Dell Optiplex GX280 shuts down randomly after moving...

[Ant]

Hi!

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 machine that was moved last week, not by me
-- movers, to another building. It was working just fine (no problems
before the move). Today, I rehooked it up, powered on, and started using
it and left it idled. The system was shutting itself off(?) [DVI video
signal loss too] without any errors (even checked event logs in Windows
XP Pro. SP2 (all updates) and CMOS (nothing weird). Back of the case
showed yellow B and all other letters green. Manual doesn't have this
one listed so I don't know what it means.

At first, I thought it was the APC UPS and power management because I
noticed my front case light is orange (manual says yellow -- whatever).
This happened like three times and randomly (can be 15/30 minutes to
three hours). According to the manual, this means a system/hardware
issue. I doubt it is a heat issue because I wasn't using the machine
agressively (e.g., typing in Outlook 2003, filling out forms in XP Pro.
SP2's IE6.0 SP2, idled with a light 2D screen saver).

A coworker and I tried looking inside the computer case, and found
nothing odd. No weird burning odor, no blown capticators, nose loose
hardwares, etc. that we could see. Then, turning on the sytem, then blue
screens during Windows XP's boot up. Checked again in the case, put it
back, etc. SATA HDD not found. Checked again, especially the HDD
connection, then it is fine. But my machine shut off again for its third
time!

Then, coworker and I decided to try another Dell machine (not the same
exact model -- GX270). For some reason, Windows XP Pro. SP2 wouldn't
boot up (saw BIOS and CMOS) and showed a video signal loss again! I even
tried safe mode, and same thing. I actually got in safe mode ONCE, but
my USB keyboard and mouse didn't respond and I had to hold down power
button for five seconds to shutdown manually.

I was wondering if my monitor and cable were bad. I tried another LCD
monitor with another DVI cable, and same thing. So, I doubt it is a
video issue (note different computer with another video card in it).

For kicks, I thought maybe the HDD was going bad, which made no sense
but whatever. I couldn't run Ghost 2003 (DOS; ghost.exe) from a bootable
CD. It kept crashing(?) and showing video signal loss again! Remember,
this is a GX270 machine not GX280. I just wanted to copy my old datas to
another HDD.

So, I put my HDD back into the GX280 machine and now my machine doesn't
boot up anymore. I get a blinking orange light which is system board
failure or something in the manual. Back lights show no letter lighted up.

Any ideas on what the problem is and what to try tomorrow?
--
"Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith, keeping it awake and
moving." --Fredrick Beuchner
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.home.dhs.org (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

 

[BIC]

Hi!

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 machine that was moved last week, not by
me -- movers, to another building. It was working just fine (no problems
before the move). Today, I rehooked it up, powered on, and started using
it and left it idled. The system was shutting itself off(?) [DVI video
signal loss too] without any errors (even checked event logs in Windows XP
Pro. SP2 (all updates) and CMOS (nothing weird). Back of the case showed
yellow B and all other letters green. Manual doesn't have this one listed
so I don't know what it means.

At first, I thought it was the APC UPS and power management because I
noticed my front case light is orange (manual says yellow -- whatever).
This happened like three times and randomly (can be 15/30 minutes to three
hours). According to the manual, this means a system/hardware issue. I
doubt it is a heat issue because I wasn't using the machine agressively
(e.g., typing in Outlook 2003, filling out forms in XP Pro. SP2's IE6.0
SP2, idled with a light 2D screen saver).

A coworker and I tried looking inside the computer case, and found nothing
odd. No weird burning odor, no blown capticators, nose loose hardwares,
etc. that we could see. Then, turning on the sytem, then blue screens
during Windows XP's boot up. Checked again in the case, put it back, etc.
SATA HDD not found. Checked again, especially the HDD connection, then it
is fine. But my machine shut off again for its third time!

Then, coworker and I decided to try another Dell machine (not the same
exact model -- GX270). For some reason, Windows XP Pro. SP2 wouldn't boot
up (saw BIOS and CMOS) and showed a video signal loss again! I even tried
safe mode, and same thing. I actually got in safe mode ONCE, but my USB
keyboard and mouse didn't respond and I had to hold down power button for
five seconds to shutdown manually.

