Need to help my daughter

[Odyssey1942]

I am trying to assist my daughter in England who is using my Dell 4500 (W XP Home) there. The machine normally isn't turned off, but was the other day and next morning fails to even beep when turned back on. There is a light on the front of the machine so I assume that the power supply is not totally dead.

I need to talk her through a diagnosis and wonder if anyone knows of a tutorial similar to the one reproduced below (this one is for "live" computers and I am tryint to assist with a "dead" one. If so please post text or a URL so I can use it to guide her.

If you don't know of a tutorial, but can post the steps to determine why it isn't booting, it will be most appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[mechBgon]

I suggest you have her take it to a local computer shop and have her important documents/etc rescued off the hard drive first.

 

[montag451]

Where in UK?

 

[Fallen Kell]

Have her look at the back of the system. There should be 4 diagnostic lights right above the on-board sound card connections. These will tell you what the system thinks is wrong. Cross-reference the linked chart, http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4500/advanced.htm#1118998 against what lights are on/off/yellow/green....

 

[Odyssey1942]

MechBgon, good thought.

Fallen Kell, Fantastic response. I had no idea that support assist was there. When I hear back from daughter, will update here. Thanks.