Pc not booting

[mammu]

I am trying to install win xp on my friends pc. Its a old Dell mode Intel III machine.

Now the real problem is when I start main power to pc the CPU green LED on power button just keeps on blinking. Even though I keep pressing it, nothing happens. No display....nothing happens. Even I don't hear any beeps.

It booted once the first time I started...was having win98. But I pressed the CPU button when win98 was on at that time and it closed down/shutdown(don't know exactly) and from that time it started to blink. I don't even see restart button to it.
It only has 1 button which u see blinking.

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/9171/dellqw8.jpg

Any ideas what to do?

You can give list what should I do/check because I am going to attach that Dell CPU by removing my current one.

[lowestseries]

are any of your cables plugged in? is there power coming from the wall socket or it could be conflicting hardware? hope this helps

[mammu]

I dont find this cpu comfortable. Its sideways and too complicated from inside.
I tried unplugging and plugging everything I can but no success.
Is it the only problem of not connected properly?
I see monitor and CPU LED blinking. Nothing happens.

[lowestseries]

I dont find this cpu comfortable. Its sideways and too complicated from inside.
I tried unplugging and plugging everything I can but no success.
Is it the only problem of not connected properly?
I see monitor and CPU LED blinking. Nothing happens.

if your monitor is blinking, then it sounds like that there is a problem with the graphics card

[mammu]

i dont think that dell CPU has any graphics card.
Looks default to me.
Any other suggestion.:beigeconf

[STi FlyBy]

On the back of the case, there are 4 LED lights labeled "A" "B" "C" "D" - they're used to help diagnose issues. Which ones are lit up (I believe all 4 should be lit if everything is working properly)?

[mammu]

I dont see any LED lights at the back.

Backview
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2623/dell2et7.jpg

Inside view
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8091/dell3lm9.jpg

[STi FlyBy]

I dont see any LED lights at the back.

Backview
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2623/dell2et7.jpg

What about between the serial port and the PS/2 ports?

[mammu]

Yes Dip I noticed those 4 LED when they were led up.

Thanx shambles for nice explanation.

Atlast I got it working. I tried my SMPS with this Dell one and it worked...got display.

But now I am pretty sure its a SMPS problem. I think this Dell machine has it besides fx card. But I am not able to remove it. Also not sure is it so big!

Can I attach our new available SMPS or its different for this machine?
Though my new SMPS worked with this Dell machine.:)

[STi FlyBy]

This may not apply directly to your case, but Dell and other OEM manufacturers sometimes use non-conventional connectors, which means you'll need to make sure that it will fit properly before your purchase.

[mammu]

Now I gave it to repair as its old smps is not available.
Any idea what they might do to repair it?

[STi FlyBy]

Now I gave it to repair as its old smps is not available.
Any idea what they might do to repair it?

http://www.pcpower.com/products/power_supplies/selector/dell.htm

Maybe there?

[mammu]

Actually its hard to digest to hear somebody being poor in US and EU. :grin:

Ok so to continue story...
That old dell smps is unavailable so it can only be repaired.
The problem is that its too long but fits properly in horizontal cabinet.
New smps are small but a bit more in height. So I can't even fix new smps in cabinet.

So now I am thinking of changing to horizontal atx cabinet and fixing a new normal smps to it.

[mammu]

The top led between the serial port and the PS/2 ports is not turning on green. Don't know if its A or D bcoz its not in my old dell cabinet now.
But now the main problem arrised is that hdd and cdrom is not getting detected.
I am fearing if nothing has happened to motherboard.:blacno
I checked all cords, hdd, cdrom working properly but not working when attached to that dell machine M/B.
I also don't find where to put power LED, Reset SW,...etc as I don't find anything to put on M/B.

Any suggestions?

[lowestseries]

The top led between the serial port and the PS/2 ports is not turning on green. Don't know if its A or D bcoz its not in my old dell cabinet now.
But now the main problem arrised is that hdd and cdrom is not getting detected.
I am fearing if nothing has happened to motherboard.:blacno
I checked all cords, hdd, cdrom working properly but not working when attached to that dell machine M/B.
I also don't find where to put power LED, Reset SW,...etc as I don't find anything to put on M/B.

Any suggestions?

there should be little pins on the motherboard to put the power led and reset sw, normally the pins r located on the edge of the motherboard.

