Dell E520 Problems

[exoduster18]

I am having problems with a Dell E520 Desktop. I can't get the thing to turn on at all.

I am thinking that I may need a new power supply but what confuses me is that the power button up front still blinks orange even though it's not on and an LED lights up on the motherboard, so I am still getting power, I believe.

It's been way to long since I've experienced a failed power supply or motherboard/CPU and I'm a little lost.

I am thinking that the power supply is alright because I am still seeing those lights. I am leaning more towards a failed motherboard/CPU.

Thoughts and potential fixes, fellow Phandroidians?

 

[johnlgalt]

Lights on the Mobo doesn't mean everything is well with your PSU - it just means that *some* things are working. It might be the 12V rail gone bad, or the 5V rail (assuming it has multiple rails to begin with), or something else.

It could be a dead mobo, dead PSU, dead CPU causing a short, some other sort of short, or even a power connector having come disconnected, or a power connector shorting on the case....

I bought a relatively cheap PSU tester ($20) to make sure my PSUs perform the way they are supposed to. testing mobo, CPU and RAM is a bit harder - you'll need duplicates of those components to test with (IOW, a working mobo, CPU and RAM). You might try taking it to a local Brick and Mortar computer supply shop that also does diagnostics (NOT GEEK SQUAD).

There are simply too many variables for me to sit here and say that your computer over there has *this* problem and not that.

At least, not without more information....