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Dell Precision 470 Workstation

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    Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

    Thanks Toasty,

    I tried running the machine with the video program closed. It seems to make a small difference, in that the fans do not constantly change speed without the video capture running.

    I checked the CPU usage and it is consistently about 40%. Whilst I've been typing this, the video card fan has gone to high speed fan.

    I downloaded CPUID so I could look at CPU temperatures and fan speeds. Not sure which diode releates to which part of the system, but 1 & 2 are at about 65c and the rest at about 45c. This doesn't seem to hot to me?? The fan speeds are FANIN0 varying between 1000 and 1300 of 1400 max. FANIN1 steady at 1330 which is its max. FANIN2 2400rpm, which is its max. I'm guessing that FANIN0 is the one which is "hunting".

    I could be wrong here, but the machine seems not to be working very hard, but still has all the fans on full whack.

    All advice greatly appreciated.

    Clive

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      Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

      My 470 is pretty quiet so long as the CPU load is low, but once the CPU gets loaded it really becomes quite noisy.
      And if running at 100% for a long time, like doing a MySQL database import then it really screams!

      The Netburst architecture really is crap, it does not matter if you slap a "Xeon" logo on it, it's still crap

      That said may I ask what CPU you have?
      There are some large variations in the TDP of these Intel CPU's
      And also the 40% CPU load you quoted, is that with the video capture running?
      "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

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        Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

        The 40% is with the video capture running.

        CPUs are 4 x Zeon 3.6 GHz

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          Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

          Originally posted by michaelahess View Post
          So I just came across an old 470, caps were all blown to crap. I ordered a cap set from the CapKing and went to work on it yesterday.

          Originally I got an error about the VRM being faulty. If I pulled the second CPU and it's VRM, I got an error about the other VRM being faulty but the system would power up (at least 12v side) and the fans would go crazy.

          After re-capping, nothing, I get a solid B light showing a power supply issue. I know that isn't the case as the power supply already fired up, unless the 3.3v or 5v are dead.

          I did have two issues putting the new caps in, two of them just wouldn't go through the holes smoothly so I left the iron on them a bit too long I think, they were hot but not HOT, however I did smell a smell I've never smelt before, acrid, I think I may have burned one of the caps.

          Any thoughts on what I can try? I don't want to drop any more cash into this so I'm probably going to trash it unless someone has any ideas. Thanks!
          Hey! My first post on BadCaps! I have a very similar problem. I recently came into possesion of two of these boards. One board was able to post and one wasn't. After recapping them both, the one that wouldn't post now works fine. The board that previously would post now won't post, gives me the light code warning for processor and/or VRM mismatch, and the fans are going crazy. I'm very new to recapping boards, so I wonder what I did to screw this machine up?

          I know I'm responding to a year-old post, but did you ever figure out your problem?

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            Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

            I've got two dead Dell Precision 470 workstations. Both have dual processors. Neither will post. After reading the threads in this forum, I tore into both machines and PSU's. One of the PSU's is pristine inside with no bulging caps. Both mobo's have some bulging caps in the area just in front of the CPU's. I have not yet pulled the boards out of the chassis's.

            My questions:
            1. What is the best way to test the PSU's for proper functionality? When I jump the green wire to ground I hear the relays in the PSU engage but no fans with or without the case switch on the side of the PSU depressed. Should this be 5V dc?

            2. Which caps on the mobo are usually the culprits?

            Any help would be appreciated

            Comment


              Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

              Hi, small update here, I bought 8GB of Micron MT36HTF51272PY-40EE1 memory on eBay, the PC booted with one stick but the other was bad (physically damaged, cracked memory chip and destroyed resistors & capacitors) seller refunded me though so all was fine

              Not feeling let down I looked more on eBay and found 16GB of the PC-6400 version of the same memory: MT36HTF51272PY-80EE1
              Bought that thinking it's a good idea since it will be more useful in the future aswell vs the other memory which was only rated for PC-3200

              But with that memory the Dell just gave the "memory error" beeps at startup
              Looking into it I found a website selling a software for modifying the SPD data:
              Thaiphoon Burner Super Blaster Personal Edition (Might be the most ridiculous name for anything, ever)

              And luckily the ST M34E02 EEPROM containing the SPD data was not write protected, even though it does support it and should have been according to the datasheet of the memory!

