# Dell optiplex gx260 wont boot



## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

hi, I recently finished building my new computer, and I was intending on setting up the old dell i used to use for my mother, who is just learning how to use a pc =P. i hadnt booted it for a few days, and when i went to turn it on, the power button showed an amber light, and my monitor said "no signal input". I new this couldnt be right, cos i had it working only a week before, so, I booted it up with the case open and checked all the stuff inside, the motherboards little powerlight thing was lit, the power supply's light was green, all cables were plugged, the processor is seated properly, in other words, everything was fine, with one one thing different, the little lights that usually flash on the side of the mobo were not lighting up(these may be bios lights, or something else, i dont really know ) 
I am completely baffled, it all seems like it should work, I would be very glad of any tips you could give me to fix it =)


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Try clearing the CMOS by moving the jumper on the RTCRST header, unplug the power press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, move the jumper from the PSWD header to the RTDRST header for 10 seconds then back again, replug the pc and see if it will boot now> http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx260/en/ug/advfeat.htm#1117484


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## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

ummmmmm....... im slightly confused..... I looked on the dell sight, and t says that the rtdrst has no jumper on it for " real time reset", but mine has no jumper on atall, there is just a jumper on the pswd...... i tried moving the jumper to the rtdrstand then booting, nothing happened, then switched back to the other, still nothing, however, when i swtiched it over to the other one i heard the processor clicking, so im gonna try booting with a jumper BOTH of them, and see if that does anything =D im still a little lost with this, so any advice appreciated =P
tnx


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

No it should not have a jumper, you move the jumper from one to the other to clear, you do not move it and try to boot with it on, that can cause damage.
just shorting the pins with the pc off clears the cmos, if that does not help the next step is to test using another power supply.


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## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

well thats exactly what ive noticed. after messing with the jumpers i was fiddling around, then tried to turn on at the power button. it wouldnt turn on, I was thinking ooooooh craaap, pressing the power button over an over again, and then suddenly, it satrted up for about 30 seconds, then turned off again, im pretty sure its the power supply, so im gonna try and pinch the psu out of my sisters machine( which i also built) to test, cos the only spare psu I have is one off a p3 machine, so it doesnt have a cpu power cable.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Try the other PSU and let us know.


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## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

naaah, no luck =( I have no clue whats wrong with it , in theory it should all be working 0.o


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Pull the ram and see if the motherboard beeps continuously.


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## magnethead (Mar 18, 2006)

what are the 4 green LED's indicating on the back next to the mouse ports? If it's not booting, at least one wil be amber.


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## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

none of those led's light up when i turn it on, dont know why, are they important?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

They are the diagnostic lights. 
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx260/en/ug/solvprob.htm#1167139


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## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

umm what is a pre-bios failure? is that a bad thing, cos my one is showing no lights, which "suggests" pre-bios failure or that the machine is turned off 0.o


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Usually a bad power supply, but could also be a motherboard, Do you have another Power Supply to teat with?


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## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

yes, if you read above, i pinched the psu out of my sisters machine and tested it, did nothing, although I know that the optiplex motherboards have a very specific psu that they cn use =S


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## magnethead (Mar 18, 2006)

Biddlyboobaa said:


> yes, if you read above, i pinched the psu out of my sisters machine and tested it, did nothing, although I know that the optiplex motherboards have a very specific psu that they cn use =S


only the micro ones. the ATX ones use an ATX supply...i know because i've done it


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Did anything unusual happen to it since you stopped using it?
Have a look around the motherboard at the capacitors for signs of swelling or leakage, the tops should be flat> http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=5


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## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

i looked, and the capacitors are all fine, it doesnt seem like they are swelling or anything =S


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Sure seems to be a board problem if the PSU did nothing.


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## Biddlyboobaa (Mar 7, 2009)

awwww =( I dont exactly have cash to splash..... do yo know if I could get one for, say £10?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Maybe> http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_...l+gx260+motherboard&_sacat=See-All-Categories


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## 1r1sh (May 19, 2009)

I have had two of these Dell gx260 mobos go bad, after troubleshooting the first one, which I had already determined it was the mobo, the Dell support tech had to go through the standard cookie-cutter check list, he confirmed what I knew to be wrong.:sigh:
1 of the first things I do with a problem PC, after removing the add on cards, is to of course make sure the power supply is OK, is to power up the PC for 1/2 hour perhaps to warm things up. After a warm up period, I use the back of my finger to feel the heat sink on the North Bridge chip and the base of the heat sink on the CPU, if 1 of these or both are cold to the touch, it is almost certainly a bad motherboard. It is the low tech method for sure, but a reliable test. You have to be careful to use the back of the finger and move it in slowly in case there is a lot of heat, don't want to burn yourself.ray:


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