My Bad-My DELL

[Chas]

I know I'm in the wrong group but this is near my last resort.
.. . . .I just received a used Dell Optiplex GX280 Desktop and the thing
won't power up. It appears the power switch is bad and it doesn't return
when depressed and there is no 'click'. After many wasted attemtps with
email, and chat with Dell, a chat agent told me they don't have that switch
anymore. I know if I sent the machine into Dell they would replace the
switch.
.. . .Does anyone here know where I can locate new/used Dell parts? Or even
how the damn switch works. There are no wire or contacts visible behind the
button.. .
.. . .in advance. . to 1 & all, thanks. . . chas

 

[Tim Wescott]

On Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:52:28 -0600, Chas wrote:

I know I'm in the wrong group but this is near my last resort. . . . .I
just received a used Dell Optiplex GX280 Desktop and the thing won't
power up. It appears the power switch is bad and it doesn't return when
depressed and there is no 'click'. After many wasted attemtps with
email, and chat with Dell, a chat agent told me they don't have that
switch anymore. I know if I sent the machine into Dell they would
replace the switch.
. . .Does anyone here know where I can locate new/used Dell parts? Or
even how the damn switch works. There are no wire or contacts visible
behind the button.. .
. . .in advance. . to 1 & all, thanks. . . chas

Chances are high that the actual switch is mounted on a PC board, and the
thing you push on is just the button. Chances are also high that either
the button is mechanically dorked, making things jam up, or that the
switch itself is dorked.

If the switch is what's dorked, if it's PC mount, and if you can solder
surface-mount stuff, then chances are high that DigiKey will have a
replacement and that (after more looking than any sane person would want
to do) you'll be able to find it.

Google around -- someone may have done a tear-down on your model of
laptop. Look for "replace keyboard", "tear down", "disassemble", etc.,
along with the machine's model number. Hopefully you'll find pictures of
the thing with its guts out. That should help a lot.

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

 

[Tom Biasi]

On 4/25/2012 10:52 PM, Chas wrote:

I know I'm in the wrong group but this is near my last resort.
. . . .I just received a used Dell Optiplex GX280 Desktop and the thing
won't power up. It appears the power switch is bad and it doesn't return
when depressed and there is no 'click'. After many wasted attemtps with
email, and chat with Dell, a chat agent told me they don't have that switch
anymore. I know if I sent the machine into Dell they would replace the
switch.
. . .Does anyone here know where I can locate new/used Dell parts? Or even
how the damn switch works. There are no wire or contacts visible behind the
button.. .
. . .in advance. . to 1& all, thanks. . . chas


Tim is correct, you are just pushing a mechanical rod. I can't remember

if the switch in actually on the PSU or not. Take it apart and look at
it. If the front cover is loose or has broken tabs the lever won't
engage the switch.
You can buy a replacement PSU for about 25 bucks on eBay.

Tom

 

[Bob Villa]

On Apr 25, 9:52 pm, "Chas" <footboar...@bresnan.net> wrote:

I know I'm in the wrong group but this is near my last resort.
. . . .I just received a used Dell Optiplex GX280 Desktop and the thing
won't power up.  It appears the power switch is bad and it doesn't return
when depressed and there is no 'click'.  After many wasted attemtps with
email, and chat with Dell, a chat agent told me they don't have that switch
anymore.  I know if I sent the machine into Dell they would replace the
switch.
. . .Does anyone here know where I can locate new/used Dell parts?  Or even
how the damn switch works.  There are no wire or contacts visible behind the
button.. .
. . .in advance. . to 1 & all, thanks. . . chas

Most PC's have a momentary switch mounted behind the front panel with
wires that lead to a connector on the M/B.

 

[Tom Biasi]

On 4/25/2012 10:52 PM, Chas wrote:

I know I'm in the wrong group but this is near my last resort.
. . . .I just received a used Dell Optiplex GX280 Desktop and the thing
won't power up. It appears the power switch is bad and it doesn't return
when depressed and there is no 'click'. After many wasted attemtps with
email, and chat with Dell, a chat agent told me they don't have that switch
anymore. I know if I sent the machine into Dell they would replace the
switch.
. . .Does anyone here know where I can locate new/used Dell parts? Or even
how the damn switch works. There are no wire or contacts visible behind the
button.. .
. . .in advance. . to 1& all, thanks. . . chas


Just took a look at the GX280. The switch in on a card that connects to

the motherboard by cable.

Tom

 

[T]

In article <OL2mr.19790$FQ1.1893@newsfe12.iad>, footboarder@bresnan.net
says...

I know I'm in the wrong group but this is near my last resort.
. . . .I just received a used Dell Optiplex GX280 Desktop and the thing
won't power up. It appears the power switch is bad and it doesn't return
when depressed and there is no 'click'. After many wasted attemtps with
email, and chat with Dell, a chat agent told me they don't have that switch
anymore. I know if I sent the machine into Dell they would replace the
switch.
. . .Does anyone here know where I can locate new/used Dell parts? Or even
how the damn switch works. There are no wire or contacts visible behind the
button.. .
. . .in advance. . to 1 & all, thanks. . . chas

I do believe that Dell had a problem with power supply capacitors on the
Optiplex line and I believe it covered from the GX270 to GX280 batches.

