actonric
asked on
Dell Inspiron 4150 Powers Off Spontaenously During Boot-up
I have a Dell Inspiron 4150. After pressing the power button, the on indicator light comes on. After a few seconds the hard drive access light flickers and shortly after it spontaneously powers off. Nothing evers comes on the screen but this is likely becuase it doesn't get to this stage of the boot-up before the problem kicks in.
I HAVE ALREADY TRIED:
Unseating and reseating ram (I have two sticks, I have tried removing one, removing the other, swapping bays, etc.)
Removing battery, disconnecting AC adapter, holding power button down for 15 seconds, then retrying the boot up.
NEITHER OF THESE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO THE BEHAVIOR OF THE LAPTOP.
Also, the laptop is approximately 3 years old.
I HAVE ALREADY TRIED:
Unseating and reseating ram (I have two sticks, I have tried removing one, removing the other, swapping bays, etc.)
Removing battery, disconnecting AC adapter, holding power button down for 15 seconds, then retrying the boot up.
NEITHER OF THESE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO THE BEHAVIOR OF THE LAPTOP.
Also, the laptop is approximately 3 years old.
nobus
did you try booting it up without the battery in?
ASKER
I have tried booting it up without the battery in. Thanks.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Have you replaced the cmos battery (can mean taking the thing appart, as they are usually hidden away somewhere difficult to reach). Being 3 years old this could just about mean it is has reached the EOL.
Dometimes the above can also happen if you don't push the power on button long enough...
Dometimes the above can also happen if you don't push the power on button long enough...
Also you can try removing the HD and other removable components and see if it can at least start up to a POST screen and/or BIOS setup.
/RID
/RID
ASKER
Thanks rid, However I've tried this and wasn't still unable to get anything. I will try the CMOS battery and get back to you all.
Check the power supply. Does the battery have a full charge?
Looks like the power supply for that model has problems: (3rd post down)
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_other&message.id=218501
Looks like the power supply for that model has problems: (3rd post down)
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_other&message.id=218501
take out all the components that you can remove, and leave them out (hdd, memory, battery, opitcal drives, floppy drives,). if you startup the system. check the lock lights (num lock, caps lock & scroll lock)
num lock=off, caps lock=off, scroll lock=on - processor failure
num lock=off, caps lock=on, scroll lock=off - system board failure
num lock=off, caps lock=on, scroll lock=on - memory subsystem
hope this helps
num lock=off, caps lock=off, scroll lock=on - processor failure
num lock=off, caps lock=on, scroll lock=off - system board failure
num lock=off, caps lock=on, scroll lock=on - memory subsystem
hope this helps
ASKER
I have contacted Dell and after doing a few things in addition to all the stuff I already told them I did they came to the conclusion that the motherboard is bad and needs to be replaced. I asked about the CMOS battery and they said that would be the case only if the laptop has been losing track of time for the last few weeks while it was still working. I'm pretty sure it has been keeping time fine but I kind of want to make sure. Anyone know of any other way to check the CMOS battery and where I can find some info on getting to it on my system. I know the general rule of unscrewing every screw and then prying at cracks usually works but I tried that and got tripped un when I realized I might have to take the screen off. Thanks. Also, I'm ready to assign the points to nobus unless I get somewhere on the CMOS battery issue.
SOLUTION
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ASKER
cmos battery was fine so i finished the question out.
Comment to: pcadik
I have the same laptop - with the same problem of spontaneous shutoff. I did the test you suggested and it comes up (off, on, on )which is memory subsystem. Is that fixable - or too costly? I tried completely different memory but no luck.
this is what you suggested.
--------------------------
take out all the components that you can remove, and leave them out (hdd, memory, battery, opitcal drives, floppy drives,). if you startup the system. check the lock lights (num lock, caps lock & scroll lock)
num lock=off, caps lock=off, scroll lock=on - processor failure
num lock=off, caps lock=on, scroll lock=off - system board failure
num lock=off, caps lock=on, scroll lock=on - memory subsystem
I have the same laptop - with the same problem of spontaneous shutoff. I did the test you suggested and it comes up (off, on, on )which is memory subsystem. Is that fixable - or too costly? I tried completely different memory but no luck.
this is what you suggested.
--------------------------
take out all the components that you can remove, and leave them out (hdd, memory, battery, opitcal drives, floppy drives,). if you startup the system. check the lock lights (num lock, caps lock & scroll lock)
num lock=off, caps lock=off, scroll lock=on - processor failure
num lock=off, caps lock=on, scroll lock=off - system board failure
num lock=off, caps lock=on, scroll lock=on - memory subsystem