Need help with a Dell Dimension 4600

[zeroninja]

Hi, I agreed to try and troubleshoot a friend's recently purchased used computer, and I've looked online for the troubles it's having, but I can't figure out what the specific problems are. He bought a Dell 4600 from someone here, and it originally worked fine and started up fine. A few weeks later, it wouldn't even boot for him. I looked at it, and aside from clearing out enough dust to make a mat, it appears to be fine.

It will boot up(I assume) only if I hold the power button in for awhile, and only sometimes. Also, the little green light on the motherboard comes on when I do this, so I'm thinking it could be a power supply failure. However, it won't show anything on the monitor provided it does come on, and I've tried two different monitors to confirm this. Also, it won't shut down again, even when I hold in the power. It does have one pin missing from the jack for (what I'm assuming is the)onboard video. When I looked it up on Dell's site and elsewhere, however, everything mentions 4 troubleshooting diagnostic lights on back of case that could tell me when it boots what problems it's having. There are no diagnostic lights.

All the posts/articles i found on google reference those to fix the problem.

Anyone here successfully troubleshooted a Dell Dimension?

 

[Prometheus]

Open it up, make sure everything is pushed in good.
Load up bios, check what it says the power button does.

 

[zeroninja]

yes, but with no picture i cant exactly navigate the bios. I'll check all the cords and cards again tho.

 

[zeroninja]

So, does anyone have any actually helpful responses?? I'll reiterate the main stumbling blocks right now are
a) no picture when monitor is plugged in and it powers on(although I really don't know enough of hardware to say for sure if having only 1 pin on the back o the case affects monitor), and I'm not sure how you'd check the performance of what is apparently an onboard video card without picture?
b)powers on only after holding power for lik3 20 seconds, and only sometimes, also has that green light on the motherboard go on that I'm told means faulty power supply?
c)I don't know what to conclude on how to diagnose it, as it not only does not have the 4 lights on the back of the case, despite having the dell dimension 4600 logo and all that on the front, but it will not even shut down once it DOES power up unless i pull the plug.
d)obviously, without picture of any kind, checking the bios for problems is out. If I had the bios I'd be further ahead than I am now.

 

[Duwenbasden]

Did you try changing out the graphics card on the system?

 

[zeroninja]

well, it's an onboard that's under a plastic component, so I'm not really sure one would fit, but...I've thought about finding one to try it.

 

[DDRtists]

Open it up, make sure everything is pushed in good.
Load up bios, check what it says the power button does.

There is no Bios setting that says what the Power Button does, you can't disable it and you can't change what it does or prevent startup. I'd recommend not replying unless you know 100% :thup:

At zeroninja though, when you start it up does it make noise, as in is the computer running? When you start it up, does it beep at all? If it beeps, how many? Those are startup error codes and can help you figure out what is wrong.

 

[Prometheus]

There is no Bios setting that says what the Power Button does, you can't disable it and you can't change what it does or prevent startup. I'd recommend not replying unless you know 100% :thup:

Then I have one f*cked up bios. :nuts:

 

[zeroninja]

There is no Bios setting that says what the Power Button does, you can't disable it and you can't change what it does or prevent startup. I'd recommend not replying unless you know 100% :thup:

At zeroninja though, when you start it up does it make noise, as in is the computer running? When you start it up, does it beep at all? If it beeps, how many? Those are startup error codes and can help you figure out what is wrong.

when last I loaded it, it does a strange noise(not a beep, more like the crunchy sounds in a modem on dial-up), then boots up(only after holding in power for like, 6 seconds or so) and a green light on the motherboard comes on.
I'll try it again tonight or tomorrow though.

 

[AnthraxXx]

From the sounds of it, its severely screwed. Perhaps reset the CMOS by taking out the battery for a minute or so, or if it has CMOS Clear jumpers then use that.

I don't know why this method might work, but it's worth a try. Other than that... it really sounds like its screwed and you said that it had loads of dust which makes me think it's old... So maybe its time for new computer time - I dunno.

 

[Prometheus]

Make sure, when you get it working again, to enable bios anti-virus.