Dimension 8300 Powerup Problem

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

"Jack Ruetty" <jruetty@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
news:cLzbe.685$Eg.315@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
> Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I
> all of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP
> SP2). Had to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty
> seconds before I could power up. Tried some different things and found
> that plugging into a different port on my USP seemed to fix the problem.
> Two days later the problem started up again. Took the computer off the
> UPS and plugged directly into a power strip. This seemed to fix the
> problem and then two days later the same problem reoccurred. I am at a
> loss as to what is going on. What is most confusing is how when I plug
> the computer into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for
> a couple days and then the same powerup problems resume. I have not made
> any changes to my system, have run adaware and done a complete virus scan
> of my system. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Jack
>
>
>
> --
> Jack Ruetty
> jruetty@columbus.rr.com
>


Jack,

I see your UPS mentioned a couple of times. Have you tried the unit
directly plugged into the wall outlet, and if so, same thing?


Stew

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

I agree it's probably the PS. The only commonality I can see where plugging
it into another outlet might have "helped" is that by unplugging it from one
power source to plug it into another, you interrupted constant power to the
power supply. What the actual problem with the power supply may be and why
interrupting power seems to help, I do not know. This sounds like a question
for our resident authority and my new best buddy, w_tom. So... w_tom (if
your trolling this ng)... what say you?

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

"Jack Ruetty" <jruetty@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message news:cLzbe.685$Eg.315@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
> Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I all
> of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP SP2). Had
> to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty seconds before I
> could power up. [] What is most confusing is how when I plug the computer
> into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for a couple days and
> then the same powerup problems resume. []

I believe at least some PC power supplies contain protection circuits
which, upon detecting a fault, latch the PS into a shutdown state and
in order to reset the PS you have to unplug it for a few moments and
then plug it back in. I think I've also read that some PSs can be reset
by holding the power button in for a certain amount of time. I'm not
familiar with the 8300 and its PS, but what you describe sounds
consistent with that. At least if we assume that it wasn't the different
outlets that solved the problem, but rather the simple act of unplugging
it and plugging it back in.

Have you been having any other problems with your system? Has
it been operating normally and shutting down properly? Have there
been any HW changes recently... upgrades or additions? Did you
move the system and connect it to a different circuit? Any lights
flickering or other signs that the computer is on a dirty circuit?

When you press the power button, are there *any* signs of life?
Do fans start to spin up, do any front or back lights come on...
even momentarily? Or does it just sit there as though it were
unplugged?

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

"User N" <usern@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:f-mdnXPepdPjvfLfRVn-uw@comcast.com...
>
> "Jack Ruetty" <jruetty@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:cLzbe.685$Eg.315@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
>> Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I
>> all of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP
>> SP2). Had to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty
>> seconds before I could power up. [] What is most confusing is how when I
>> plug the computer
>> into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for a couple
>> days and
>> then the same powerup problems resume. []
>
> I believe at least some PC power supplies contain protection circuits
> which, upon detecting a fault, latch the PS into a shutdown state and
> in order to reset the PS you have to unplug it for a few moments and
> then plug it back in. I think I've also read that some PSs can be reset
> by holding the power button in for a certain amount of time. I'm not
> familiar with the 8300 and its PS, but what you describe sounds
> consistent with that. At least if we assume that it wasn't the different
> outlets that solved the problem, but rather the simple act of unplugging
> it and plugging it back in.
>
> Have you been having any other problems with your system? Has
> it been operating normally and shutting down properly? Have there
> been any HW changes recently... upgrades or additions? Did you
> move the system and connect it to a different circuit? Any lights
> flickering or other signs that the computer is on a dirty circuit?
>
> When you press the power button, are there *any* signs of life?
> Do fans start to spin up, do any front or back lights come on...
> even momentarily? Or does it just sit there as though it were
> unplugged?



The only significance of unplugging it and changing outlets is that it
probably allowed ALL power to dissapate from the system board and other
components (as opposed to simply turning the system off or powering it
down.).

If the OP has already plugged directly into the wall (as opposed to simply a
different plug in his surge or UPS) then it is likely the system's power
supply.


Stew

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

I don't know if this is related, but it might be. Dell tech support has
said that with the 8300's a low battery warning on startup is often
caused by a temporary loss of ground when the computer is plugged into a
surge protector. Their solution is to try unplugging the computer from
the protector or power strip and plugging it back into a different
outlet in the protector, and/or plugging it directly into the wall
outlet, and/or plugging the protector's cord directly into the wall
outlet. I have had this problem 3 times, and sure enough, I determined
that unplugging the protector's cord and replugging into the wall outlet
cured it(by trial and error I determined that the loss of ground was at
the wall outlet).

Jack Ruetty wrote:
> Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I all
> of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP SP2). Had
> to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty seconds before I
> could power up. Tried some different things and found that plugging into a
> different port on my USP seemed to fix the problem. Two days later the
> problem started up again. Took the computer off the UPS and plugged
> directly into a power strip. This seemed to fix the problem and then two
> days later the same problem reoccurred. I am at a loss as to what is going
> on. What is most confusing is how when I plug the computer into a different
> power outlet everything seems to be fine for a couple days and then the same
> powerup problems resume. I have not made any changes to my system, have run
> adaware and done a complete virus scan of my system. Any help would be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Jack
>
>
>

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

I appreciate all the help and responses - I have tried all of them and still
having the same problem (when I come home from work I have to hold the power
button in for 30 to 40 seconds - then the computer boots - if I turn it off
when it is warm it powers right back up like it should) - I think the
problem is getting worse as it seems to be taking longer and longer each
day - again any help would be appreciated
Jack

--
Jack Ruetty
jruetty@columbus.rr.com
"Jack Ruetty" <jruetty@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
news:cLzbe.685$Eg.315@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
> Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I
> all of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP
> SP2). Had to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty
> seconds before I could power up. Tried some different things and found
> that plugging into a different port on my USP seemed to fix the problem.
> Two days later the problem started up again. Took the computer off the
> UPS and plugged directly into a power strip. This seemed to fix the
> problem and then two days later the same problem reoccurred. I am at a
> loss as to what is going on. What is most confusing is how when I plug
> the computer into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for
> a couple days and then the same powerup problems resume. I have not made
> any changes to my system, have run adaware and done a complete virus scan
> of my system. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Jack
>
>
>
> --
> Jack Ruetty
> jruetty@columbus.rr.com
>

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

"Jack Ruetty" <jruetty@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
news:vpwde.1620$Q.580@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
>I appreciate all the help and responses - I have tried all of them and
>still having the same problem (when I come home from work I have to hold
>the power button in for 30 to 40 seconds - then the computer boots - if I
>turn it off when it is warm it powers right back up like it should) - I
>think the problem is getting worse as it seems to be taking longer and
>longer each day - again any help would be appreciated
> Jack
>
> --
> Jack Ruetty



Jack - did you unplug and reset the PS using the (red) voltage switch as
User N. did? (115v to 230v for a minute or two, then back to 115v and then
plug and power up...)

If so, then I'd start with replacing the power supply (after) I'd taken a
look at the internal cabling connections from the power switch to the front
I/O mini-board, and from that mini-board to the main board. Perhaps one of
the (2) necessary cables has worked a bit loose.

That's where I'd start if it were mine.


Stew