Member Avatar for Jon Laysell

Can anyone help please? I've browsed through the other posts about power-failures but none seem to have quite the same symtoms as mine.

Whilst using my machine at the weekend everything froze. I tried what I could, which with my limited knowledge was Cntrl+Alt+Delete - Nothing. And ALt+Tab - Nothing again. At this point I did as Dell recommends and held the power button down for 8-10 seconds. Everything switched off. Trouble is, it won't switch on again.

Now instead of turning on, all the lights go green for a second or two then go off. There is no sign of life on the screen, the machine makes no noises, and the disc drive does not open (not that there is anything in there).

If anyone can help I'd be really grateful.

Cheers.

:rolleyes:

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A short diagnostic plan to separate cheap fixes from a board-level failure. is right that a failed CPU/motherboard/GPU can cause a sudden hard power loss, but the usual approach is to rule out the inexpensive, repairable parts first.

  • Try a different wall outlet and, if possible, a known-good Dell-compatible AC adapter. Check the adapter label for voltage and confirm it with a multimeter.
  • Remove the battery and try AC only. Then try battery only (if charged). A change here points to adapter or battery.
  • Do a power drain: unplug adapter, remove battery, hold the power button 15-30 seconds, then connect adapter only and try to power up.
  • Reseat memory modules: remove all RAM, try powering — then try one stick in each slot (one at a time). Listen for beep codes or watch any LED blink patterns.
  • Disconnect everything nonessential (HDD, optical drive, PC Card/Express cards) and try again. A shorted peripheral can shut power down immediately.

If the adapter measures correct voltage and the laptop still dies, the fault is likely in the laptop power-in circuitry (DC jack/power board) or the motherboard. Visual inspection under the keyboard for burn marks or bulging capacitors can help, but avoid probing the board without ESD precautions. If data is the priority, remove the hard drive and connect it to another PC with a USB enclosure for recovery before pursuing repairs.

If the basic checks above do not revive the unit, motherboard-level repair or replacement is the most likely outcome; evaluate repair cost versus replacement. For DIY work, document blink/beep patterns and the results of each test before seeking a quote.

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Member Avatar for Chaky

Looks like you have a toasted CPU/motherboard/VGA.

Member Avatar for Jon Laysell

Ouch, that sounds expensive.

Cheers Chalky.

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