semi-dead precision 410

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hello All,

I am reposting this under a new topic since the topic has changed
significantly.

I have a Dell Precision 410: dual cpu (dual 500mhz), 1GB ram, scsi. It
stopped booting 6 months ago after I attached an unknown-state third
scsi drive.

It previously worked great for years. I am just now starting to debug
the problem.

At first I thought I fried the MoBo, so I bought a new one. After
installation, it did the same next-to-nothing as the old one. So I
thought it may be the power supply. Testing with volt meter the PS
looks good.

Now I am stumpped and in debugging mode. I hate to just toss this
machine.

The last things I've tried:

First I made sure the jumpers matched the old MoBo and made sense vs
the Dell spec sheet: 500Mhz jumpered. Enable Pswd jumpered. All others
unjumpered.

Next I tried just the MoBo, PS, and one cpu (second slot had the
no-cpu place-holder card), no ram, no video, no drives, no kbd or
mouse.

Applied power, got 1-3-2 post beep code; means no valid ram.
(Yee-Ha. At least it's only comatose).

Next both cpus, MoBo, no ram, no video, no drives, no kbd or mse.

got 1-3-2 Post beep code again.

Added one ram stick. No beeps at all. (I would expect a no kbd or no
video beep code)

took out ram, added agp video card. Power on: 1-3-2 beeps. amber
monitor led (no video sync?), nothing on monitor.

Added a different stick ram. Power on: no beeps. no monitor output and
amber led.

Removed video. Added scsi drives. (MoBo with 2 cpus, ram, drives) -
no beeps, no disk activity after initial seconds after power-on.

It sounds like my cpus work (since beeps are generated).

Adding ram stops all beeps - so ram stick(s) may be bad. I will try
others individually.

Nothing on video, but with no ram I wouldn't expect anything.

Do these results suggest other things to try. My resources of spare
parts is extrememly limited - almost nil. So I do not have "known good
parts" on hand.

My diagnostic tools include a volt meter and hammer.

Any suggestions are very appreciated.

Thanks,
Barry.

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Barry,

You have on-motherboard SCSI I assume? I had a similar issue with a 210 that
I put in a PCI SCSI card in PCI slot 1. 210 would not boot. Put the card in
another machine and the card worked fine. Moved the SCSI card to another PCI
slot and the 210 booted fine and is being used as an image setter server
right now. Looks like PCI slot 1 went bad on this machine and anything
plugged in there prevented it from booting. Might try to disable on-board
SCSI and enable IDE in the BIOS and plug in an IDE drive to see if that
makes a difference.

I assume you've put the RAM in different RAM slots if possible. Took me a
while to figure that the PCI slot went bad and to move it around to get it
back to booting. I'm understand you wanting to salvage this machine since
our's has always run like a champ, until I added the SCSI card, for
relatively lower power needs such as the image setter server role that it's
now fulfilling.

Good luck,

Doug


"Barry" <bschler1@twcny.rr.com> wrote in message
news:40bc87f4.5940030@news-server.twcny.rr.com...
> Hello All,
>
> I am reposting this under a new topic since the topic has changed
> significantly.
>
> I have a Dell Precision 410: dual cpu (dual 500mhz), 1GB ram, scsi. It
> stopped booting 6 months ago after I attached an unknown-state third
> scsi drive.
>
> It previously worked great for years. I am just now starting to debug
> the problem.
>
> At first I thought I fried the MoBo, so I bought a new one. After
> installation, it did the same next-to-nothing as the old one. So I
> thought it may be the power supply. Testing with volt meter the PS
> looks good.
>
> Now I am stumpped and in debugging mode. I hate to just toss this
> machine.
>
> The last things I've tried:
>
> First I made sure the jumpers matched the old MoBo and made sense vs
> the Dell spec sheet: 500Mhz jumpered. Enable Pswd jumpered. All others
> unjumpered.
>
> Next I tried just the MoBo, PS, and one cpu (second slot had the
> no-cpu place-holder card), no ram, no video, no drives, no kbd or
> mouse.
>
> Applied power, got 1-3-2 post beep code; means no valid ram.
> (Yee-Ha. At least it's only comatose).
>
> Next both cpus, MoBo, no ram, no video, no drives, no kbd or mse.
>
> got 1-3-2 Post beep code again.
>
> Added one ram stick. No beeps at all. (I would expect a no kbd or no
> video beep code)
>
> took out ram, added agp video card. Power on: 1-3-2 beeps. amber
> monitor led (no video sync?), nothing on monitor.
>
> Added a different stick ram. Power on: no beeps. no monitor output and
> amber led.
>
> Removed video. Added scsi drives. (MoBo with 2 cpus, ram, drives) -
> no beeps, no disk activity after initial seconds after power-on.
>
> It sounds like my cpus work (since beeps are generated).
>
> Adding ram stops all beeps - so ram stick(s) may be bad. I will try
> others individually.
>
> Nothing on video, but with no ram I wouldn't expect anything.
>
> Do these results suggest other things to try. My resources of spare
> parts is extrememly limited - almost nil. So I do not have "known good
> parts" on hand.
>
> My diagnostic tools include a volt meter and hammer.
>
> Any suggestions are very appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Barry.
>