Dead server, PSU or motherboard?

[Samfb24]

I took home an old dell poweredge 2900 we had lying around the shop before it got thrown out. The server is dead, it appears to get no power whatsoever. when I plug both PSU's into the power there is zero signs of life, no fans or lights or anything. One of the PSU's makes a kind of quiet but high pitched continuous beep, the other PSU does nothing. I wouldn't be surprised if the one making the sound is bad, but wouldn't the server still power up with one good PSU?, or at least show some lights on the back of the PSU or something. Wondering if the motherboard is bad on this server as well.

Any suggestions, or troubleshooting steps before I go on a limb and spend money on parts I'm not sure I do or don't need.

 

[okcnaline]

Specifications? And what are you going to do with the server?

 

[Samfb24]

Specifications? And what are you going to do with the server?

Its a dell poweredge 2900 III.
Service tag: H76LBG1
Model: ECM01
Mfg. Date: 05/17/2008

Let me know if you need more info. I plan to use it as a personal file server/experiment box at home to play around with, nothing more than that. Don't see how that's relevant to it powering up or not though... Anyway, I'm currently using an old Dell optiplex 380 that I threw server 08 OS on to screw around with. This 2900 would be replacing that.

 

[okcnaline]

Mostly just need the year and service tag. Definitely it's the PSU's problem if one beeps.
But on a second thought... Is it the motherboard beeping or the PSU? I am trying to fix this old Dell workstation with its BIOS bricked. It just kept beeping.

 

[Samfb24]

Mostly just need the year and service tag. Definitely it's the PSU's problem if one beeps.
But on a second thought... Is it the motherboard beeping or the PSU? I am trying to fix this old Dell workstation with its BIOS bricked. It just kept beeping.

No its the PSU beeping for sure. Its more of a very quiet but high pitched continuous squeal coming from the PSU. But the other one doesn't make any noise at all and still doesn't give me any kind of lights on it at all. Wouldn't the server power up with at least one good PSU? Or at the least the "good" PSU would show status lights when plugged in no?

How did you do with that workstation?