Dell e521 tried to install video card+power supply now getting an amber light.

[zachfri]

Hello I tried to install a power supply with my dell now I get a steady amber light after I removed the power supply since it had showed me an amber light. With the old power supply, I still get the steady amber light. I noticed that on the LED in the back, I got a yellowish amber colored light as well. With the new power supply it didn't have the exact four pin layout of my old one but had an eight pin layout that was seperated so that I could ease a four pin in with my computer. Did this blow out the motherboard? The major thing I did was remove the heatsink which had pins connected to it when I tried to install this video card but I noticed that some of the pins bent out of shape so I got a new heatsink only this time the heatsink I recieved has no pins. I installed the heatsink and tried to boot the pc but it won't boot only the fan spins and none of the indicator lights in the front turn on. Is the motherboard or processor dead? Thanks.

 

[win2kpro]

Post a picture of the bottom of the old heatsink. It sounds like when you pulled the heatsink you pulled the processor with the heatsink since a heatsink has no pins on it.

Separating an 8 pin auxiliary connector to make it a 4 pin connector would not blow out the motherboard.

 

[zachfri]

well I tried to post an image but it seems to want a URL and I don't have my own website or anything like that so I can't do it like that. I think your right about the processor though. as amatter of fact im 100% sure because I look on the internet for pictures of processors and thats what the thing attached to my heatsink looks like. I tried to attach the processor to the new heatsink but the computer still doesn't boot. What should I do now?

 

[win2kpro]

You can attach a phote with a URL. Under the dialog box instead of Post Quick Reply click on Go Advanced.

Scroll down an you will see Manage Attachments. You can click on Manage Attachments then browse to where the pic you took is located on your computer, upload it, and it will appear with your post as a thumbnail.

I would like to see a pic of the bottom of the heatsink you removed with the processor attached before I recommend how to separate the two.

 

[zachfri]

Im sorry I can't find Go advanced on the screen. Don't worry about it though, im just going to send the thing into a repair shop and try to have them fit the processor back on. Ive tried and apparently failed myself. I just feel stupid because Dell didn't think it was necessary to warn anyone that the heatsink shouldn't be removed with an AMD processor, or else the processor can come off with it with bent pins. Im not used to new computers and the last pc I had was from the box form too slow to need a heatsink, so I had no idea that thing was a heatsink. The stupid thing was taking up too much space on my motherboard, that was the only reason I tried to remove it I couldn't fit a new video card on there. Thanks anyway.

 

[Rich-M]

Actually you are right. In almost every case when you haphazardly pull off the hesf on an Amd saddle, the cpu comes with it and I have screwed up enough in my time I know to pull straight up so at least if it happens, I pull it straight out and don't bend any pins.

 

[crjdriver]

I think that is the very best thing you could do; take it to a shop and have someone who understands what they are doing install a new cpu and hsf for you. BTW this is not going to be cheap since you need a new cpu and have done possible damage to the motherboard as well. If this is an old 939pin amd chip, you might as well just toss the whole thing since those chips are pretty expensive to buy even used.

FWIW the next time you attempt to remove a hsf that is stuck, just pw ON the system for a min or two and the hsf will come right off. No problem at all.

Of course this MUST be dell's fault

 

[Rich-M]

I think that is the very best thing you could do; take it to a shop and have someone who understands what they are doing install a new cpu and hsf for you. BTW this is not going to be cheap since you need a new cpu and have done possible damage to the motherboard as well. If this is an old 939pin amd chip, you might as well just toss the whole thing since those chips are pretty expensive to buy even used.

FWIW the next time you attempt to remove a hsf that is stuck, just pw ON the system for a min or two and the hsf will come right off. No problem at all.

Of course this MUST be dell's fault

You aren't kidding. I just blew myself away with a socket 939 4200 X2 I listed on eBay and got $110 without an hsf either...I could not believe my eyes. I have socket 478's I list and can't even get the .99 starter bidding going. But I doubt this is socket 939 as Dell using Amd cpu's is very recent.

 

[crjdriver]

Yes, those 939 chips are almost more now than when they were new. I have 3 sitting here [gave one to Candy] I wonder what I could get for an FX-57 on ebay???

 

[Rich-M]

Chuck,
Maybe you hit the lottery...I don't see FX57 but here is an FX60 for $480:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AMD-Dual-Core-A...4|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

 

[crjdriver]

The fx-57 is running my network storage box. I guess I could get by with any old mb/cpu however I pulled that one and an epox board out about a year or so ago.

 

[Rich-M]

The fx-57 is running my network storage box. I guess I could get by with any old mb/cpu however I pulled that one and an epox board out about a year or so ago.

Go for it!!!