# Orange Light and Power Supply Issue



## NexForce (Feb 8, 2008)

Recently my computer has failed to start working. I went to remove the heat sink from the motherboard and processor to get rid of all the dust. Afterwards the computer refused to boot up. It would just give me a orange power light, nothing on monitor, but everything else was running. I decided to remove various things to find out the problem seeing how the orange power light resembled a failed device.

I continued to remove parts like graphics card, ram sticks, unplug HDD cords. None it worked. I put it all back together and now the computer won't even turn on. It just runs for half a second then quits. I removed the Power_12V_A1 plug and then the computer went straight back to only running with the constant orange light. If I plug the cord back in though, the system refuses to turn on.

I have reason to believe that either my motherboard or power supply failed.

Here is the manual to my system to furthur diagram my system and where it's parts are.

Specs:
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
AMD Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4Ghz
3GB RAM
Nvidia GeForce 7300 LE
Dell Dimension E521
WD 250GB HDD
80 GB HDD


----------



## NexForce (Feb 8, 2008)

I can also reproduce the solid amber/orange light when I plug in the Power_12V_A1 cord and then remove the processor. To add to above, I used a $500 vaccum cleaner with a brush to get rid of all the dust near the heatsink, fan, and processor.


----------



## speedster123 (Oct 18, 2006)

you might have shorted the board with the vacuum. did you re-apply thermal grease? the instructions are in my sig. recheck the plug leed to the cpu.


----------



## NexForce (Feb 8, 2008)

No I didn't think about the thermal grease. Where can I get a kit like that to remove and apply the thermal conductor? Did I short my PSU or motherboard? How could the vaccum short ciruited the board anyways? The only thing touching was the bristles and air from the suction which wasn't very powerful anyways. Could I use goofoff for the removal? Im sure I can find some grease at a store.


----------



## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

NexForce said:


> No I didn't think about the thermal grease. Where can I get a kit like that to remove and apply the thermal conductor?
> 
> Any good computer store will have that cleaner. However, if you aren't close to a great computer store, you can use 90% Alcohol that you can purchase at any drug store or Wally World, etc, and it does a real nice job.
> 
> ...


----------



## NexForce (Feb 8, 2008)

I don't know what to replace though. I'm willing to give answers and photos. I just need to know what I should or need to replace in order for it to work. The PSU is only 30 dollars and motherboard goes for 80. My CPU might be a pain though to replace.

I doubt the reason for the computer starting up is the thermal grease. It originally wouldn't start up with the solid amber light which stood for a faulty device.


----------



## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

Hello again,

I was only answering your questions that you had asked from your conversatino with _Speedster123_ since he was not presently on the forum at that time, so don't know exactly what you are facing or if that will be the total solutuion.

First of all, you do need to read those heatsink/thermal paste instructions and redo that regardless of what you do if it was not done correctly. Don't misunderstand, no thermal paste or not redone correctly when taken apart can shut that baby down very quickly to keep it from burning up on you. They are designed that way. If you took it apart and did not clean and redo the paste, you have problems to correct before you go too far. One can not take it apart without doing that and have it work correctly.

Second, it almost sounds like you didn't get the heatsink/fan clamps clear down tightly and that one is not seated or snapped in properly. That can cause what you are seeing.

Third, you didn't mention what power supply you have, so please list the brand name and wattage. That is real important and why _Speedster123 _sent you to the power supply link he gave you. You mentioned that you paid $30 for your power supply. Well, I am here to tell you that you can't buy ANY decent power supply for $30 to run a computer. That could very well be a real issue for your situation if everything else is together properly.

Post back with questions/concerns.


----------



## NexForce (Feb 8, 2008)

I said it is worth 30 bucks, but was from a computer part site. It's a 305W H305N-00 from Dell. Dell's part number is PH333. http://www.pcpartsontime.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=PH333

I have read up on the thermal paste guide and I am having a friend of mine who is a computer expert work with it for awhile.


----------

