# Computer Crash?



## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

Hi Guys,
Not sure what happened, while watching "60 minutes" on cbs.com, my monitor screen and computer froze. I couldn't get anything to work, so I unplugged it. When I try turn it on now there no screen or sound. 
monitor says "power saver mode". Tried another monitor, same thing.
I can hear the computer turn on, but don't hear the boot music. I tried a boot cd, still nothing.
Dell Optiplex gx270, dual boot kubuntu 9.10 and xp with kubuntu as default.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
L.A.


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## Mechanic Intern (Jun 10, 2007)

it's likely a hardware failure, so let's start the process of elimination; do you hear any abnormal sounds (like the motherboard beeping morse code, for example) after you hit the power button? any strange smells coming from the computer case?could you take a photo of the inside of the case so I can get a look at the patient (plz don't resize it, leave it exactly as it came from the camera) and see if I can spot the problem? I've got a couple of hunches, but the picture will confirm (plz be ready to take numerous pics as requested; I diagnose problems like this best in person, and since I can't be there you'll have to be my eyes & hands).


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## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

Thanks,
There is one beep right after it's turned then just the fan and hard drive sound. I'll try to post pics, don't know if I remember how.


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## redtx (Jun 8, 2002)

Dell Gx270 huh? I am impressed it made it this long those motherboards had issues. 
Here is a link:
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-145544.html

Afraid it may be time for a new system.


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## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

I tried to post pics, but doing somthing wrong. I'll keep trying.
L.A.


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## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

Maybe,, Here they are


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## redtx (Jun 8, 2002)

Nice Pics, in rereading my earlier post I think I might have been a bit cryptic, I have seen the exact behavior you describe in several Gx270's and Gx280's, I made some good money replacing the motherboards for Dell under contract for this exact issue, and it is bad capacitors on the board. If you look at the last large picture you posted it looks like the capacitor, the large round thing sticking up from the motherboard, next to the black plug looks like its top is discolored and it is bent over well that would be the problem. Now if what I am describing is just how the picture is taken and you don't see the tops bulging, oozing or anything that doesn't really mean anything the behavior is exactly what the systems did when the capacitors went out. Now if the system is under warranty, which I doubt since it is over 5+ years old, contact who is carrying the warranty, but most PC warranty are for 3 years max. The board could be reworked, but that would take someone with the right skills and equipment to do it and would cost far more than a new system at this point, so I am afraid it is time to go shopping as it is a boat anchor.
If it makes you feel any better I have worked in the test labs at Dell, I live in Austin Texas by the way, for most of the last 4 years and we had racks of these things 100's of them to stress servers with and they started going out on us, kind of funny the chickens coming home to roost and all that.

And yes you should be able to get your data off the old hard drive, but you will need to connect it to another PC to do it, your new one or someone else's.


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## farmerbrian (Aug 29, 2009)

Does sound like a hardware failure.....

Those beep codes can be very helpful if you can decode them.

Check out this link

http://support.ap.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx270/en/ug/solve.htm#1236543


power cycle the computer then listen very carefully for the beep sequence. 

Beyond that, it looks like you have everything integrated on the MB which takes away a lot of your troubleshooting options. You cant pull out components until she POSTS....they are all soldered onto the mobo! 

Unplug everything you can.... hard disks, cd drives...extra memory sticks (looks like you only have one). Also take that green chute off and make sure hte fan is spinning ontop of hte CPU. If not there is a good chance the CPU is fried. 

Question for others here: Its been a while since i've had to do this so I dont remember for sure, can you expect output on the monitor if CPU and or mem are removed? Im thinking just the iniital splash screen showing video BIOS or something.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

270's and 280's don't have a long life span, we had a few hundred of them at work and have had to replace them all.


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## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

Thanks Redtx,
That is bent, but the top is reflecting something and I don't see any bulges.
I just bought this a little over a month ago on ebay, but locally. 30 day warranty of course :hrm:. Suppose to be "refurbished". I will try to ask them about it. The shame of it all is I really liked this unit, fastest I've ever had.
I only paid $100.00, so not out alot. I did add a 160 gig hd, but can use that again.
Thanks for your help, guess I should do research next time.
L.A.


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

I've had decent luck with the Dell Gx520 and Gx620, and both of these are available off-lease for low money. Off-lease IBM M and S series and the HP DC5100 series desktops have been durable performers as well, and again, low money.


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## redtx (Jun 8, 2002)

Glad I could help, but sorry you just bought it. Talk to the folks you bought it from and read and print out the article I posted the link to up above and maybe they will replace it or let you upgrade to a newer system the Gx500's and Gx600's have been good performers as has been said, but even a 300 series would be better and should be cheap.
Unplugging all the devices and then trying to boot is a good idea but in this I don't think it will do you any good as the system won't even load the bootstrap loader if the caps are bad. Cheer up though, at least it looks like you don't have the Maxtor hard drive that came in most of those systems, they had a habit of crashing as well.


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## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

Hey Guys,
An Update.
I took it in and it's one day before the warranty expires, if they go by when I received it and not the date I paid for it.:shrug:
They tested it and looked it over. They said the caps were fine, but were concerned about liquid looking stuff on that black square thing in the first picture next to the memory stick. Says Intel on it. They will have their expert check it out and give me a call.
I looked around at what they had, in case they offer an upgrade.
Several gx280s, real small ones, about the size of a book. From what I have learned from you guys, I need to avoid those. These are priced $350.00!!!!
They also have some gx620s you recommended, but these are priced $495.00, just computer, no monitor, keyboard or mouse. 
I think I could buy new for that.
I'll let ya know how it turns out, worst case, I'm only out $106.00, but hey look at all the wonderful parts I have:dance:
Again Thanks all,
L.A.


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

L.A. said:


> They also have some gx620s you recommended, but these are priced $495.00, just computer, no monitor, keyboard or mouse....


Thats a ridiculous price for a gx620.

IBM.com currently has off-lease M52 thinkcenter desktops : P4 3ghz, 2gb memory, 80gb drive, CDRW/DVDRW, keyboard, mouse, XP Pro, 3 month warranty and free shipping for $169.15

Also available
T43p ThinkPad laptop, PM 2.13ghz, 1gb, 60gb drive, 14.1 screen, XP Pro, CDRW/DVD, wireless A/B/G & bluetooth, 3 month warranty and free shipping for $199.20 - My specs show this with a 9cell battery and 128mb ATI video (although these are not mentioned in the ad).


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## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

'Nuther up-date,
That chip thing was the problem. They replaced the unit with another gx270, same specs and my hard drive. Wouldn't let me up-grade. They couldn't figure out why it was looking for Grub restore:huh:. I told them it was Ok, I run Kubuntu most the time. Once I figured out how to get past the settings password in set up to change the clock from 2004,,It is working fine.
They said they would extend my warranty for 2 weeks, How kind.
I'll be checking that IBM site and keeping an eye out for something with a better performance record. I don't play games or need alot, but I do like to watch some TV shows,I run mostly statistical programs ("R" usually) and spreadsheets with Kubuntu 9.10 and keep XP just for the rare occassions I can't get data through other methods.
Thanks to all for your help, I have learned a lot.
L.A.


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