DELL OptiPlex GX270 - Random Black-Outs

Bavon1 · May 21, 2008, 09:43 PM

Before the chorus of groans becomes deafening; please lend me your virtual ears a while.
After a long abstinence from PCs, the gift of 100Mb Broadband made me dig out an old [COLOR=cyan]P6BAT-ME PIII[/COLOR] and get going. Then by mischance I've acquired an [COLOR=orange]OptiPlex GX270[/COLOR] (P4 HT 2.6 gHz) which seems quite light speedish in comparison. However the OptiPlex takes about ten tries to boot up then it will black out at random moments. I happen to have another GX270 PSU but changing made no difference. I'm about to link the two 210W PSUs together in order to rule out low power. I've tried onboard video, AGP and PCI video with same results.
I know some of you will think me mad, but I quite like the GX270 when it works and I cannot afford anything tasty at the moment. SO does anyone have any suggestions for problem or are there other misfits like me out there who would like to share info?

**Mousey** · May 21, 2008, 09:50 PM

If there wasn't sufficient power the system wouldn't start. I'm thinking the random blackouts could be due to overheating, Try installing CoreTemp (http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/CoreTemp.zip) and tell us what kind of termperatures you're getting

swimtech · May 21, 2008, 10:57 PM

I know of a specific problem with these...

Check the capacitors behind the processor socket (get the fan with the green hood off to look down on them easily if needed) and check to see if the tops look swollen. If not those, then check the capcitors next to the memory slots, they may have swollen tops too. These swollen caps sometimes leak out some orangish/brown gook. It's generally pretty obvious...

Have you seen a thermal event error message on your screen at any time? Thats also indicative of bad mainboard capacitors.

Ive seen thirty or forty of these - and the extension on the warranty for the mainboards with the bad caps ran out in January just past, so if the caps are bad, you'll need to hunt one on Ebay, a computer shop, or you could buy one from Dell (ouch...).

H3X4D3C1M4L · May 29, 2008, 06:27 AM

Yeah swollen capacitors would explain this problem quite easily.

May 21, 2008, 09:43 PM	#1
Bavon1 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Location: LONDON Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	DELL OptiPlex GX270 - Random Black-Outs Before the chorus of groans becomes deafening; please lend me your virtual ears a while. After a long abstinence from PCs, the gift of 100Mb Broadband made me dig out an old [COLOR=cyan]P6BAT-ME PIII[/COLOR] and get going. Then by mischance I've acquired an [COLOR=orange]OptiPlex GX270[/COLOR] (P4 HT 2.6 gHz) which seems quite light speedish in comparison. However the OptiPlex takes about ten tries to boot up then it will black out at random moments. I happen to have another GX270 PSU but changing made no difference. I'm about to link the two 210W PSUs together in order to rule out low power. I've tried onboard video, AGP and PCI video with same results. I know some of you will think me mad, but I quite like the GX270 when it works and I cannot afford anything tasty at the moment. SO does anyone have any suggestions for problem or are there other misfits like me out there who would like to share info? __________________ [COLOR=mediumturquoise]ITMA![/COLOR]

May 21, 2008, 09:50 PM	#2
Mousey Synth's Long Lost Bro Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Web Design Hell Posts: 7,189 Rep Power: 245 System Specs	If there wasn't sufficient power the system wouldn't start. I'm thinking the random blackouts could be due to overheating, Try installing CoreTemp (http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/CoreTemp.zip) and tell us what kind of termperatures you're getting __________________

May 21, 2008, 10:57 PM	#3
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 124 System Specs	I know of a specific problem with these... Check the capacitors behind the processor socket (get the fan with the green hood off to look down on them easily if needed) and check to see if the tops look swollen. If not those, then check the capcitors next to the memory slots, they may have swollen tops too. These swollen caps sometimes leak out some orangish/brown gook. It's generally pretty obvious... Have you seen a thermal event error message on your screen at any time? Thats also indicative of bad mainboard capacitors. Ive seen thirty or forty of these - and the extension on the warranty for the mainboards with the bad caps ran out in January just past, so if the caps are bad, you'll need to hunt one on Ebay, a computer shop, or you could buy one from Dell (ouch...). __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it.

May 29, 2008, 06:27 AM	#4
H3X4D3C1M4L DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 6,794 Rep Power: 0	Yeah swollen capacitors would explain this problem quite easily.