Dimension 8300 Powerup Problem

Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I all
of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP SP2). Had
to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty seconds before I
could power up. Tried some different things and found that plugging into a
different port on my USP seemed to fix the problem. Two days later the
problem started up again. Took the computer off the UPS and plugged
directly into a power strip. This seemed to fix the problem and then two
days later the same problem reoccurred. I am at a loss as to what is going
on. What is most confusing is how when I plug the computer into a different
power outlet everything seems to be fine for a couple days and then the same
powerup problems resume. I have not made any changes to my system, have run
adaware and done a complete virus scan of my system. Any help would be
greatly appreciated.

Jack



--
Jack Ruetty

"Jack Ruetty" wrote in message
...
Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I
all of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP
SP2). Had to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty
seconds before I could power up. Tried some different things and found
that plugging into a different port on my USP seemed to fix the problem.
Two days later the problem started up again. Took the computer off the
UPS and plugged directly into a power strip. This seemed to fix the
problem and then two days later the same problem reoccurred. I am at a
loss as to what is going on. What is most confusing is how when I plug
the computer into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for
a couple days and then the same powerup problems resume. I have not made
any changes to my system, have run adaware and done a complete virus scan
of my system. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jack



--
Jack Ruetty




Jack,

I see your UPS mentioned a couple of times. Have you tried the unit
directly plugged into the wall outlet, and if so, same thing?


Stew

"Jack Ruetty" wrote in message
...
Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I
all of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP
SP2). Had to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty
seconds before I could power up. Tried some different things and found
that plugging into a different port on my USP seemed to fix the problem.
Two days later the problem started up again. Took the computer off the
UPS and plugged directly into a power strip. This seemed to fix the
problem and then two days later the same problem reoccurred. I am at a
loss as to what is going on. What is most confusing is how when I plug
the computer into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for
a couple days and then the same powerup problems resume. I have not made
any changes to my system, have run adaware and done a complete virus scan
of my system. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My 8300 showed the same symptom (minus UPS) for a couple of months and then
completely failed to power up after I left it shut down for 2 weeks while on
vacation. Dell replaced the power supply unit and all's well now.

So it could be an impending power supply failure. Dunno why plugging into
different outlets would help, as I don't have UPS here.

I agree it's probably the PS. The only commonality I can see where plugging
it into another outlet might have "helped" is that by unplugging it from one
power source to plug it into another, you interrupted constant power to the
power supply. What the actual problem with the power supply may be and why
interrupting power seems to help, I do not know. This sounds like a question
for our resident authority and my new best buddy, w_tom. So... w_tom (if
your trolling this ng)... what say you?

"Jack Ruetty" wrote in message ...
Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I all
of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP SP2). Had
to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty seconds before I
could power up. [] What is most confusing is how when I plug the computer
into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for a couple days and
then the same powerup problems resume. []

I believe at least some PC power supplies contain protection circuits
which, upon detecting a fault, latch the PS into a shutdown state and
in order to reset the PS you have to unplug it for a few moments and
then plug it back in. I think I've also read that some PSs can be reset
by holding the power button in for a certain amount of time. I'm not
familiar with the 8300 and its PS, but what you describe sounds
consistent with that. At least if we assume that it wasn't the different
outlets that solved the problem, but rather the simple act of unplugging
it and plugging it back in.

Have you been having any other problems with your system? Has
it been operating normally and shutting down properly? Have there
been any HW changes recently... upgrades or additions? Did you
move the system and connect it to a different circuit? Any lights
flickering or other signs that the computer is on a dirty circuit?

When you press the power button, are there *any* signs of life?
Do fans start to spin up, do any front or back lights come on...
even momentarily? Or does it just sit there as though it were
unplugged?

"User N" wrote in message
...

"Jack Ruetty" wrote in message
...
Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I
all of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP
SP2). Had to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty
seconds before I could power up. [] What is most confusing is how when I
plug the computer
into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for a couple
days and
then the same powerup problems resume. []

I believe at least some PC power supplies contain protection circuits
which, upon detecting a fault, latch the PS into a shutdown state and
in order to reset the PS you have to unplug it for a few moments and
then plug it back in. I think I've also read that some PSs can be reset
by holding the power button in for a certain amount of time. I'm not
familiar with the 8300 and its PS, but what you describe sounds
consistent with that. At least if we assume that it wasn't the different
outlets that solved the problem, but rather the simple act of unplugging
it and plugging it back in.

Have you been having any other problems with your system? Has
it been operating normally and shutting down properly? Have there
been any HW changes recently... upgrades or additions? Did you
move the system and connect it to a different circuit? Any lights
flickering or other signs that the computer is on a dirty circuit?

When you press the power button, are there *any* signs of life?
Do fans start to spin up, do any front or back lights come on...
even momentarily? Or does it just sit there as though it were
unplugged?



