I know this is a long shot, but you RV buddies have help me out in the pass. I have an very old Dell Precision 380 Workstation -- must be 10 years old. I have not used it for about a year. It worked very well when I stopped using it. The other day, I agreed to give it to my Grandson.When I went to check it out and clean it up, it would not turn on. No power to the "green on" button. When I removed the outside case the green light on the motherboard was on so I know the motherboard is getting power.I blew the dust out and after a number of tries got the PC to turn on, but no internet connection (I know the CAT5 cable is good because it is the same one I am using now). After about a hour, the PC "died" without any notice. I have been trying for 2 days to get it to turn onI replaced the round BIOS battery. No luck.I have reconnected the wires from the power supply to the motherboard and the start button. Still not power.I know there could be 100's of things wrong, but any suggestions are welcome before I "trash" it.

The symptoms match the possibility that the motherboard is bad. The capacitors on the board are probably bad. If you look on the board you will find round devices that are usually wrapped in plastic and the top is exposed silver looking. If they show the top as expanded or cracked and/or the plastic cover shrunk that will be it. Unfortunately not worth replacing on a unit that old.

Both bad capacitors and bad power supply are the leading causes. If the capacitors look good then search eBay for a replacement power supply. Go by the part number on the power supply not the computer model.

I haven't touched a Dell in over 10 years, but IIRC, don't the power supplies have blink/beep codes ?Before you start swapping power supplies, you can buy a power supply tester on eBay for less than $10. Assuming Dell used the standard power supply connector.

I've just replaced bulging capacitors in two power supplies. Since the PC doesn't work, check for those bulges on both the motherboard and inside the power supply. You should be able to buy a power supply for little money on eBay.

Old Dell Precision 380 Workstation -- SOLVED | Good Sam Community

delwhjr
Explorer
Nov 11, 2017
The symptoms match the possibility that the motherboard is bad. The capacitors on the board are probably bad. If you look on the board you will find round devices that are usually wrapped in plastic and the top is exposed silver looking. If they show the top as expanded or cracked and/or the plastic cover shrunk that will be it. Unfortunately not worth replacing on a unit that old.
drsteve
Explorer
Nov 12, 2017
Bad power supply.
Nick-B
Explorer
Nov 12, 2017
Both bad capacitors and bad power supply are the leading causes. If the capacitors look good then search eBay for a replacement power supply. Go by the part number on the power supply not the computer model.
theoldwizard1
Explorer II
Nov 12, 2017
I haven't touched a Dell in over 10 years, but IIRC, don't the power supplies have blink/beep codes ?

Before you start swapping power supplies, you can buy a power supply tester on eBay for less than $10. Assuming Dell used the standard power supply connector.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Nov 12, 2017
I've just replaced bulging capacitors in two power supplies. Since the PC doesn't work, check for those bulges on both the motherboard and inside the power supply. You should be able to buy a power supply for little money on eBay.
NMDriver
Explorer
Nov 12, 2017
Where are you located? I have a couple of power supplies from old Dell's that are headed to goodwill. If you are within 400 or so miles of Las Cruces, NM I will meet you half way. No guarantee of course. BTW you can buy old refurbished Dells on Amazon for around $60-80 last I checked. link
TenOC
Nomad
Nov 12, 2017
theoldwizard1 wrote:
I haven't touched a Dell in over 10 years, but IIRC, don't the power supplies have blink/beep codes ?

Before you start swapping power supplies, you can buy a power supply tester on eBay for less than $10. Assuming Dell used the standard power supply connector.

No lights on the front panel -- all dead. This includes blink codes.
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Nov 12, 2017
TenOC wrote:
theoldwizard1 wrote:
I haven't touched a Dell in over 10 years, but IIRC, don't the power supplies have blink/beep codes ?

Before you start swapping power supplies, you can buy a power supply tester on eBay for less than $10. Assuming Dell used the standard power supply connector.

No lights on the front panel -- all dead. This includes blink codes.

I have worked with Precision 380s, the green light on the system board would indicate that the board is getting SOME power but not ALL outputs from the power supply.

Pretty much ALL of the Dell Precision series PCs back in that time era suffered from capacitor failures due to under specd parts and cheaper counterfeit parts that flooded the market.

Inspect the system board, if you find ANY caps which are bulged you may as well scrap the PC. Recaping can be done (I have done that) but unless you love removing and replacing caps it is not worth the time and money for that slow of a processor..

If you do not see any swelled caps then the problem most likely is the power supply..

I have subbed in generic PC power supplies on many Dells, it can be done but sometimes you will end up needing to modify the case a bit to get it to fit..

Finding a NOS (New Old Stock) direct fit power supply or system board will most likely be impossible now days and buying USED parts amounts to taking a gamble that may or may not work and if it does who knows for how long.

Resurrecting that old of a PC is a labor of love and most likely will not be able to find drivers for all of the hardware for newer OS than Vista or 7 IF you are lucky.

I have scrapped newer better PCs than a 380..

You can easily get new much faster desktop PCs for not much more than $200

HERE is a dual core Celeron at 1.6 ghz with 4 gig ram, 500 gb HD WITH Win10 for $225!

If you look around, you can often find bare bones PCs with faster processors for less than $200 (Bare bones means no OS included so you can load whatever you like if you have a license for it).
TenOC
Nomad
Nov 12, 2017
Today I was able to turn on the PC. I did not do anything different from a few days ago when it would not turn on. As it came on at the "black screen" I got a low system voltage warning which I think refers to the round BIOS battery. This surprised me because I replaced this battery (with a newly purchased battery) a few days ago when I first had the problem.

I plan to let the PC run overnight or until it dies and then check the voltage on the BIOS battery.
delwhjr
Explorer
Nov 12, 2017
TenOC wrote:
Today I was able to turn on the PC. I did not do anything different from a few days ago when it would not turn on. As it came on at the "black screen" I got a low system voltage warning which I think refers to the round BIOS battery. This surprised me because I replaced this battery (with a newly purchased battery) a few days ago when I first had the problem.

I plan to let the PC run overnight or until it dies and then check the voltage on the BIOS battery.

If it has been plugged in this whole time, it pretty well confirms the capacitor theory. This is exactly the symptomology of failure. It came on due to the capacitors that are still good and the ones close to failure have warmed to a point of functionality.