They even settled a class action because of the bad caps.

So it may not be the switch but the power supply itself.

 

[Chiron]

On Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:22:44 -0400, T wrote:

I do believe that Dell had a problem with power supply capacitors on the
Optiplex line and I believe it covered from the GX270 to GX280 batches.

Yes. They bought a batch of electrolytics from some disreputable
manufacturer, and the electrolyte leaked in a large proportion of them.
This caused all sorts of mysterious failures as the power supply began to
lose regulation, surprise reboots, shutdowns, and other fun stuff.

They tried to ignore the problem for about a year, until people started
to file lawsuits. It was a real mess.

--
Above all else -- sky.

 

[Cliff H]

"Bob Villa" <pheeh.zero@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:69b45dc1-942f-45a8-963a-010ac90c18e6@f37g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
On Apr 25, 9:52 pm, "Chas" <footboar...@bresnan.net> wrote:

I know I'm in the wrong group but this is near my last resort.
. . . .I just received a used Dell Optiplex GX280 Desktop and the thing
won't power up. It appears the power switch is bad and it doesn't return
when depressed and there is no 'click'. After many wasted attemtps with
email, and chat with Dell, a chat agent told me they don't have that
switch
anymore. I know if I sent the machine into Dell they would replace the
switch.
. . .Does anyone here know where I can locate new/used Dell parts? Or even
how the damn switch works. There are no wire or contacts visible behind
the
button.. .
. . .in advance. . to 1 & all, thanks. . . chas

Most PC's have a momentary switch mounted behind the front panel with
wires that lead to a connector on the M/B.

Yes among the hundreds of computers I have seen, I have never seen a
computer where the switch on the front was nothing more than a momentary
switch telling the motherboard to boot the computer.

Computers as long as they are plugged in are never off. There is a little
bit of code running looking for that button press.

I'm 99% sure you have a bad power supply. Though in the late 90's Gateway
had a style of case where the plastic thingy that pressed the actual switch
broke.

 

[VWWall]

Cliff H wrote:

"Bob Villa" <pheeh.zero@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:69b45dc1-942f-45a8-963a-010ac90c18e6@f37g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
On Apr 25, 9:52 pm, "Chas" <footboar...@bresnan.net> wrote:
I know I'm in the wrong group but this is near my last resort.
. . . .I just received a used Dell Optiplex GX280 Desktop and the thing
won't power up. It appears the power switch is bad and it doesn't return
when depressed and there is no 'click'. After many wasted attemtps with
email, and chat with Dell, a chat agent told me they don't have that
switch
anymore. I know if I sent the machine into Dell they would replace the
switch.
. . .Does anyone here know where I can locate new/used Dell parts? Or even
how the damn switch works. There are no wire or contacts visible behind
the
button.. .
. . .in advance. . to 1 & all, thanks. . . chas

Most PC's have a momentary switch mounted behind the front panel with
wires that lead to a connector on the M/B.

Yes among the hundreds of computers I have seen, I have never seen a
computer where the switch on the front was nothing more than a momentary
switch telling the motherboard to boot the computer.

Computers as long as they are plugged in are never off. There is a little
bit of code running looking for that button press.

The power supply is still producing +5.0 V SB as long as the computer is
plugged into the AC line. There is no "code" running---all the switch
does is to use the +5V available to turn on the rest of the power
supply. The switch is a simple SPNO momentary contact switch. Once the
power supply is "on", holding the same switch closed for a couple of
seconds will turn it off.

I'm 99% sure you have a bad power supply. Though in the late 90's Gateway
had a style of case where the plastic thingy that pressed the actual switch
broke.


--

Virg Wall

 

[Cliff H]

The power supply is still producing +5.0 V SB as long as the computer is
plugged into the AC line. There is no "code" running---all the switch does
is to use the +5V available to turn on the rest of the power supply. The
switch is a simple SPNO momentary contact switch. Once the power supply
is "on", holding the same switch closed for a couple of seconds will turn
it off.

I'm 99% sure you have a bad power supply. Though in the late 90's Gateway
had a style of case where the plastic thingy that pressed the actual
switch broke.
--
Virg Wall

Ok no code but its definitly not a real "power switch". Its not like the old
IBMs with the big paddle switch on the side. Now that was a switch.

 

[T]

In article <jnkiel$lq0$1@speranza.aioe.org>, cknjsp@msn.com says...

The power supply is still producing +5.0 V SB as long as the computer is
plugged into the AC line. There is no "code" running---all the switch does
is to use the +5V available to turn on the rest of the power supply. The
switch is a simple SPNO momentary contact switch. Once the power supply
is "on", holding the same switch closed for a couple of seconds will turn
it off.

I'm 99% sure you have a bad power supply. Though in the late 90's Gateway
had a style of case where the plastic thingy that pressed the actual
switch broke.
--
Virg Wall

Ok no code but its definitly not a real "power switch". Its not like the old
IBMs with the big paddle switch on the side. Now that was a switch.

Yeah - I tend to hate soft switches. That whole parasitic power drain
makes me crazy.