I was wondering if my monitor and cable were bad. I tried another LCD
monitor with another DVI cable, and same thing. So, I doubt it is a video
issue (note different computer with another video card in it).

For kicks, I thought maybe the HDD was going bad, which made no sense but
whatever. I couldn't run Ghost 2003 (DOS; ghost.exe) from a bootable CD.
It kept crashing(?) and showing video signal loss again! Remember, this is
a GX270 machine not GX280. I just wanted to copy my old datas to another
HDD.

So, I put my HDD back into the GX280 machine and now my machine doesn't
boot up anymore. I get a blinking orange light which is system board
failure or something in the manual. Back lights show no letter lighted up.

Any ideas on what the problem is and what to try tomorrow?
--
"Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith, keeping it awake and
moving." --Fredrick Beuchner
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.home.dhs.org (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

remove and reseat all the pci/agp boards and cables...........maybe even the
ram.

 

[Michael Cecil]

Hi!

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 machine that was moved last week, not by
me -- movers, to another building. It was working just fine (no problems
before the move). Today, I rehooked it up, powered on, and started using
it and left it idled. The system was shutting itself off(?) [DVI video
signal loss too] without any errors (even checked event logs in Windows XP
Pro. SP2 (all updates) and CMOS (nothing weird). Back of the case showed
yellow B and all other letters green. Manual doesn't have this one listed
so I don't know what it means.

At first, I thought it was the APC UPS and power management because I
noticed my front case light is orange (manual says yellow -- whatever).
This happened like three times and randomly (can be 15/30 minutes to three
hours). According to the manual, this means a system/hardware issue. I
doubt it is a heat issue because I wasn't using the machine agressively
(e.g., typing in Outlook 2003, filling out forms in XP Pro. SP2's IE6.0
SP2, idled with a light 2D screen saver).

A coworker and I tried looking inside the computer case, and found nothing
odd. No weird burning odor, no blown capticators, nose loose hardwares,
etc. that we could see. Then, turning on the sytem, then blue screens
during Windows XP's boot up. Checked again in the case, put it back, etc.
SATA HDD not found. Checked again, especially the HDD connection, then it
is fine. But my machine shut off again for its third time!

Then, coworker and I decided to try another Dell machine (not the same
exact model -- GX270). For some reason, Windows XP Pro. SP2 wouldn't boot
up (saw BIOS and CMOS) and showed a video signal loss again! I even tried
safe mode, and same thing. I actually got in safe mode ONCE, but my USB
keyboard and mouse didn't respond and I had to hold down power button for
five seconds to shutdown manually.

I was wondering if my monitor and cable were bad. I tried another LCD
monitor with another DVI cable, and same thing. So, I doubt it is a video
issue (note different computer with another video card in it).

For kicks, I thought maybe the HDD was going bad, which made no sense but
whatever. I couldn't run Ghost 2003 (DOS; ghost.exe) from a bootable CD.
It kept crashing(?) and showing video signal loss again! Remember, this is
a GX270 machine not GX280. I just wanted to copy my old datas to another
HDD.

So, I put my HDD back into the GX280 machine and now my machine doesn't
boot up anymore. I get a blinking orange light which is system board
failure or something in the manual. Back lights show no letter lighted up.

Any ideas on what the problem is and what to try tomorrow?
--
"Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith, keeping it awake and
moving." --Fredrick Beuchner
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.home.dhs.org (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

remove and reseat all the pci/agp boards and cables...........maybe even the
ram.

I'd guess the CPU heatsink has come loose but certainly something like
that.

 

[spodosaurus]

Hi!

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 machine that was moved last week, not by
me -- movers, to another building. It was working just fine (no problems
before the move). Today, I rehooked it up, powered on, and started using
it and left it idled. The system was shutting itself off(?) [DVI video
signal loss too] without any errors (even checked event logs in Windows XP
Pro. SP2 (all updates) and CMOS (nothing weird). Back of the case showed
yellow B and all other letters green. Manual doesn't have this one listed
so I don't know what it means.

