Replacement Motherboard will not power on.

  • Thread starter Thread starter CBFalconer
  • Start date Start date
C

CBFalconer

Clark said:
I just installed a replacement motherboard for my Dell 600m.
When I power it on, absolutely no response, no lights or noises,
or anything. The board was "tested" by the seller so it should
have worked. My old motherboard, which had some video problems
only, works fine when it is reinstalled.
Click to expand...

Probably because you have some form of Winders mounted. Dump it
and mount Ubuntu. Get a free CD for it at:

<http://shipit.ubuntu.com>
 
I just installed a replacement motherboard for my Dell 600m. When I power
it on, absolutely no response, no lights or noises, or anything. The board
was "tested" by the seller so it should have worked. My old motherboard,
which had some video problems only, works fine when it is reinstalled.

Does anyone know of something that will keep a motherboard from powering up?
I am going to assume it is something with the board unless someone has
another explanation. The processor works in my old board, and I would think
the board would at least do something if the problem was not something
extreme. This happens with both extenal power and battery. I know the
power button is working, because when I push it the battery led blinks once,
which is the same thing my other board does, so this is normal. Battery and
power adapter are both good.

Thanks.
Clark
Click to expand...

Sorry for the OT post but is your calendar out of whack, Clark or are
you living out of this time band? :-)
Did you check that your CPU DOES go with this m'board?
 
Clark said:
I just installed a replacement motherboard for my Dell 600m. When I power
it on, absolutely no response, no lights or noises, or anything. The board
was "tested" by the seller so it should have worked. My old motherboard,
which had some video problems only, works fine when it is reinstalled.

Does anyone know of something that will keep a motherboard from powering up?
I am going to assume it is something with the board unless someone has
another explanation. The processor works in my old board, and I would think
the board would at least do something if the problem was not something
extreme. This happens with both extenal power and battery. I know the
power button is working, because when I push it the battery led blinks once,
which is the same thing my other board does, so this is normal. Battery and
power adapter are both good.
Click to expand...

Dell had some sort of funky proprietary power supplies at one point. Is
it possible that your replacement needs that weird setup, and the
original did not, or vice versa? eg, Is your replacement the exact same
model as the original?
 
I just installed a replacement motherboard for my Dell 600m. When I power
it on, absolutely no response, no lights or noises, or anything. The board
was "tested" by the seller so it should have worked.
Click to expand...

How much do you trust the seller? Anybody can write
"tested", when they didn't, or they could have damaged it
after testing when it was disassembled, packed, during
delivery, or when unpacked and installed. IMO, the best
thing to do is report it does not work and insist on a
refund. Let the seller suggest anything else to try but
don't ask for tips, request refund.

My old motherboard,
which had some video problems only, works fine when it is reinstalled.

Does anyone know of something that will keep a motherboard from powering up?
Click to expand...

Scrambled EEPROM contents, board cracks, cold or broken
solder joints, failed components, wrong bios version vs.
processor, bad connectors, other ESD damage, ... too many
things to mention would keep a board from powering up but
most of them are beyond a typical installer's ability to
rectify.
I am going to assume it is something with the board unless someone has
another explanation.
Click to expand...

Assuming same model of board as your old one, yes it would
be the board. Maybe a dead battery on it, if the battery is
removable you might swap batteries between both boards.

The processor works in my old board, and I would think
the board would at least do something if the problem was not something
extreme.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily (depending on how you define extreme),
failing to post is a pretty common catch-all symptom
resulting from many kinds of problems since so many power,
logic, and physical electronic assemblies are interdependant
on a computer.


This happens with both extenal power and battery. I know the
power button is working, because when I push it the battery led blinks once,
which is the same thing my other board does, so this is normal. Battery and
power adapter are both good.
Click to expand...

Having the old board work still is a pretty good sign the
new board is either bad, needed a newer bios to run the CPU
(if it were a newer CPU than the original board release
supported, but if you had never updated the bios on your
board it seems less likely), or the battery (not main laptop
battery, the small CMOS battery on the PCB) is dead.
 
Yes, exact same part number. If there was some step necessary, it must have
to be mechanical since there is no power on the computer. I wouldn't think
something like a bios chip swap would not be necessary.

Clark
 
I have reported it, thanks. I would think maybe they were selling bad
boards, but in 2004, Dell sent out a motherboard for replacement for an
earlier problem,along with one of their contractors and the first
motherboard did the same thing, DOA. I have seen many questions about dead
motherboards, but wanted to check to make sure there was not some special
step because of the OEM type setup. I know after it starts, there is
something about putting the Service Tag number in the bios.

