Member Avatar for DonnyG

HI everybody,

I am new to these forums. I have 30 years in the IT field starting as a IBM 1401 operator then programmer, then an application programmer, then a technical support person (both hardware and software) and have done both hardware and software maintenance on a number of hardware platforms (mainly mini and X86 PC) and software systems (Unix, Windows, Linux).

I have recently aquired 2 Dell Optiplex GX150 systems. I am not having much success in getting these systems setup. So I am seeking advice on my problem. Both systems when placed into Setup mode via F2 key go into setup mode ok, but when I attempt to navigate via arrow keys the system locks up after arrowing over the various settings and then powers down. I have been able to get the time and date set on 1 of the systems. BIOS on one is A09 and the other is A10. Resetting the BIOS to factory configuration and clearing the NVRAM does not change the basic problem. Disconnected all disk drives, changed keybords and mouse -- still same problem.
Booting to DOS from a floppy also runs for a short time and then system powers down.

Anybody have any ideas about how to fix this problem? I need help! :cry:

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by djrivera1

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Thanks to for the follow-up and to everyone who suggested alternate causes. For readers who find a GX150 (or similar PIII-era desktop) that enters Setup or boots only briefly before powering down, the most effective approach is a short, prioritized checklist plus a few careful maintenance steps. The list below expands on the thread’s troubleshooting without repeating any single post verbatim.

  • Start with a minimal-configuration test: power the board with only CPU, one known-good RAM stick, PSU, and onboard video (or a single card). If it stays up, add parts back one at a time to find the culprit.
  • Inspect the cooler assembly and airflow: remove the fan shroud the way the chassis intends, visually confirm the heatsink sits flat on the CPU, clean old thermal material with high‑proof isopropyl and a lint‑free cloth, apply a thin, even dab of CPU thermal compound, and re-seat the retention so pressure is even (avoid excess compound and avoid bending the clip).
  • Verify fan operation and dust buildup: spin fans by hand first, then power them briefly to confirm bearings and tach feedback work. Replace fans showing noise, wobble, or failure to spin.
  • Check the PSU rails under light load with a multimeter or an inexpensive ATX tester; abnormal +12V or +5V readings justify swapping in a known-good PSU.
  • If the system still fails, run memory tests (Memtest86+), try alternate video, and boot from a diagnostics medium to capture any POST/beep patterns or error messages. Also record the BIOS version and consider an official BIOS update from the vendor if stability issues are documented.

A few cautions: use anti-static practice when touching the board, don’t over-torque retention clips, and avoid smoking or messy work areas that contaminate the thermal interface. For this class of machine, follow the sequence: minimal config → cooling → PSU → RAM/video. That order saves time and isolates the most common hardware faults first.

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Member Avatar for DonnyG

Hi,
I finally figured out what was going on with these two systems. The heatsinks on the CPUs were loose. Took them off, cleaned them up, thermal compounded them, re-installed heatsinks -- problem resolved. Apparently, the CPUs were going into thermal off mode while in Setup. I should have thought of this situation much quicker, however the CPUs and heatsinks are under a large fan shroud. Out of sight, out of mind! Thanks to anyone who looked at the problem report!

Member Avatar for BeastOverlordH6

Ah, so I suffered many a time. I always enforce checking the stability of heatsinks as the computer can and will shutdown to avoid damage. Good for you for checking that, nonetheless, and happy computing.

Member Avatar for nickmakansi

my dell optiplex GX150 restarts as soon as it hits the windows xp screen. Any help or ideas?

Member Avatar for DonnyG

my dell optiplex GX150 restarts as soon as it hits the windows xp screen. Any help or ideas?

You have not provided much information to go on. What version CMOs do you have -- latest for GX150 is A11? If older than than A10 or A11 there could be problems with Windows xp. Incorrect CMOS settings can cause this type of problem also ( IRQ conflicts in paticular) plus incorrect IDE Drive settings. Also incorrect video configuration could cause this type of problem. Power management settings also may be suspect.

Without more info that is all I can suggest to look at!

Member Avatar for djrivera1

could be a couple of things could be fauty ram or video memory or just that cpu got damage when heatsink was loose, even though intel have the thermal diode that cut cpu off it only react to a certain amout of time on the pentium 3 they didn't inprove the system intill pentium 4 where it slow down operation.
but then agian did you in xp fresh on the system ?

Member Avatar for awizzkid01

It sounds like your problem is the ATX power supply, you can buy an ATX power supply tester to make sure or just buy another one replace it and make sure it works. You can also check the voltage of each wire to make sure they are +12, -12, +6, & -6. This should resolve your problem. Let me know.

HI everybody,

I am new to these forums. I have 30 years in the IT field starting as a IBM 1401 operator then programmer, then an application programmer, then a technical support person (both hardware and software) and have done both hardware and software maintenance on a number of hardware platforms (mainly mini and X86 PC) and software systems (Unix, Windows, Linux).

I have recently aquired 2 Dell Optiplex GX150 systems. I am not having much success in getting these systems setup. So I am seeking advice on my problem. Both systems when placed into Setup mode via F2 key go into setup mode ok, but when I attempt to navigate via arrow keys the system locks up after arrowing over the various settings and then powers down. I have been able to get the time and date set on 1 of the systems. BIOS on one is A09 and the other is A10. Resetting the BIOS to factory configuration and clearing the NVRAM does not change the basic problem. Disconnected all disk drives, changed keybords and mouse -- still same problem.
Booting to DOS from a floppy also runs for a short time and then system powers down.

Anybody have any ideas about how to fix this problem? I need help! :cry:

Member Avatar for djrivera1

It sounds like your problem is the ATX power supply, you can buy an ATX power supply tester to make sure or just buy another one replace it and make sure it works. You can also check the voltage of each wire to make sure they are +12, -12, +6, & -6. This should resolve your problem. Let me know.

Reseat heatsink apply new themal paste to it. Pick up a lot of these dell gx150 the paste dry up and overheat the processor on this.

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