At first, I thought it was the APC UPS and power management because I
noticed my front case light is orange (manual says yellow -- whatever).
This happened like three times and randomly (can be 15/30 minutes to three
hours). According to the manual, this means a system/hardware issue. I
doubt it is a heat issue because I wasn't using the machine agressively
(e.g., typing in Outlook 2003, filling out forms in XP Pro. SP2's IE6.0
SP2, idled with a light 2D screen saver).

A coworker and I tried looking inside the computer case, and found nothing
odd. No weird burning odor, no blown capticators, nose loose hardwares,
etc. that we could see. Then, turning on the sytem, then blue screens
during Windows XP's boot up. Checked again in the case, put it back, etc.
SATA HDD not found. Checked again, especially the HDD connection, then it
is fine. But my machine shut off again for its third time!

Then, coworker and I decided to try another Dell machine (not the same
exact model -- GX270). For some reason, Windows XP Pro. SP2 wouldn't boot
up (saw BIOS and CMOS) and showed a video signal loss again! I even tried
safe mode, and same thing. I actually got in safe mode ONCE, but my USB
keyboard and mouse didn't respond and I had to hold down power button for
five seconds to shutdown manually.

I was wondering if my monitor and cable were bad. I tried another LCD
monitor with another DVI cable, and same thing. So, I doubt it is a video
issue (note different computer with another video card in it).

For kicks, I thought maybe the HDD was going bad, which made no sense but
whatever. I couldn't run Ghost 2003 (DOS; ghost.exe) from a bootable CD.
It kept crashing(?) and showing video signal loss again! Remember, this is
a GX270 machine not GX280. I just wanted to copy my old datas to another
HDD.

So, I put my HDD back into the GX280 machine and now my machine doesn't
boot up anymore. I get a blinking orange light which is system board
failure or something in the manual. Back lights show no letter lighted up.

Any ideas on what the problem is and what to try tomorrow?
--
"Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith, keeping it awake and
moving." --Fredrick Beuchner
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.home.dhs.org (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

remove and reseat all the pci/agp boards and cables...........maybe even the
ram.

I'd guess the CPU heatsink has come loose but certainly something like
that.

Agreed - remove HS and clean HS and CPU, reapply thermal compound,
reinstall HS.

Ari

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply
Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant. Please
volunteer to be a marrow donor and literally save someone's life:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[Ant]

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 machine that was moved last week, not
by me -- movers, to another building. It was working just fine (no
problems before the move). Today, I rehooked it up, powered on, and
started using it and left it idled. The system was shutting itself
off(?) [DVI video signal loss too] without any errors (even checked
event logs in Windows XP Pro. SP2 (all updates) and CMOS (nothing
weird). Back of the case showed yellow B and all other letters
green. Manual doesn't have this one listed so I don't know what it
means.

At first, I thought it was the APC UPS and power management because
I noticed my front case light is orange (manual says yellow --
whatever). This happened like three times and randomly (can be 15/30
minutes to three hours). According to the manual, this means a
system/hardware issue. I doubt it is a heat issue because I wasn't
using the machine agressively (e.g., typing in Outlook 2003, filling
out forms in XP Pro. SP2's IE6.0 SP2, idled with a light 2D screen
saver).

A coworker and I tried looking inside the computer case, and found
nothing odd. No weird burning odor, no blown capticators, nose loose
hardwares, etc. that we could see. Then, turning on the sytem, then
blue screens during Windows XP's boot up. Checked again in the case,
put it back, etc. SATA HDD not found. Checked again, especially the
HDD connection, then it is fine. But my machine shut off again for
its third time!

Then, coworker and I decided to try another Dell machine (not the
same exact model -- GX270). For some reason, Windows XP Pro. SP2
wouldn't boot up (saw BIOS and CMOS) and showed a video signal loss
again! I even tried safe mode, and same thing. I actually got in
safe mode ONCE, but my USB keyboard and mouse didn't respond and I
had to hold down power button for five seconds to shutdown manually.

