PLS HELP: Dell T1600 Precision Wont turn on

Jschallhorn1 · Jun 18, 2014

I need some serious help.

Got to work this AM (computer in sleep mode), woke up the computer, started working.

Out of no where it starts shutting down (as if it were doing a Windows Update - where it asks if to shut down or postpone - but no message like that popped up).

As it started to restart, a red lettered 1990s "computer" font popped up stating something about bios... then computer shut off.

Now when I turn it on, it SOUNDS like a start up boot, flashes some error codes all in yellow, then some little blue icon, and shuts right off. then does it again, sometimes the error codes are the same, sometimes they're different, or in different order? for example: 13 is the first to pop up, followed by a quick 2 alone,then a 124, then a 3 (that is accompanied by the little blue icon),then it shuts off. All of that happens in roughly 2-3 secs before it shuts off. Only to restart and show some more codes. Like 13, 234, 124, 3 (with blue icon) then shut off.

That's all it will do. Fans are coming on during this as well. But everything shuts off (in what seems like "restart" mode), then comes back on, off, on, off,

This is my work computer... and I NEED to access the info on it. And I've been really BAD... VERY BAD... about backing up... so I need it to work again.

PLEASE, someone help me PLEASE.

Thank you.
Jena

plodr · Jun 18, 2014

Aside of the power button are 4 diagnostic lights labelled 1, 2 3, and 4 from the left to the right. What lights are lit when you turn the computer on?
I downloaded and looked through the manual and can see nothing about all the numbers you see on the screen.

Your best option at this point is to remove the hd, attach it to another computer through the USB port (you'll need to buy an adapter to do this) and grab your files.

The hard drive is probably fine. The computer, on the other hand, might have a problem with the BIOS or some other bit of hardware.

Jschallhorn1 · Jun 18, 2014

Thank you so much for your reply.

Yes, those 4 numerical lights are the ones I was talking about in the original post...

When I first turn it on, the 1 3 light up, then instantly change to the 2 then faster than instantly, change to the 124, then the 3 with some little blue icon... which looks like a bucket. Filled in U on the bottom, just an upside down U on the top (and blue).

After it runs through that sequence, it shuts off (almost as if it's shutting off before it runs that sequence completely), then it will turn on, and the next set of numbers is the 1 3 then 2 3 4, then sometimes 1 2 4, then the 3 with the blue icon.

Pardon my ignorance... but... is a BIOS replaceable, or repairable?

Looking into getting the info off my harddrive. I had to tell the "tech" (loosely used term - he's only a little better than me) co-worker. Who told me what to get to get the stuff off my computer. Another issue I'm having is my boxcryptor (that I was supposed to be working from instead of my desktop)... When I use it, my desktop automatically logged me in, I wrote down the password, but the password I'm wrote down doesn't work. So I can't access it via my laptop.
Is something like that going to be accessible via the HD once I connect it to my laptop?

I can post a video of what it's doing... or a link to a youtube video of it? Would that work?

plodr · Jun 18, 2014

1 and 3 is a possible system board, power supply or peripheral failure.
Do this: Power off the computer but let it plugged in.
Press and hold the power supply test button at the rear of the power supply unit.
If the LED next to the switch lights, the problem might be with your system board.
If the LED doesn't light, it could be a problem with the power supply.
To go further it says disconnect all peripherals internal and external. If it now lights, there is a problem with a peripheral.
Next remove all the PSU connections (that's something I would not recommend because of not remembering where each connection goes). If I disconnect a power supply, I do one connection at a time and immediately put the connection from a new power supply at the same spot. I do this until the old supply is disconnected and the new one is connected then I place the new ps in the case and neaten the power wires.

2 means possible peripheral or board failure
Remove all the cards and if the computer boots, it is one of those. Put the cards back one at a time and try booting until it no longer boots then you've found the bad card.

There is nothing showing for a 1 2 4 sequence.

3 alone (can't see anything about a bucket symbol) means possible board failure.
Do this: Unplug the computer for at least a minute. Then plug it in and try to boot it.

is a BIOS replaceable, or repairable?
Click to expand...

It is a chip soldered onto the motherboard. You can flash the BIOS but if it goes bad, you have a doorstop. There are companies that will desolder the chip and solder a new chip onto the board. I have no idea the price. It might be cheaper to get a new motherboard.

Sorry I don't know what a boxcryptor is.

Is something like that going to be accessible via the HD once I connect it to my laptop?
Click to expand...

I'd say no. You are not booting from the hard drive attached to your laptop, you are just copying files that you need. The boxcryptor probably "knows" your desktop computer and only allows it to access what you need because of the way it was set up.

Jschallhorn1 · Jun 18, 2014

Awesome information, thank you so much! I tried this one:

plodr said: ↑

3 alone (can't see anything about a bucket symbol) means possible board failure.
Do this: Unplug the computer for at least a minute. Then plug it in and try to boot it.
Click to expand...

And I'll try those other suggestions.

Boxcryptor is I think, an online back up thing. Works with dropbox. I can put stuff into boxcryptor, and my co-worker in another state can access it. We share files in that manner... but I'm supposed to be working straight from it, instead of off files on my desktop for example. That way my information is always backed up, and accessible, if something like this happens. (I should be able to access it from my laptop with the proper log in information).

thanks again for your help! Hopefully I can figure it out, if not, hopefully my HD is still ok and I can just get my info and a new computer.

foogoo · Jun 18, 2014

I worked on a lot of dells too, pull the power cord from the back of the PC, then hold in the power button - it 'drains' the system. Then plug it back up and try it.
I've even let systems sit for hours before I call Dell to order repairs, and as I plug them in again, they'd start right up.
The orange bucket is the hard drive.

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PLS HELP: Dell T1600 Precision Wont turn on

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