Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

[coffeeaddict]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

You will see mainly three issue with the bad cap problem , Thermal event at post, Video cutting out at post or during use, and the evere favorite no post. The thermal error is the cap issue almost 99% of the time. It's not that I blame Dell for the bad caps but I do blame them for not fessing up and wanting to correct this issue like any good company should. In the end they'd make more life-long users than if the cover it up.




(from a concerned dell tech)

[willawake]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

thanks for your contributions. following venting of the caps is there any damage to fets/vrm chips on the boards. basically i am asking if these boards are usually reworkable, does replacing the caps bring them back into full operation following no POST

[coffeeaddict]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

Well that is a good question, I used to repair 2 layer boards all the time with no problems, but seeing these boards are 4 layer it may be a bit different , but seeing that the sauderers are through connections I imagine it won't be too bad, I still would suggest just swapping the board out if its under warranty though so you can avoid voiding the warranty if they see you tried to repair it and failed, (then dell can blame it on you).

Lovely huh

[coffeeaddict]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

even if its out of warranty, the worst case scenario is that your out the 5 dollars it cost you for the capacitors

[coffeeaddict]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

as for the chips, as far as Ive seem damage is very local and usually only the caps are damaged and possibly the board around the base. the only real damage to chips ive seen is when the cap either burst or leaks on a more catastropic level

[willawake]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

i am basically interested to advise people with out of warranty boards. 4 layer it is no prob. difficulty in rework comes when the existing solder is not melting good or the lead ports are minimal diameter. but if the board is actually toast then dissapointing if we encourage people to try to recap the board.

anyway easier than the imac g5s with 25 caps like dell nichicon HM or HN series. quite a job.

dell / intel / apple all in the same boat should sue nichicon. they were really let down. yeh i agree getting told to lie by your company is BS wrong kind of damage control

[coffeeaddict]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

sorry for the bad spelling by the way :P, I was actually writing from my place of employment (which you all should have guessed by now) as for repairs I will try and realy more info from some of the older chaps whom I work with and have had more practical experience with repairing their own boards than I have. In the mean time when I am online I will try and help with questions about repairs. One big secret is if this issue becomes a "known issue" then Dell will most likely have to, by obligation, repair the boards even if they are out of warranty. I won't say too much more for now less Dell try to hunt me down. I want to get this out in the open as much as I can, the whole experience has left a bad taste in my mouth

[willawake]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

I was actually writing from my place of employment

not recommended

[coffeeaddict]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

lol, sokay, I'm not to keen on working there much longer :P

[sgtarky]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

reading some other forums they say the caps have an x on the top. They also list the dates as april 2003 to march 2004 well we have several with ship dates of 6/04 and 9/04 with the x topped capacitors. also these computers have failed but the tops are not domed on these capicators.

[c4po]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX280 - bad capacitor failures

We've just completed helping the Unisys guy find all of our GX270's and get the motherboards replaced in the last 50 that we hadn't already done. Yesterday I found our first GX280 with same issue with same capacitors. Failing issue was different than all of our GX270's however in that it was not a Lost Video issue or a Thermal Event. This pc had WinXP and just hangs up on boot. Can't power off no matter how long you hold in the power button. Have to unplug power cord. RPL board should get here today so we'll see if non-crusty caps take care of the boot issue. Hope this is not a sign of things to come.

[kc8adu]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX280 - bad capacitor failures

got a complaint on a 280 on the local 2m repeater last week for boot fail.
they got it as is at the flea so i bet i get to recap it too..
boots to the xp logo and the activity stops.
about 1 in 15 tries it gets to the desktop but bsod's when you move the mouse.

We've just completed helping the Unisys guy find all of our GX270's and get the motherboards replaced in the last 50 that we hadn't already done. Yesterday I found our first GX280 with same issue with same capacitors. Failing issue was different than all of our GX270's however in that it was not a Lost Video issue or a Thermal Event. This pc had WinXP and just hangs up on boot. Can't power off no matter how long you hold in the power button. Have to unplug power cord. RPL board should get here today so we'll see if non-crusty caps take care of the boot issue. Hope this is not a sign of things to come.