I was wondering if my monitor and cable were bad. I tried another
LCD monitor with another DVI cable, and same thing. So, I doubt it
is a video issue (note different computer with another video card in
it).

For kicks, I thought maybe the HDD was going bad, which made no
sense but whatever. I couldn't run Ghost 2003 (DOS; ghost.exe) from
a bootable CD. It kept crashing(?) and showing video signal loss
again! Remember, this is a GX270 machine not GX280. I just wanted to
copy my old datas to another HDD.

So, I put my HDD back into the GX280 machine and now my machine
doesn't boot up anymore. I get a blinking orange light which is
system board failure or something in the manual. Back lights show no
letter lighted up.

Any ideas on what the problem is and what to try tomorrow?
--
"Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith, keeping it awake and
moving." --Fredrick Beuchner
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.home.dhs.org (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

remove and reseat all the pci/agp boards and cables...........maybe
even the ram.

I'd guess the CPU heatsink has come loose but certainly something like
that.

Agreed - remove HS and clean HS and CPU, reapply thermal compound,
reinstall HS.

OK. I will find have to check that area. Not sure if I have any thermal
compound (will probably to find someone who does [hopefully, IT does].
--
"An ant may work its (her) heart out, but it (she) can't make money."
--unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.home.dhs.org (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

 

[kony]

Hi!

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 machine that was moved last week, not by me
-- movers, to another building. It was working just fine (no problems
before the move). Today, I rehooked it up, powered on, and started using
it and left it idled. The system was shutting itself off(?) [DVI video
signal loss too] without any errors (even checked event logs in Windows
XP Pro. SP2 (all updates) and CMOS (nothing weird). Back of the case
showed yellow B and all other letters green. Manual doesn't have this
one listed so I don't know what it means.

Try reseating the video card. Try clearing CMOS. I hate to
suggest it, but during the move if the case were flexed
some, you might have developed solder joint or PCB cracks to
(any card really, but perhaps more likely to the larger ones
like...) motherboard or video card. Hmm, does it have a
video card or integrated video?

At first, I thought it was the APC UPS and power management because I
noticed my front case light is orange (manual says yellow -- whatever).
This happened like three times and randomly (can be 15/30 minutes to
three hours). According to the manual, this means a system/hardware
issue. I doubt it is a heat issue because I wasn't using the machine
agressively (e.g., typing in Outlook 2003, filling out forms in XP Pro.
SP2's IE6.0 SP2, idled with a light 2D screen saver).

That doesn't necessarily mean anything (that usage was
light), since moving the system could theoretically jar it
enough to knock the heatsink loose. If all else fails, take
heatsink off and reinstall, though if it looks like it's
still on good it probably is. Of course you should also
check temp and power readings - in the bios if it has a
health monitor section, or windows software if you ever get
it booted. Also use a multimeter for PSU voltages if you
have one.

A coworker and I tried looking inside the computer case, and found
nothing odd. No weird burning odor, no blown capticators, nose loose
hardwares, etc. that we could see. Then, turning on the sytem, then blue
screens during Windows XP's boot up. Checked again in the case, put it
back, etc. SATA HDD not found. Checked again, especially the HDD
connection, then it is fine. But my machine shut off again for its third
time!

Unplug system and reseat the memory. Run Memtest86+ to
check stability, ensuring that it passes Memtest86+ for at
least a few passes before trying to boot windows again - as
an instable system can corrupt filesystem or individual
files.

Then, coworker and I decided to try another Dell machine (not the same
exact model -- GX270). For some reason, Windows XP Pro. SP2 wouldn't
boot up (saw BIOS and CMOS) and showed a video signal loss again! I even
tried safe mode, and same thing. I actually got in safe mode ONCE, but
my USB keyboard and mouse didn't respond and I had to hold down power
button for five seconds to shutdown manually.

Try same things as above, and are you sure the site mains AC
is within specs?

