Dell OptiPlex GX270 - WOL Problem

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Soldato
Joined
4 Sep 2005
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I have a Dell OptiPlex GX270 (Small Desktop Computer), with a WD 500GB AAKS HDD installed, and am using it as a music file server to a SqueezeBox 3, have it setup with WOL enabled in BIOS, and XP pro set to go into Standby after 5 mins of inactivity, and then with the ability to wake it up with the remote of the SqueezeBox, using "Magic packets" for that purpose, by having WOL 1.0.3 installed, and ethernet adapter set up accordingly.

This setup has worked well for the last few months, but just last night when I went to wake it up, it refused to, and the led in the middle of the On/Off button started flashing amber, I had to power it off, by holding button in, and power on again to get it on again, but once on, it worked fine. The manual gives the following for this error:


If the power light is blinking amber — A device might be malfunctioning or incorrectly installed.
  • Remove and then reinstall the memory modules.
  • Remove and then reinstall any cards.
  • Remove and then reinstall the video card, if applicable.
  • Toggle the voltage selection switch on the back of the computer.
  • If the problem persists, contact Dell.
However, there is NO other problem with the running of the 270, apart from not waking up from standby, I have reinstalled the ethernet drivers (latest version from Intel) and WOL 1.0.3, but it has not cured the problem.

I then added a new PCI ethernet card, a Zyxel Dimension GN680T, which on setting up WOL to work (from Hibernation this time), was OK for a few days, then the original problem started again, but this time, it would not go into Standby, but the Power light flashes amber and the HDD light flashes green, and I have to hold the Power button in for 30-60 secs, before it fully powers off, then when switching it on it appears to run ok again.

What could be possibly causing this problem (might it be a faulty PSU), and how might I fix it?

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
nightmare99 said:
Yes it could be a lot of GX260/270 had bad caps in thier psus.

If you have another handy I would certainly try it (even if it doesnt physically fit just connect it and try WOL).
Click to expand...

Cheers, I have a spare Antec PSU (that works) lying around, so will connect that up and see what happens....
 
We have a lot of this at work, it usually a faulty motherboard but can be the PSU.

Check the capacitors that are near to the CPU if they are bulged or rusty.
If the SSF factor motherboard looks similar to the standard ATX then there should be a line of capacitors running down the side of the CPU. If they're rusty or swollen then its the motherboard.
 
kip02 said:
We have a lot of this at work, it usually a faulty motherboard but can be the PSU......
Click to expand...

Actually, the PSU appears to be OK, the problem is arising from the motherboard, and it is not really worth the sourcing another one etc (as the actual unit is quite old), so have it stripped already, and what is left is ready for binning....

Thanks for your replys.
 
Hello, I don't post on this forum often but I noticed this thread as I had the exact same problem on an old GX270 where the power button would either flash amber or stay on amber. Only today I have tried putting a new battery in and it seems to have done the trick, so I wonder if it could be the same fix for you?
 
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