Dell Precision 470 Workstation

[RAVI KARAN]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

amazing

[Topcat]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

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.

[Per Hansson]

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.

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!

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

[Wester547]

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.

[Topcat]

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.

[Per Hansson]

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!

[Per Hansson]

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...

[vborrello]

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

[J.H. Ledford-Mills]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

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?

[gipsyracer]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

The 40% is with the video capture running.

CPUs are 4 x Zeon 3.6 GHz

[Per Hansson]

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?

[gipsyracer]

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

[Toasty]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

If you turn off the video capture program, does it quiet down and run "normally"?

If so, then I would venture a guess that the program is the culprit. I have 2 - 670 Workstations (dual Xeons), and when watching some videos or browsing sites with a lot of flash graphics, it ramps up rather noisily. I think that a video capture program is pushing the CPU and video usage up, so there's really nothing wrong.

T

[gipsyracer]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Hi Guys,

I came across this great thread whilst googling a fix for my 470. I'm hoping one of you may be able to offer some advice.

My machine was purchased off ebay a few months ago, so no guarantee or support from the vendor. It functions fine, but I have a problem with overheating and fan noise, which is very irritating. I leave it on 24/7 as it is running video capture software from my home CCTV cameras.

So far I have checked over all of the fans, which appear to be rotating freely. I have cleaned the dust from them all. I have removed the heatsinks from the CPUs, cleaned them and replaced with new themal paste to the bases. All the capacitors look fine and no components are obviously blown.

I've just put it all back together and already it is getting rather hot, with all fans running and the PSU fan irritatingly cycling on and off. After a while the video card fan joins in the party and runs at full whack.

I imagine this thing was designed to run 24/7 as a server. Its pretty cold here in England, so something must be wrong!

Any ideas?

Thanks, Clive

[jrm000kc]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

I'm currently writing this on my now functioning Dell 470! Much to my delight my pieces arrived yesterday in the mail. I soldered in a replacement thermistor and fuse. So far so good! Thanks Toasty!

[jrm000kc]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

I was able to order just one. I was going to order this one-a LittleFuse series 314, Digikey# F1772-ND, but that was just the fuse itself w/o the pigtails. The one I did order is Digikey# F3329-ND with 1.5" pigtails. Wow...this was a nightmare experience trying to get the correct pieces I needed!

I will now look at the soldering thread....my next test in my bad trip into electronics. (I do admit that I'm finding my first foray into electronics interesting.)

[jrm000kc]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Ok nevermind my last post about the fuse holders. Showing how little I know about electronics-I know understand that my fuse is an actually fuse assembly with the leads. The one I ordered was a F3329-ND from Digikey. Their tech service got me straightened out on that aspect because I would have ordered the wrong fuse.
I just finished the order on the phone-now it's a matter of waiting for it in the mail and getting a soldering iron in the meantime. Thanks once again for your help Toasty!

[Toasty]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

No. They're bonded/welded. Called "pigtail" fuses. If that is a ceramic (white) body fuse, you need to replace it with the same type. Need the numbers off the fuse and the body dimensions (mm) L x D to get the correct type. Typically sold in multiples of 5.

T

[jrm000kc]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Thanks a bunch for the part #! The reason I asked about the fuseholder is having no experience, I snipped the fuse out with both crimp holders in place. (Or are they soldered?) I have no idea what they are called. I'm looking at my fuse with both connectors on each end with about 1/4" of wire coming out. Is there a way to remove the fuse holders and re-solder them?

[Toasty]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Dear God NO! LOL!

Mouser - 785-ICL155R007-01 = $5.50

DigiKey - 570-1070-ND = $1.06

Fuseholder is fine, but why? If you fix it right, you won't need to replace the fuse...

T

EDIT: Use the "lamp in series" trick when testing this: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...2&postcount=23