If they really tested it, maybe the testing broke it because it was packed
very well and I would not think it would have been damaged in shipping. I
am also fairly sure I did not break it.

This board is fairly hard to find, unless I want to pay quite a bit more.
If I can't find one for it soon, I am going to dump the computer when I get
tired of looking at the color corruption.

The only thing I haven't mentioned is that the CPU socket looks a little
different in so far as the lock down screw is configured differently.
Hopefully, the CPU I have (1.6 GHz) should work OK with this board.

Clark
 
I have reported it, thanks. I would think maybe they were selling bad
boards, but in 2004, Dell sent out a motherboard for replacement for an
earlier problem,along with one of their contractors and the first
motherboard did the same thing, DOA. I have seen many questions about dead
motherboards, but wanted to check to make sure there was not some special
step because of the OEM type setup. I know after it starts, there is
something about putting the Service Tag number in the bios.
Click to expand...

At a bare minimum the board would have to POST before
anything else can happen, except something like changing
some jumpers (if there were any but this isn't so likely on
semi-modern mainboards) or removing an insulating piece in
the battery holder (on a brand new board, but if the seller
had tested it, that had to already be removed and would've
probably been left out since it would tend to cause the
recipient to think the board were DOA if it were then
returned to insulate the (small coin cell CMOS) battery.


If they really tested it, maybe the testing broke it because it was packed
very well and I would not think it would have been damaged in shipping. I
am also fairly sure I did not break it.
Click to expand...

It's hard to say, in theory they made it and it worked
originally and either it broke at some point unbeknownst to
the person who broke it, or someone decided to shaft the
next person to receive it. Without a clear trial and trust
between every party it is impossible to say without a clear
sign of damage.


This board is fairly hard to find, unless I want to pay quite a bit more.
If I can't find one for it soon, I am going to dump the computer when I get
tired of looking at the color corruption.

The only thing I haven't mentioned is that the CPU socket looks a little
different in so far as the lock down screw is configured differently.
Hopefully, the CPU I have (1.6 GHz) should work OK with this board.
Click to expand...

The screw-down shouldn't matter, and a brief search I did
seemed to suggest your processor was a default option for
the 600M so the CPU seems less likely the problem. Was the
board guaranteed brand new, never used except for the
testing? If not, I would expect it was used and failed...
just a random guess since a laptop doesn't usually get
parted out except for mainboard or screen failure if it
otherwise worked.
 
I just installed a replacement motherboard for my Dell 600m. When I power
it on, absolutely no response, no lights or noises, or anything. The board
was "tested" by the seller so it should have worked. My old motherboard,
which had some video problems only, works fine when it is reinstalled.

Does anyone know of something that will keep a motherboard from powering up?
I am going to assume it is something with the board unless someone has
another explanation. The processor works in my old board, and I would think
the board would at least do something if the problem was not something
extreme. This happens with both extenal power and battery. I know the
power button is working, because when I push it the battery led blinks once,
which is the same thing my other board does, so this is normal. Battery and
power adapter are both good.

Thanks.
Clark
 
removing an insulating piece in
the battery holder (on a brand new board, but if the seller
had tested it, that had to already be removed and would've
probably been left out since it would tend to cause the
recipient to think the board were DOA if it were then
returned to insulate the (small coin cell CMOS) battery.<<

I don't understand this-what was removed and where--what would I look for?

Clark
 
the battery holder (on a brand new board, but if the seller
had tested it, that had to already be removed and would've
probably been left out since it would tend to cause the
recipient to think the board were DOA if it were then
returned to insulate the (small coin cell CMOS) battery.<<

I don't understand this-what was removed and where--what would I look for?
Click to expand...

Sometimes the manufacturer puts a piece of insulation, a
sheet of plastic for example, between the coin cell battery
and it's contact in the holder to keep the battery from
draining. The battery might not even accomodate this if
it's soldered on, but if it's not then removing the battery
would make it obvious.

Also if there is a clear CMOS jumper or the (coin cell)
battery can be removed, do so while the main laptop battery
and power supply are unplugged, leaving the coin cell
battery out for a few minutes to clear CMOS.
 
This motherboard had one of the telephone type CMOS batteries. Nothing
built in to the motherboard. I just don't see any reason the board would
not at least show some type of lights when the power button is pushed unless
it is not getting any of the normal power.

Thanks,
Clark
 
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