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Dimensionless-M

updated

24 years ago

0

9709

November 20th, 2002 04:00

Machine won't stay powered up.

When I press the power button, the power light (in the button) and the HDD light blink on, then go out.  The drives and the fans in the power supply, the CPU and video card "bump" (turn on, then off again quickly) , but the box does not stay on.  No LEDs light up on the back (the system status LEDs) but the LED on the motherboard stays on.  The only way I can get the thing to come up is to repeatedly and very rapidly hit the power button until the hard drives sound like they've almost completely spun up, then I can stop with the "crazy finger" routine ("hammer on/pull off" for you guitar players) and the machine might stay running (about 50% chance).  Please don't ask how I figured this out...  Anyone have any ideas about what the problem might be?  I have  A*L*R*E*A*D*Y  changed out the motherboard and the CPU!  Tech support insists it's not the power supply!

Specs for my Dimension XPS B866r (try not to laugh at the OLD hardware)

128MB PC600 RDRAM (1 Stick + 1 C-RIMM)

Storage: 80GB (pri) + 20GB (sec) HDDs + standard floppy, NEC DV5700A DVD and LG CED8080B CD-RW

Expansion: CineMaster Hardware DVD Decoder, Firewire Card with Dazzle DV Bridge hung on it, SB Live! Sound, Adaptec AHA2940 SCSI 2 Adapter with an HP 5P scanner and Zip drive attached, USB game pad, Linksys NIC, NVIDIA GE Force256 Video Card.  Modem has been removed.

  • Ziwpiz

    432 Posts

    295

    0

    Posted November 20th, 2002 14:00

    Has this problem started recently, after installing a new piece of hardware. Hard Drive or USB device.
    Have you checked in Device manager for any conflicts?
    Also what operating system are you using?

    P.S. Your system is nothing to laugh at!!


     
    Dimension 4500 - Pentium 4 - 2.0 GHz
    WINDOWS XP (Home Edition) SP-1
    256 MB DDR SDRAM 266MHz
    80 GB 7200RPM Ultra ATA/100
    64 MB GEFORCE4 Video card with TV out
    Soundblaster Live 1024 Voices Sound Card
    16X DVD-ROM (LITEON LTD 163)
    Pacific Digital 32 X 12 X 48 CD Burner
    Nero 5.5.9.9 - InCd 3.18.0
    100MB internal NEC ATAPI Zip Drive
    10/100 PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
    56K PCI Telephony Modem
    Altec Lansing ACS33 ( 2 + Subwoofer (Front))
    Harmon Kardon Speakers HK-206 (Rear)
    17" E772 Monitor (Dell)
    Visioneer 5800 One Touch Scanner
    HP Photosmart 100 Printer/Card Reader
    Epson Color 740 Printer
    _________________________
    Dimension L933r Pentium lll
    384 MB SDRAM (PC 133)
    20 GB HD 5400RPM (Ultra ATA)
    Windows ME
    LITEON LTR - 24102B (24X 10X 40X) CD-RW
    CTX 17" Flat View Monitor
    Panasonic KX-P2023 Dot Matrix printer
    Brother IC 100 Sheet Feed Scanner
    Philips Video Camera
    Sony 3.7GB Tape Drive
    100MB internal NEC ATAPI Zip Drive
    SanDisk Smartmedia Reader
    Microsoft Optical (PS2) IntelliPoint Mouse
    Newpoint 4 Port USB Hub
    Telex M40 Microphone
    AR Multimedia (2 + Subwoofer) Speaker

































     

  • 295

    0

    Posted November 21st, 2002 02:00

    Problem has just started.  No new hardware.  Device Mangler sez all devicer are "operating normally".  Running Win98 2nd ed. 

    BTW, tech support thinks its the front control panel so they are threatening to send out a tech to replace it, since it's "so hard to get to".  I didn't have the heart to tell them I've already had that little circuit board in my lap and  I have already verified operation of the switches and LEDs - there's nothing wrong with it.  I think they just want a tech to see my machine because this is a freaky problem.  I have also take voltage reading on boot-up and while "running normally" and all readings are well with tolerances.

    Still at a loss here!

  • Bob SAN

    9 Posts

    295

    0

    Posted November 22nd, 2002 13:00

    Have you tried swapping out the memory or trying a different slot?  Bad memory caused this for me once.
  • 295

    0

    Posted November 23rd, 2002 00:00

    There are only 2 banks (slots) and I have 3 RIMMS and 1 C-RIMM and I ran through as many permutations as I could come up with but the problem remains.   My machine likes all off the memory - once it's up and running.  Thanks for the tip!  Yes, the RAM was definitely on my list of things to check