no post, no beep codes, no video.

[Leeoniya]

hi people, here's the story:

Old Dell Dimension XPS R450

i press power, fans spin, lights go on, no video, no beep codes, no post.

i reseat ram in every imaginable config including removing all but one (alternating), alternating dimm sockets (3 sticks, 2 matched, and 1 added all pc100) no luck - same thing.

when i remove ram i get this beep post:
1 - 3 - 3 - 1 Memory defective or not present Reseat the memory modules

the pc had started recently, have all 3 mem modules gone bad?

thanks,
Leon

 

[Seekermeister]

No, it is not likely a ram problem. The problem is probably the PS, video card or motherboard. To determine which, start with the PS by testing it with a DMM on all rails and connectors. If the PS is good, remove the MB with the processor with HSF installed. Install the ram and video card. Lay it on a nonconductive surface, connect the PS and monitor, and short across the power pins on the motherboard. If it still won't post, swap out the video card. If the problem remains, then the motherboard has gone south.

The only other possibility is that the CPU is bad, but that is not very likely. However, check to make sure that it is properly seated and latched.

 

[letdown427]

Any other cards in there you can take out?

I had a similar problem at work (except for removing the RAM helping things) and it was a network card thatd just died for no reason. Wasn't even used.

 

[JeffPGMT]

I agree that the most likely suspects are PS and Video, and suggest that in the future NOT changing anything rather than trying all the possible configs.

If the system was working and then it wasn't first try the PS and Video.

If you have an old video card I'd try that first, make as few changes as possible, just make any changes in the bios that are needed to be compatible with your change in video.

If that fails, re-set your original video. Then either salvage a known good PS or like I did recently, decide that the 2hrs and $85 bucks for a new PS are better than being down a full day at $75/hr. That did the trick for me.

The reason that I say change as little is because for general trouble shooting, you want as few suspects as possible, changing things on a system that most likely only one element has failed intruduces more suspects and potentially more future grief.

HTH