Dell Inspiron 531S Support Question
Dell Inspiron 531S Support Question
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Question posted by boldDar on March 12th, 2014
Dell Inspiron 531 Does Not Boot Power Light Is Steady Amber
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Answer #1: Posted by freginold on May 15th, 2014 4:59 PM
freginold
Member since:
December 20th, 2011 Points: 23,253,885
Member since:
December 20th, 2011 Points: 23,253,885
Hi, when a desktop computer won't turn on, it's typically one of two things: the power supply unit or the motherboard (assuming you've ruled out the power coming from the wall or surge protector).
Power supplies are generally not terribly expensive. If you're not getting any power at all, the power supply is a likely culprit. It's a much cheaper option to try than the motherboard.
The motherboard is expensive to replace, so if you think the motherboard is the problem (if you've tried the power supply or ruled it out as the problem) it might be cheaper to get a new computer than have the motherboard repaired or replaced.
Related Dell Inspiron 531S Manual Pages
Owner's Manual - Page 2
... Acronyms
For a complete list of Intel Corporation;
and is used in this document to either trademarks or registered trademarks of Dell Inc.
Information in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, YOURS IS HERE, Inspiron, Dell TravelLite, and Strike Zone, are registered trademarks of abbreviations and acronyms, see the "Glossary" on page 189. Trademarks used in...
Owner's Manual - Page 6
... is difficult to read 77
3 Troubleshooting Tools 79
Power Lights 79
Beep Codes 80
System Messages 82
Dell Diagnostics 84 When to Use the Dell Diagnostics 84 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From Your Hard Drive 84 Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities Media 85 Dell Diagnostics Main Menu 85
Drivers 87 What Is a Driver...
Owner's Manual - Page 7
... Operating System 92 Using Microsoft Windows System Restore . . . . 93 Using Dell PC Restore 95 Using the Operating System CD 98
4 Removing and Installing Parts ... Computer Cover 103
Removing the Support Bracket 104
Inside View of Your Computer 106
System Board Components 107
Power Supply DC Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . 109
Memory 112 Memory Installation Guidelines 112 Installing...
Owner's Manual - Page 9
... Changing Boot Sequence for the Current Boot 175
Clearing Forgotten Passwords 176
Clearing CMOS Settings 177
Flashing the BIOS 178
Cleaning Your Computer 179 Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor 179 Mouse 179 Floppy Drive 180 CDs and DVDs 180
Dell Technical Support Policy (U.S. Only 181 FCC Class B 181
Contents
9 Only 180 Definition of "Dell-Installed...
Owner's Manual - Page 16
... and Lights" on page 170 for devices that you access the Dell Support ...power button to turn off the computer.
On computers with a sound card, the microphone connector is on the card.
10 drive activity light
The drive activity light is operating.
16
Setting Up and Using Your Computer NOTICE: To avoid losing data, do not use the back USB connectors for more information on booting...
Owner's Manual - Page 19
...Category 3 wiring, force the network speed to 10 Mbps to ensure reliable operation.
3 link integrity light
• Green - It is recommended that
the network cable has been securely attached. The computer ... Up and Using Your Computer
19 A high volume of network traffic may make this light appear to be in a steady "on the back panel of a network cable to a network or broadband device,
...
Owner's Manual - Page 36
...Up and Using Your Computer To exit from hibernate mode, the desktop is a card in hibernate mode, pressing a key on the Power Schemes tab, Advanced tab, and Hibernate tab.
The computer may ...your standby settings on the Power Schemes Tab and Advanced Tab. To set standby mode to automatically activate after a defined period of the computer memory, Dell creates an appropriately sized hibernate ...
Owner's Manual - Page 39
...:
• Balanced
• Power Saver
• High Performance
Dell has added a fourth, Dell-Recommended mode that sets power management to the most typical settings for the majority of inactivity, click Start , then click the off " state for Windows Vista. When the computer exits from a power conservation mode (Standby or Hibernate), the Windows desktop is restored to...
Owner's Manual - Page 40
...the right) beside the lock icon.
2 Select Hibernate from hibernate mode, the desktop is in the Power Plan Properties window. See Help and Support for Hibernate. The computer may take ...computer out of the computer memory, Dell creates an appropriately sized hibernate mode file before it entered hibernate mode.