              So I gave things a go, the new memory only had SPD speeds programmed for 400Mhz & 266Mhz, so I figured that must be it, because the old working PC-3200 memory only had the speed 200Mhz programmed...
              But no matter how I tried adding the new 200Mhz speed the system would not boot with the memory, so I contacted their support, and they poked me in the right direction:
              The PC-3200 memory had the ECC bit (byte 11) set to "02" and the PC-6400 memory had it set to "06"
              http://www.simmtester.com/page/news/...ws.asp?num=139
              Changing that one setting and letting the program calculate the new CRC value made the computer able to boot

              Now you might wonder how I managed to write the SPD data if the system could not boot with the memory in the first place?
              Well, I did the crazy thing: I booted the system with the working PC-3200 stick, and with Windows up and running plugged in the other sticks one by one and flashed their SPD EEPROM's
              I should mention though that if I tried doing the same thing while having booted the PC using 1GB or 512MB sticks then it would hardlock though, so your milage may vary...
              Last edited by Per Hansson; 03-25-2015, 12:13 PM.
              "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

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                Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

                Decided to open up the PSU I bought for this machine on eBay years ago.
                The original that it came with from the dumpster was built like a tank as seen here: 1 2 3 4 5 but alas it was dead so I replaced it with one using the same Dell partno back then.

                As I opened the PSU I was instantly greeted by a bulging Teapo SEK 220uF 35v cap dab smack center of the board smiling back at me, near the boards edge, it read around 90uF and 7 ESR on my meter.
                I replaced it with a UCC KMG, to the left of it was a 100uF 35v SEK that I also replaced, it measured ok though unlike it's bloating neighbour!

                The fun came when I started replacing the small caps, some read 140ESR, which is the highest my meter can show.
                Impressive that the PSU did not blow itself up!
                Of course all the Rubycon and UCC caps on the board were fine after all these years!
                Now it's put back together and working again, there was one scare at the back of the PCB, an inductors leg had almost pierced the black insulation cover!
                Attached Files
                "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

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                  Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

                  Glad you're keeping such a classic freight train workhorse running! I've still got mine (Paxvilles), I still use it for various things.
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                    Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

                    The Nichicon HDs in the Hipro PSU also appear fine. This is why mixing crap caps and good caps is an unwise practice. It would be interesting to diagnose why the original Delta PSU failed (as I rather like Delta PSUs ), but that's probably for another thread.

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                      Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

                      Originally posted by Topcat View Post
                      Glad you're keeping such a classic freight train workhorse running! I've still got mine (Paxvilles), I still use it for various things.
                      Yea, I'm glad I finally went with my gut feeling and did not boot it up: it has been off the whole summer.
                      Maybe one more start would have killed it considering the state of those capacitors!
                      Originally posted by Wester547 View Post
                      The Nichicon HDs in the Hipro PSU also appear fine. This is why mixing crap caps and good caps is an unwise practice. It would be interesting to diagnose why the original Delta PSU failed (as I rather like Delta PSUs ), but that's probably for another thread.
                      Indeed, as for fixing the original PSU: well this thread is 10 years old so probably it's been buried quite deep now at the local junkyard
                      "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

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                        Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

                        Originally posted by Per Hansson View Post
                        Yea, I'm glad I finally went with my gut feeling and did not boot it up: it has been off the whole summer.
                        Maybe one more start would have killed it considering the state of those capacitors!
                        Mine has been off for a while....I probably need to check my PSU as well, it has never been messed with.....anytime there's teapos around, that's usually trouble.
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                          Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

                          amazing

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