Hi, I am getting amber flashing power button, I have read its the PSU,can anyone say how I open the damn PSU case!

Matt, April 2009

Opening PS units is not recommended. It is best to replace the PSU unit completly if a fault is found.

dr fix, April 2009

Ryan

I forgot to add tha there are diagnostic lights on the bottom of the front panel I/O.

If you are seeing the power button flashing amber and only 4 lit up on those diag lights...LOOK OUT!

If you are seeing another combination, there is a document at dell support that explains the diag lights - put in your system number and look at the documents - I think I found it in the manual...there are definaltely links to it on their user to user support forums.

Andrea, April 2009

I just had the same problem....check two tall caps to the lower right of the ram slots. See if they blew out the top and a wire coiled inducter right next to them get charred. Ive found several other reports of this same thing from others.

Two weeks ago I had a no boot out of the BLUE when I woke up, I blew out the case dust with an air compressor, took out all the ram and started reseating them one by one, and magically it turned back on.

Two days ago it returned and that is the state of my motherboard - the whole unit is trash now....completely down for the count.

The third party vendor boards (google impact computers) are now selling foor 299.95 + shipping....most reports of this nature have dell diagnosing the board _AND_ PSU unit as failed. The propietary PSU unit is 220 + shipping. Now we're at $500....just to save a stupid Dell case.

I'll pass....that Pentium D Dual core isnt all that great anyway.

Funny thing is i HAD that MOBO replaced under warranty once already!!! i KNOW they know there is a problem with it. they've RMA'd a TON of them. Thats why they dont build them anymore.

I just dropped $310 at NewEgg. That would probably be what I would spend on the Dell replacement board with shipping. Except I got a AMD 64 x2, new case, top line PSU, and motherboard....new system. I'll reuse my Dell drives and memory, and try to grab a few bucks off ebay for the processor, heat sink and mass quantities of 80mm fans.

I spent 2 days researching alternatives and bottom line is, I could have salvaged the CPU and saved about $50 and come in with a new case, MOBO and Power Supply at a LOWER cost than replacing the Dell MOBO. But why not spend the extra $50 to come home with a newer upgradable faster machine...

I also considered salvaging the DELL unit in and of itself, but with DELL RMAing the boards AND PSUs on those boxes regularly, I didnt want to end up getting it back up only to flater encounter a problem with the PSU which apparently is inevitable.

Im so looking forward to not having to lug that monster of a case up and down my stairs anymore!

This is the first prebuilt Ive bought in 13 years - it lasted 3 years....Friends dont let friends buy DELL.

Andrea, April 2009