Hibernate Mode
Hibernate mode conserves power by storing it . search for ...
Owner's Manual - Page 41
...; Choose when to the most typical settings for the majority of the Power Options dialog box.
Power Management Modes
Windows Vista has three main default power management modes: • Balanced • Power Saver • High Performance Dell has added a fourth Dell-Recommended mode that sets power management to turn off the display • Change when the computer...
Owner's Manual - Page 70
... the computer
and the electrical outlet. • If the computer is plugged into a power strip, ensure that the power strip is
plugged into both the power connector on . R U N T H E H A R D W A R E TR O U B L E S H O O T E R -
The computer is either turned off or is in the Product Information Guide. IF THE POWER LIGHT IS STEADY BLUE AND THE COMPUTER IS NOT R E S P O N D I S O F F -
Owner's Manual - Page 76
... the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
If the power light is turned on the setup diagram for
your computer. NOTE: See the monitor documentation ...CONNECTION - • Ensure that the electrical outlet is normal for troubleshooting procedures. If the power light is connected as a lamp.
76
Solving Problems Video and Monitor Problems
CAUTION: Before you ...
Owner's Manual - Page 79
... different states:
• If the power light is off, the computer is either turned off or is connected and powered on.
- Troubleshooting Tools
79
Press a key on .
- Ensure that the electrical outlet is working by testing it with another device, such as a lamp.
• If the power light is steady blue and the computer is not...
Owner's Manual - Page 80
... tells you that the computer encountered a possible motherboard failure. Remove and then reinstall the memory modules (see "Dell Diagnostics" on page 112).
- Beep Codes
Your computer might be a power problem or an internal device malfunction.
-
failure. • If the power light is blinking amber, the computer is steady amber, there may be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed.
-
Owner's Manual - Page 83
... one that the boot sequence information is correct (see "Getting Help" on the system board might be enabled or disabled in the drive.
• If the hard drive is in BIOS setup. A chip on page 183 for the USB device.
Use external power source for assistance).
Troubleshooting Tools
83
N O T A B O O T D I N T E R R U P T - DELL RECOMMENDS THAT YOU...
Owner's Manual - Page 170
... does not boot indicates that the system board cannot start initialization.
off (no light) -
Drive activity light
blue light - Blinking blue in sleep state; This could be a system board or a power supply problem (see "Power Problems" on page 70). The blinking amber indicates a problem with the system board. Rear of computer:
Power button
push button
Power light
blue light -
Owner's Manual - Page 182
... a particular installation. However, there is provided on different branch circuits. This device complies with the FCC regulations:
Product name: Model number: Company name:
Dell™ Inspiron™ 531s
DCSLA
Dell Inc. NOTICE: The FCC regulations provide that interference will not occur in this equipment. The following two conditions:
1 This device may cause undesired operation.
Owner's Manual - Page 208
... options, advanced, 42 plans, 40 problems, 70 standby mode, 39
power light conditions, 70
Power Plan in Vista, 40
printer cable, 23 connecting, 23 problems, 71...Dell Diagnostics, 84 memory installing, 113 problems, 67
messages error, 60
modem problems, 58
monitor blank, 76 clone mode, 35 connect DVI, 33-34 connect TV, 33-34 connect two, 33-34 connect VGA, 33-34 display settings, 35 extended desktop...
Owner's Manual - Page 209
...memory, 67 modem, 58 monitor is blank, 76 monitor is hard to read, 77 mouse, 68 network, 69 power, 70 power light conditions, 70 printer, 71 program crashes, 63 program stops responding, 63 programs and Windows
compatibility, 64 restore to... information, 11 Removing Memory, 115 Replacing the Drive Panel
Insert, 136 ResourceCD
Dell Diagnostics, 84
S
S.M.A.R.T, 83 safety instructions, 11 SATA.
Owner's Manual - Page 210
...lights, 170 drives, 169 environmental, 171 expansion bus, 168 memory, 167 physical, 171 power, 171 processor, 167 technical, 167 video, 167
standby mode, 39
Starting the Dell Diagnostics From the Drivers and Utilities CD, 85
Starting the Dell...188 transferring information to a new
computer, 47 troubleshooting
conflicts, 91 Dell Diagnostics, 84 Hardware Troubleshooter, 91 Help and Support Center, 14 ...
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