[mammu]

ARe the jumpers set correctly on the hdd and cd rom
I tried starting pc with just 1 hdd but still its not getting detected.

there should be little pins on the motherboard to put the power led and reset sw, normally the pins r located on the edge of the motherboard.
I don't find any any pins except you see on pics below.

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/1416/cabinetwp5.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/7878/insidesh4.jpg

[lowestseries]

why are the pw and reset sw diconnected in the first place

[mammu]

why are the pw and reset sw diconnected in the first place

What youve circled as "front pannel"
Looks like the floppydisk drive header to me.. Not the front pannel...
(but i see a nother header a white one at the top of the board. so that could be the fdd I guess...

And the part of the motherboard that looks like it should plug in to a PCI Slot or similar.
Looks to me like a place to attatch a rizer slot for aditional pci slots..
Was there one attached to it in the origional case?...
Having said that. I cant seem to find your fornt pannel conectors on this board.
So i supose that could have something to do with that..


I have examined the 1st pics you posted.
and compared them to the new 1's you have posted.
And the headers look like they all have ide rbon cables pluged in to them..
I still dont see the front pannel connectors though. (power switch and stuff)

I don't find where to put power and other connectors that on M/B.
Thats slot is the front panel...its written there besides that slot. But I don't understand which pins to put where in it.

Also it now detected hdd and cdrom after I removed and replaced cmos cell. That was it.

And now pc boots automatically after I give it electricity. So no using of power and restart button. Its direct now.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/412/1211lq7.jpg
That front panel is different than our new ones. This one seems attached to power and other things with cable.
Can you tell me if I can attach power, reset pins there instead of that cable?

[mammu]

Yes I can see that.

I don't have power button. So can I use reset button in place of power button.
I was thinking of attaching that reset pin in place of power and make it work for pc ON/OFF.

What do you think will it work?

[lowestseries]

direct power sounds dodgy to me, be carefull

[eCK0]

direct power sounds dodgy to me, be carefull
QFT

That's a very good way to fry your motherboard.

[mammu]

Thats what I was asking. Can I use reset button in place of power button?
I want to be safe.

[lowestseries]

unless u want to see smoke coming from your computer. DONT DO IT!!
also in order to swap buttons around u will need to cut and reconnect wires and thats a NO!

[lowestseries]

yes you can use a reset button... there just the same, dunno why youd imagne you need to cut wires..
provided you know which 2 pins are the power button on the motherboard.
and the reset switch connector fits then i dont see the prob..

(i believe that you have a 2pin reset switch connector on new case, and wish to know if it will work.
and it should work fine provided the 2 pin connection on the resest switch connects the correct 2 pins on motherboard)

but why is it constantly on.
it should be off as a default unles youve been shorting the power pins to turn it on.

but i guess it could be set to power-on after power failure or something.

he said earlier he has direct power going to the motherboard to turn the computer on/off

[mammu]

I mean when you power the computer it boots automatically to OS.
Once you are in OS then you can shutdown from there safely.

[lowestseries]

I mean when you power the computer it boots automatically to OS.
Once you are in OS then you can shutdown from there safely.

every computer boots to the OS once a computer turns on

[mammu]

you didn't get me.
We have 1 power button and 1 restart button on our pc on front side.
I DO NOT HAVE POWER BUTTON ON MY PC.

BTW this is my dxdiag
http://rapidshare.com/files/56503134/DxDiag.txt.html

I tried finding graphic and motherboard drives on google but couldn't get exact.
Though xp took everything but still I think its better to install graphics driver for optimal display.
Can you find it for me plz?

[M46NU2]

Why dont buy a new one?

[acal3000]

Looks the machine is a Dell have you tried their website to look for drivers for that model?

Also for the graphic driver you can look here (http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/xp/legacy-xp.html)

[mammu]

Why dont buy a new one?
Thats not my pc.

Looks the machine is a Dell have you tried their website to look for drivers for that model?

Also for the graphic driver you can look here (http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/xp/legacy-xp.html)
I tried that but it says not compatible.
I can't see movies clearly.

[mammu]

You got it right Shambles.
I ran graphics tests from directx and now I can see movies clearly.
All issues sorted out now.
Thanx for your support guys.