Dell Optiplex 7010 Starts Hard

Lurch · Post by **Lurch** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:05 am

Hi,

I went back to my SFF Dell 7010 last week. I didn't need to bc my older, bigger Dell 960 was running well, but I thought I would to access some files I forgot to save to a flash drive. I think the reason I went back to the older Dell when I did months ago was that the newer Dell started having trouble starting up. When I pushed the start button, it wouldn't start. Lights would blink but it wouldn't start. Then after I was running the 960, I played around with the 7010 and noticed a reset button on the back, and realized I could get it started by holding in the reset button while I pushed in the start button.

Can someone tell me why it does this?
I'm running it now but am tempted to save my files and go back to the Dell 960.
The 7010 runs good with its I5-3470 processor.
The 960 runs just as good with a lesser processor but with SSD.
They both run good and have Windows 10, but the 7010 won't start unless I hold in both the reset button and start buttons, then it runs fine.

Thanks for any input.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:18 am

PSU BIST button for the power supply. BIST = Built In Self Test

Used to isolate if the power supply is having problems....sometimes it's a quick fix in that it releases built up AC in the capacitors. Kinda..."resets the power supply". If the power supply light goes green, "should" be good.

The Optiplex models with 4x digits...newer. 3x digits...old models.Hopefully you can get the 7010 going....we pushed out like..hundreds of those models, good units. And before that, yeah many 790's too.

Lurch · Post by **Lurch** » Thu Oct 14, 2021 7:05 pm

Hi,

It was getting harder to start every day so I took it to a man who refurbs PCs for a thrift store and he opened it and tested the power supply and told me I need a new one, so I ordered one on eBay for $27 shipped.

I also got quite familiar with these little SFFs like my 7010 inside.
After I get the PS in it and get it running again I hope to install a SanDisk 240 GB HD in it.
My older Dell 960 runs nicer, because of the SSD HD in it.
I installed that SSD in it a few years ago with the help of SanDisk on the phone.
Hopefully they will help me install another SSD.