The only significance of unplugging it and changing outlets is that it
probably allowed ALL power to dissapate from the system board and other
components (as opposed to simply turning the system off or powering it
down.).

If the OP has already plugged directly into the wall (as opposed to simply a
different plug in his surge or UPS) then it is likely the system's power
supply.


Stew

I don't know if this is related, but it might be. Dell tech support has
said that with the 8300's a low battery warning on startup is often
caused by a temporary loss of ground when the computer is plugged into a
surge protector. Their solution is to try unplugging the computer from
the protector or power strip and plugging it back into a different
outlet in the protector, and/or plugging it directly into the wall
outlet, and/or plugging the protector's cord directly into the wall
outlet. I have had this problem 3 times, and sure enough, I determined
that unplugging the protector's cord and replugging into the wall outlet
cured it(by trial and error I determined that the loss of ground was at
the wall outlet).

Jack Ruetty wrote:
Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I all
of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP SP2). Had
to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty seconds before I
could power up. Tried some different things and found that plugging into a
different port on my USP seemed to fix the problem. Two days later the
problem started up again. Took the computer off the UPS and plugged
directly into a power strip. This seemed to fix the problem and then two
days later the same problem reoccurred. I am at a loss as to what is going
on. What is most confusing is how when I plug the computer into a different
power outlet everything seems to be fine for a couple days and then the same
powerup problems resume. I have not made any changes to my system, have run
adaware and done a complete virus scan of my system. Any help would be
greatly appreciated.

Jack

"S.Lewis" wrote in message ...

The only significance of unplugging it and changing outlets is that it
probably allowed ALL power to dissapate from the system board
and other components (as opposed to simply turning the system
off or powering it down.).

Well I am assuming that unplugging the PS (from line) kills the +5v
standby. Is that what you mean?

As for PS's latching into shutdown mode, I'm not exactly sure how
that works. Motherboard circuitry that is run off of the +5v standby
could very well play a role in that, and for all I know it could actually
be the toggling of +5v standby that clears the condition. Then again,
for all I know, +5v standby might be turned off when some PSs go
into certain protection shutdown modes. Someone feel free to jump
in here.

I've only encountered this type of thing once. A friend's Dell just up
and powered down while she was reading some email. Afterwards
it wouldn't power up. She asked me to come over and when I got
there a tech was starting to walk her through the troubleshooting
process, and she handed the phone to me. There were no outward
signs of life, and we took the side panel off to check if there were
any MB LEDs on. I'm not positive about this, but IIRC, the standby
power light was off. In any case, the tech had me unplug the power
supply, toggle the voltage selector switch, hold the power button in
for awhile, then reconnect the power cord and try again. I got the
impression that the voltage selector switch toggling and power button
press were more of a "lets be thorough and make absolutely sure that
everything is drained approach" than an absolute requirement. In any
case, afterwards, the box powered up normally and has been working
fine ever since, so who knows what happened.

I appreciate all the help and responses - I have tried all of them and still
having the same problem (when I come home from work I have to hold the power
button in for 30 to 40 seconds - then the computer boots - if I turn it off
when it is warm it powers right back up like it should) - I think the
problem is getting worse as it seems to be taking longer and longer each
day - again any help would be appreciated
Jack

--
Jack Ruetty

"Jack Ruetty" wrote in message
...
Having kind of a weird problem and not sure of the solution. Recently I
all of a sudden had trouble turning on my computer (Dimension 8300 XP
SP2). Had to hold the power button in for as much as twenty or thirty
seconds before I could power up. Tried some different things and found
that plugging into a different port on my USP seemed to fix the problem.
Two days later the problem started up again. Took the computer off the
UPS and plugged directly into a power strip. This seemed to fix the
problem and then two days later the same problem reoccurred. I am at a
loss as to what is going on. What is most confusing is how when I plug
the computer into a different power outlet everything seems to be fine for
a couple days and then the same powerup problems resume. I have not made
any changes to my system, have run adaware and done a complete virus scan
of my system. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jack



--
Jack Ruetty

"Jack Ruetty" wrote in message
...
I appreciate all the help and responses - I have tried all of them and
still having the same problem (when I come home from work I have to hold
the power button in for 30 to 40 seconds - then the computer boots - if I
turn it off when it is warm it powers right back up like it should) - I
think the problem is getting worse as it seems to be taking longer and
longer each day - again any help would be appreciated
Jack

--
Jack Ruetty



Jack - did you unplug and reset the PS using the (red) voltage switch as
User N. did? (115v to 230v for a minute or two, then back to 115v and then
plug and power up...)

If so, then I'd start with replacing the power supply (after) I'd taken a
look at the internal cabling connections from the power switch to the front
I/O mini-board, and from that mini-board to the main board. Perhaps one of
the (2) necessary cables has worked a bit loose.

That's where I'd start if it were mine.


Stew