Dell Dimension 3000 won't boot

[bobismyherotoo]

Hi all! I'm a new member, working on my friend's Dell Dimension 3000. It's about three years old, and never had any hardware changes other than a wireless card install.

At first, it wasn't completing booting. It would go through the opening splash screen, but then would go to a screen saying it was missing a .dll. After changing it to boot the CD drive first, I tried using the Windows restore CD that came with it to fix the problem, but although it recognized the hard drive as an existing device, it couldn't seem to access it. I ended up reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows. It booted after that, but wasn't right (I think it might have needed some drivers). I decided to come back later as it was late, but before I left we opened the case and cleaned out the dust with a can of air.

After we plugged it back in, it automatically powered up without the power button being pressed. The fans are running, the lights are on, etc., but it doesn't boot. It sends no signal to the monitor, and it doesn't sound like the hard drive is doing anything. I didn't remove anything, so I don't know what would cause this. She says she didn't install any new programs and there were no power surges or outages we know of.

On the advice of several very hardware-savvy friends/coworkers, I have just replaced the CPU, but the problem persists even with a brand new processor.

What else could cause this? A bad motherboard, maybe? I think the two issues might be unrelated, but I'm not sure.

[Suspishio]

Always difficult to diagnose at a distance - but it seems to me that the PSU is not delivering power to the disk drive or the disk drive is not properly connected. If that's the case it can't boot.

If no splash appears on the screen, then it is possible that the PSU isn't delivering properly to the motherboard.

[madoverclocker]

did any liquid from the air can splash onto the mobo? that is an unbelievably common cause of motherboard failure. were you grounded while working on the computer? i hate to ask that question... but if you weren't that could have caused some damage as well.

[cguan_77]

double check the connection (jumper settings etc..) maybe you just missed up something make sure also that there is no loss connection..

[DtD]

I'm having a similar problem, I recently tried installing an extra 512mb RAM (didn't ground myself >_< I live in Texas and it's pretty humid so I don't normally) I hear a loud beep coming from the motherboard, but no splash comes up on the monitor. I have a light on the motherboard, so it still gets power. I really need this computer to work. Please help

[Suspishio]

I'm having a similar problem, I recently tried installing an extra 512mb RAM (didn't ground myself >_< I live in Texas and it's pretty humid so I don't normally) I hear a loud beep coming from the motherboard, but no splash comes up on the monitor. I have a light on the motherboard, so it still gets power. I really need this computer to work. Please help

Not much to go on.

Do the keyboard lights flash?
Does the monitor work on any other system?
Is the memory properly seated?
Does it work with the new memory removed or replaced?

[DtD]

Not much to go on.

Do the keyboard lights flash?
Does the monitor work on any other system?
Is the memory properly seated?
Does it work with the new memory removed or replaced?

I haven't checked the keyboard yet so I don't know
Yes the monitor works, I have recently used it for my Xbox 360
The memory is locked in correctly
No, I have removed the new memory and inserted the old but it still doesn't work.

Thank you for your help

[Suspishio]

You're probably stumped in the same way that's bugging me. The monitor should work even if you've zapped your RAM; the BIOS would report an error.

Is it possible that the BEEP is an error beep, not the shortish normal Beep? You'd need to go to the BIOS manual for your PC to check the BEEPS.

Also the keyboard check is a simple indicator that the BIOS POST is working as the BIOS gropes for devices.

What is the boot disk doing?

[racraine1]

2 things.. I have had a problem with older machines that after blowing them clean i've needed to replace the power supply. For some reason it tends to leave enough power o get the fans going but not enough to power up the pc.

2) go here http://www.pctechbytes.com/bios.htm
for a complete list of beep codes. It souonds like the pc doesn't like the memory, or it's not installed correctly.

Good Luck!

[willcomp]

Look at rear of PC and tell us what the pattern is on diagnostic LEDs. I think they are under PS/2 ports on a Dimension 3000.