# Dell XPS 410 is dead



## Fortran (Oct 14, 2010)

A friend asked me to look at a non-working Dell XPS 410. They push the power switch and nothing happens. No lights, no sound, no nothing. Opened the case and an amber STDBY LED is illuminated on the motherboard. Tested the power supply using the guidance on this site and everything checks out okay. On test step 3, when I press the pc case Power On switch the voltage does not drop. When I jump Pin 14 (PS_On to GND) the voltage drops to ~0V. At that point the video card fan spins, a hard drive plugged into the Molex connector spins up, the case fan spins and the PSU fan spins. The CPU fan does not spin. That’s all that happens. No POST, no beep codes, nothing else. I’ve reseated all cards and switched memory sticks with each other. Am I correct in assuming it’s either the CPU or motherboard? If so, did I provide enough information for someone to narrow it down to one or the other? Thanks for your help!


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Do you have another PSU to try? CPU's rarely go bad. 
Remove all the RAM and hit the power button. If you get a continuous series of beeps the Mobo is probably OK.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

you have done well in your investigation. Dells are notorious for having failed motherboards and power supplies.

What I would suggest now if you can is to put the cpu and its fan in another system (remember to clean of the thermal paste and reapply new paste and try it). CPUs rarely fail but it can happen but in all honesty I would say that the motherboard is on its way out.

check the motherboard for leaking, bulgin or damaged capacitors if any are then its definetley the mobo.

Also try another PSU to eliminate it.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The XPS400/410 are known for failed front panel I/O boards(the circuit board behind the power on button, it also contains the front usb ports, audio ports and the 4 diagnostic lights.)

Looks like this > http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-XPS-410-Po...124?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf2613fec

To jump the I/O header unplug the front panel connector from the header.
Looking at the header.
Starting at the Top Left, and going down the Left side.
Pins 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19.

Starting at the Top Right, and going down the Right side.
NO pin, (Would have been Pin 2),
Pins 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20

Pins 15 and 16 are for the Power On switch.

Jump those 2 and see if you have any activity.

The orange LED on the motherboard usually means the 5v SB power is low.


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## Fortran (Oct 14, 2010)

Thanks for all the responses so far. I was told that the user had already tried another PSU with no luck. No visible leaks or damage to any capacitors. Wrench97, if I unplug the front panel connector and jump pins 15 & 16, what activity am I looking for? Continuity? I think I'm not understanding something here.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Those two pins are the connection to the power button in the front of the case, just touch them momentarily to signal the PC to start(The power button is a momentary switch like a door bell button it only makes contact when pushed).


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## Fortran (Oct 14, 2010)

The front panel I/O board has a 39 pin configuration. Still not sure what to jump. And you mentioned disconnecting the ribbon cable from the motherboard, right? So how do I trip the switch?


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## Fortran (Oct 14, 2010)

Clarification: you said "unplug the front panel connector from the header." If I do that, how do I get the signal to the motherboard?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Unplug the cable from the motherboard, the pins to jump are the ones sticking up from the board.


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## Fortran (Oct 14, 2010)

Okay, looking down at the mobo, the pins look like this:

xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Which ones do I jump to activate Power On?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

That should be the the 34 pin connector.


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