No image on dell studio 540

[tjbb]

Hi there,

A friend has asked me to look at their pc but i'm afraid the problem is above my knowledge.

Initially it wasn't turning on and was returning a 2 beep - pause - 2 beep continuous beep code. I looked around and found this to mean that the memory was dodgy, so i took out the ram and only inserted one back in.

Now, when turned on there are no beeps codes whatsover yet nothing is displayed on the monitor (which i've checked with another pc to make sure it works).

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Silverhazesurfer]

Common boot issue. Try the memory module in another slot. if only one, remove it and reseat it. If that doesn't work, try the other one.

You may have memory that is designed to run in pairs. In this instance, the behavior is expected. If you google the numbers on the memory module, you should be able to come up with manufacturers and specs. Check to see if this is the case with your memory.

If the documentation you have found regarding the beep codes is accurate, you may need replacement memory. You are troubleshooting modules or slots at this point.

 

[tjbb]

many thanks for your reply...

It seems that the first memory slot is broken. It's not a big problem for them to just use the remaining 2 or 3 slots, but I'm wondering whether the problem might spread or be indicative of something else?

thanks again

 

[Silverhazesurfer]

Well, you're talking a hardware short or circuit break in this case. It could even be something as trivial as corrosion. Try cleaning the machine and see what happens. Compressed air for dust and particles that can be removed that way. Small paint brush (detailers brush) for those that won't blow away. If you have corrosion, try some corrosion remover. However, be sure to turn the machine off before you use the last one. Be sure it is completely clean and all moisture removed before powering it back up. **NOTE: that includes removal of the power plug from the wall and I would suggest removing the power connectors to the system board from the power supply to ensure that you don't have residual electricity.

Will it spread? Probably not. It is probably an isolated circuit break and won't just cause other things to break. The memory modules complete a circuit and tell the system that it is there for operation. If you have corrosion that caused the issue, then it is entirely possible that the corrosion itself could spread to other parts.

Something else? Most of the time it is the rules of electronics. (1) Buy cheap crap, get cheap crap. (2) It's electronic. Either it will work out of the box or it won't. (3) It will break at some point by natural use. It may be 2 weeks from now or it may be 2 centuries from now. That's why you have a warranty.