[qwozy]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

I have a Dell OptiPlex GX270 PC and my motherboard has just crapped out on it. My PC is in a Dell tower case. Its a newer type case, where you can't take the panels off. The only way inside, is to press a button on the top, and a button on the bottom and it will open up like a book.The only problem is, the repair shop where I took my computer says, regular motherboards won't fit. So my question is, is there any other type of motherboards out there that would fit? And if we locate a GX270, is there any way of knowing for sure that it wouldn't do the same thing again?

Any advice you can give me would be very appreciated. (Sorry if this is in the wrong place, as you can see this is my first post).

Thanks

[Chris1992]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

Regular motherboards won't fit in one of those proprietarie cases. µatx boards might, have not tested so am not sure. If the capacitors around the CPU have a K vent on top then they are Rubycon and not subject to failure.

[stevenb]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

[B]Hi, my name is Steven Berk. I am an attorney based in Washington, DC, who specializes in litigation involving defective technology. I am currently working on cases of that kind against HP, Sony and JVC. I am investigating problems relating to the leaky/bulging capacitor on the Dell Optilex GX270's motherboard and noticed your posting. In connection with that investigation, it would be very useful if I could interview you about your experience with the leaky/bulging capacitor problem. If you are interested, please email me at stevenb@cuneolaw.com or call me at 202-789-3960. Thanks for your consideration.

[willawake]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

Mr. Berk, can you please be clear about which specific member you would like to interview.

[PeteS in CA]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
And it shows them pearly white
...
Ya know when that shark bites, with his teeth, babe
Scarlet billows start to spread

"Mack the Knife" - Weil, Brecht, & Blitzstein

[moriah]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

My man works for an agency that has a contract for hardware/software replacements for a fairly large company -- mostly Dell units.

He told me that they received some kind of memo on issues with bad capacitors, but it was supposed to be "secret". He said that the company ended up replacing motherboards on many small-form-factor boxes (they use mostly Optiplex GX270s, so likely these same ones), but also on laptops.

When I worked for the same company we had an issue with HP Brio machines with bad caps -- the symptoms always seemed to be random reboots, and we would insist on getting the system board, CPU, RAM, and HD replaced as it seemed that by the time the users complained about the issue it had created bad sectors on the HD and occasionally damaged the RAM. Since the company usually just replaces the hardware immediately and then tests it in their internal service department later (to put into new boxes if that was not the real problem), we never knew just how much damage the caps did. At the time, the policy was that we did not do this until the HD had already been replaced once and the machine rebooted constantly -- tested by a continuous ping for several hours, if it rebooted more than 3 times during an 8 hour period it was replacable per our internal policy.

I'm not naming names since he still works there and I have no idea if the "secret" memo came from Dell or from their own headquarters. However, these were all business computers, not ones home users would buy.

-----

Now I'm dealing with random reboots in my Dell Inspiron 1150 -- home notebook. Fortunately when I chatted with a Dell representative about the issue online they did not request I reformat the PC or do anything else -- I'd already reseated RAM, booted from my Linux partition (did it there, too), ran on AC only without battery, or ran on just battery, dismounted the cd-rom, disconnected the internal modem, and ran the Dell 32-bit Diagnostics. I run a temperature monitoring software and the temp wasn't over 45 or 50 when it happens -- and that baby has gotten up to 75 before when I had fan issues. When it tries to reboot unless I power it down completely, reseat the battery and/or unplug from AC, discharge power by holding the power button for 10 seconds, then power it back up it won't make it through POST again.

I said all of that bluntly, answered yes to "have you cleaned the fans", no to "have you installed any new software or hardware or damaged the unit". Yes I was running the newest BIOS. Then she gave me a dispatch number to send it in and pretty much said they would replace the systemboard and power supply at the least.

I did mention that "a friend at work said some of his clients had this issue with Inspiron laptops and it turned out to be bad capacitors" -- she was curiously silent but said they would be replacing the hardware and returning it very quickly.

I'm glad for warranty. I don't like the idea of soldering -- I'm a software girl myself.

Moriah

[arneson]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

Sorry to be a bit off topic, but, what is the thermistat for your office set at? first, and second, is there a hailon system?
Just curious.

[FredrickM]

Re: Dell OptiPlex GX270 - multiple bad cap failures

Have had a rash of failures this past week 3 process control systems. I think at least one system is on it's second MB failure. This is the small form factor system. I also had all the hard drives (Maxtor) replaced about 6 months ago on all systems using that using this manufactures drive including other non GX270 systems. I have 8 GX260 systems with no problems.