My Dell inspiron 530 will not start. The power button (on front) is lit, and the

isabel_45

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Can anyone help? My dell inspiron 530 will not start. Power light comes on, but nothing on screen and mouse and keyboard are dead. Fans making a lot of noise.
 

isabel_45

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Wow, thats all looking very complicated. I am a photographer and not a computer technician or builder.
As yours is the only response to my original request for help, I guess I have to give up on this Dell and do what I should have done in the first place and buy a Mac!
 

isabel_45

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Okay, I have opened the side panel. Is it safe to plug the computer into the mains and turn it on?
 

isabel_45

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Okay, I have plugged it in and turned it on. The CPU fan is spinning very fast and making quite a lot of noise.
 
Do you have a separate video card or onboard? The separate looks like the red thing in the first pic, it sits perpendicular to the motherboard and the cable to the monitor is connected to it.
http://www.studynotes.net/Essentials-Computer-Components-7

If you have only onboard video you have your monitor cable connected directly to the motherboard.

Power off and clean all the dust inside (look at the CPU fan/heatsink too). Remove the cable to the monitor and put it back again. Remove the battery on the motherboard for a few seconds and put it back again
http://i.imgur.com/gGMqF.gif

Then try again.
 

isabel_45

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I don't appear to have a seperate video card, and I can see that the monitor cable plug socket is attached to a large PCB which I assume is what you are calling the motherboard. It is the same PCB that the large fan is attached to.
I cannot see any obvious 'Battery' on this PCB (motherboard). Any idea as to what I should be looking for-shape or colour?
 

isabel_45

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Okay, found it. Sorry if I appear to be a numptee!!
Removed it and put it back. Plugged everything back on again and turned the power on but nothing.Just the noise of the fan. Interesting though,the mouse light came on, which did not happen before. but the monitor just goes into standby mode and the keyboard does nothing.
 

isabel_45

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It appears to be 3 sticks. I removed 2 and then powered up, but still nothing. Should I put the 2 sticks back in?
 
Yep, watch the video for how to put the sticks back in.
Power down, remove and reconnect the keyboard and mouse. Remove and put right back all the connectors inside the case one by one.

If still nothing it may be the motherboard, the monitor or even the power supply. The monitor light is on?

Can you test the PC with some other monitor - we need to see if it's good? Can you borrow a power supply for a test with it?
 

isabel_45

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Sorry for delay in replying. Okay, I have put everything back and it is still not working. So, I will try and borrow another monitor from someone, and also a power cable.
In terms of the existing monitor, I do have it plugged into my laptop and it seems to work okay. When it is plugged into the Dell (via a VGA Cable) I turn on the monitor and for a few seconds the green monitor light comes on but then goes to a yellow light which I am guessing is the setting when there is no feed coming into the monitor from the computer.

It may take me a few days to get my hands on another monitor and cable. Please wait.
 
If you tested it with a laptop then it's fine. Do you have any USB peripherals, try without them. Then disconnect the hard drive and and DVD drive (those are towards the front of your case, each has two connections) and try again.

You have a 4-pin connector the motherboard cable coming from the power supply, it looks like it's burned?

This thread is quite long but informative, it's not the 530 but very similar symptoms:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/51352-28-dell-dimension-8400-wont-boot

If still nothing you must get the motherboard out and breadboard. That's explained in here:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/306248-13-upgraded-wont-start-fans-turn-immediately

Also read this
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/inspd530/en/OM/HTML/solving.htm#wp999606

Otherwise a new motherboard/CPU/power supply/case is around $250-300, you will reuse the memory, hard disk and DVD writer. Rebuilding the PC is easy.
 

isabel_45

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Thanks guys. I will be doing all of what you are saying when I return to the computer on Friday next. Right now I am on location.
 

isabel_45

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slow down...
please take a good look at your motherboard in good light even with magnifying glass is better for you.
we are looking for any blown capacitors, resistors and any other abnormal burning or scarring on that motherboard.
so we have to physically look at it real good.
even the slightest of damage is damage and will dead your motherboard.

I'll bet (even money) that it's overheated and blown somewhere, it's older and also using on-board video.
so after a matter of time and poor air flow, lack of cleaning, etc.
it was just a matter of time to blow.

Thanks guys. I shall check out what you are saying on Friday next. Am currently away working.