I was wondering if my monitor and cable were bad. I tried another LCD
monitor with another DVI cable, and same thing. So, I doubt it is a
video issue (note different computer with another video card in it).

For kicks, I thought maybe the HDD was going bad, which made no sense
but whatever. I couldn't run Ghost 2003 (DOS; ghost.exe) from a bootable
CD. It kept crashing(?) and showing video signal loss again! Remember,
this is a GX270 machine not GX280. I just wanted to copy my old datas to
another HDD.

To reliably copy off data, you should pull the drive and
install in a proven stable system. Since you seem to have
data you need it might be good to do that before proceeding
with anything else, erring on the side of caution.

Try powering on the system and going into the bios, just
leaving it sit in the bios menus (in the health/hardware
monitor screen if it has one, watching voltage and temp
reports.). If the system has a low fan RPM shutoff
function, make sure all fans are plugged in correctly and
spinning (or even if it doesn't have a low fan RPM shutoff
feature).

While I'm thinking about it, are your movers liable for
damages?

So, I put my HDD back into the GX280 machine and now my machine doesn't
boot up anymore. I get a blinking orange light which is system board
failure or something in the manual. Back lights show no letter lighted up.

Any ideas on what the problem is and what to try tomorrow?

Well if all else fails strip the system down to nothing, try
it, pull the motherboard out then try it again after
clearing CMOS between each try. Also check the battery
if/when the system won't turn on at all.

 

[Ant]

Resolved! It was a dying PSU. The Dell techician swapped with a new one
and it's good as new.

Hi!

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 machine that was moved last week, not by me
-- movers, to another building. It was working just fine (no problems
before the move). Today, I rehooked it up, powered on, and started using
it and left it idled. The system was shutting itself off(?) [DVI video
signal loss too] without any errors (even checked event logs in Windows
XP Pro. SP2 (all updates) and CMOS (nothing weird). Back of the case
showed yellow B and all other letters green. Manual doesn't have this
one listed so I don't know what it means.

At first, I thought it was the APC UPS and power management because I
noticed my front case light is orange (manual says yellow -- whatever).
This happened like three times and randomly (can be 15/30 minutes to
three hours). According to the manual, this means a system/hardware
issue. I doubt it is a heat issue because I wasn't using the machine
agressively (e.g., typing in Outlook 2003, filling out forms in XP Pro.
SP2's IE6.0 SP2, idled with a light 2D screen saver).

A coworker and I tried looking inside the computer case, and found
nothing odd. No weird burning odor, no blown capticators, nose loose
hardwares, etc. that we could see. Then, turning on the sytem, then blue
screens during Windows XP's boot up. Checked again in the case, put it
back, etc. SATA HDD not found. Checked again, especially the HDD
connection, then it is fine. But my machine shut off again for its third
time!

Then, coworker and I decided to try another Dell machine (not the same
exact model -- GX270). For some reason, Windows XP Pro. SP2 wouldn't
boot up (saw BIOS and CMOS) and showed a video signal loss again! I even
tried safe mode, and same thing. I actually got in safe mode ONCE, but
my USB keyboard and mouse didn't respond and I had to hold down power
button for five seconds to shutdown manually.

I was wondering if my monitor and cable were bad. I tried another LCD
monitor with another DVI cable, and same thing. So, I doubt it is a
video issue (note different computer with another video card in it).

For kicks, I thought maybe the HDD was going bad, which made no sense
but whatever. I couldn't run Ghost 2003 (DOS; ghost.exe) from a bootable
CD. It kept crashing(?) and showing video signal loss again! Remember,
this is a GX270 machine not GX280. I just wanted to copy my old datas to
another HDD.

So, I put my HDD back into the GX280 machine and now my machine doesn't
boot up anymore. I get a blinking orange light which is system board
failure or something in the manual. Back lights show no letter lighted up.

Any ideas on what the problem is and what to try tomorrow?

--
"We are anthill men upon an anthill world." --Ray Bradbury
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.home.dhs.org (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.