'puter Dead

**Watch5869** · 03-19-12, 11:51 AM

I turned off my computer last night and when I tried to turn it back on today, it wont do anything. I have tried disconnecting all peripherals with no result. I removed the cover and reseated all components. When I plugged it in with the cover off, a small LED on the mother board lit. When I pressed the power button, it booted but when I powered down and plugged in the mouse, it wouldn't start and that small LED is out. Can anyone give me another thing to try. My warranty has expired.

Dell Studio 8100 win7

Thanks

**Humboldt** · 03-19-12, 04:31 PM

Sorry to hear that, just went through this myself a month ago.

When you say "it won't do anything" does that mean it doesn't load properly or that you can't even tell you turned it on...does it beep, do fans spin?

When it booted, did it boot properly (without the mouse)?

First I'd blow it out with compressed air to make sure the board isn't shorting on a dust ball.

Try it with just the monitor, no mouse, and see if it boots. If so try the mouse. If that keeps it from starting...weird. Try another mouse.

If you can rule out the obvious stuff, get basic and try 1 stick of RAM and your hdd. If you can get it to post properly you know it's not the motherboard.

Good luck, hopefully someone else has some better advice.
In my case the mb died.

**RaisinCain** · 03-19-12, 04:46 PM

Sounds like your motherboard has died.

**Watch5869** · 03-19-12, 05:34 PM

It's very strange. When it does nothing, I mean exactly that, nothing. I blew out the inside, pulled on some wires and the next time I plugged it in, voila! Everything works. Not only that, since I got this machine, the hard drive has sounded like a low pitched coffee grinder winding up. Now it doesn't make a sound. I don't get it but thanks.

Bob D.

**Humboldt** · 03-19-12, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Watch5869

It's very strange. When it does nothing, I mean exactly that, nothing. I blew out the inside, pulled on some wires and the next time I plugged it in, voila! Everything works. Not only that, since I got this machine, the hard drive has sounded like a low pitched coffee grinder winding up. Now it doesn't make a sound. I don't get it but thanks.

Bob D.

"...Viola! Everything works"
I can't tell from your post if you solved the problem or not.

The dying coffee grinder reference reminds me of the sounds mine made...the fans would spin slowly, then fast, then slowly...could be the power supply is on its way out or that the mb is toast. I figured mine was the mb after swapping the psu with a spare and getting the same sounds.

**Watch5869** · 03-19-12, 08:06 PM

At least for now everything is fine but i think you're right, the PS is going.

**Humboldt** · 03-19-12, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by Watch5869

At least for now everything is fine but i think you're right, the PS is going.

So it's booting and running ok but sounds weird?
Good and bad news

Back up everything important while you can.
If you have the time and interest, swap the psu with a known good one and see if that solves the problem. Otherwise the mb is probably going south, could keep working and crap out occasionally or die completely.

If it was just dust building up...you lucked out this time. I've spent a lot of time trying to trouble-shoot hardware issues that just turned out to be dust building up and shorting something out.

Glad to hear it's working ok for the time being.