Question Old Dell PC is not starting ?

[tmccar]

I have an old Dell desktop which is not booting up. The service tag is 9S83Y0J which is not recognized on the website. There is a continuous orange light on the power button and on the motherboard. Can this be repaired?

 

[USAFRet]

I have an old Dell desktop which is not booting up. The service tag is 9S83Y0J which is not recognized on the website. There is a continuous orange light on the power button and on the motherboard. Can this be repaired?

Anything can be "repaired".
But it may not be cost effective, or worth the effort.

With the information given, we out here have NO idea.

Any specifics you can give us about this system?
As in...what parts?

 

[tmccar]

Sorry I just know it's an old Dell desktop, standard configuration. Label on the side says "Model no. - DHM"
It was working fine until recently.
Nothing on screen when it boots.

 

[USAFRet]

Sorry I just know it's an old Dell desktop, standard configuration. Label on the side says "Model no. - DHM"
It was working fine until rcently.
Nothing on screen when you boot

"My car doesn't start. Can it be repaired?"

Any clue on how old it is?
2 years old, 10 years old, 25 years old?

 

[tmccar]

I would estimate it at 25 years.

 

[USAFRet]

I would estimate it at 25 years.

Could be any of a number of issues.

Dried out capacitors, dead HDD, etc, etc,...

In the unlikely event you could get this running for $0, what would you do with it?

 

[stonecarver]

If it's the Dell models with the grey looking Knights shield as part of the front cover pull that open like an old garage door.

There should be a sticker there with the model number please post what you find down there. You will know your in the right place as under that door is some USB ports and Mic and Audio.

 

[tmccar]

Could be any of a number of issues.

Dried out capacitors, dead HDD, etc, etc,...

In the unlikely event you could get this running for $0, what would you do with it?

It's being used in a machine shop for CNC programming


I looked at the sticker but that only has the servixce tag and service code.

 

[Misgar]

It's being used in a machine shop for CNC programming

Oh dear, that makes things more complicated, plus the lack of a decipherable Dell Service Tag.

Around that time I was working on Industrial PCs running Windows NT4 and Windows XP Embedded. No doubt the CNC sofware was proprietary and the company who created it has gone out of business, or no longer support 25-year old systems.

By the way, are you simply trying to get the PC working for fun's sake, or is it still attached to a CNC machine. As @USAFRet says, a whole bunch of electrolytics in the PSU and on the motherboard could have dried up. Messing around in PSUs is a job best left to trained personnel. Changing capacitors on a mobo is feasible, but only if you're experienced with such work.

https://www.badcaps.net/

I wouldn't put your chances at resurrecting the PC very likely, but who knows, in the hands of an expert?

 

[tmccar]

If I could mirror image the disk on to another one that would be ok I think. But the old one is PATA