-Deluxe, 2.5GB DDR RAM, 160 WD SATA HD, Ati Radeon x800 Lappy!! Acer AS5100-5300 AMD Turion 64 x2 TL-50, 2GB PC5300 DDR2 667MHZ, 160GB 5400RPM HDD, Ati Radeon Xpress 1100

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08-04-2007, 01:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
Artpb New Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CT Posts: 2	Thanks for the reply hNic. I have thought about the power supply also, and the harddrive too. Can a power supply come on by itself? I guess with the minature circuit boards anything can happen. I might throw another $50.00 or so at it, as it is a learning experience as well.