Just got my Vostro...help

It won't get past the Dell Screen. It just sits there. Half the time it won't turn on, the lights will come on and one of the little locks at the top of the keyboard flashes. What the hell is wrong with this thing? I called and talked to some tech lady. She was of no help. Said I needed a new computer probably...Any ideas before I resort to that?

 

Check the RAM to see if it is properly seated. Even if it looks like its okay, remove it and reseat it. I had a problem like this with my M70 when it arrived from Dell a few years back.. I don't remember if it was the caps lock flashing or not but I do remember that reseating the RAM fixed it.

 

Seems alright. I'm on hold with customer care to get a new one. This is BS. The thing won't even boot.

 

Now it seems to work. Weird.

 

Keep an eye on it... but if it works from now on, great!

 

And it doesn't work again.

 

not so great.

 

What does it mean when you turn it on and the caps lock light blinks?

 

you have it plugged in or running on battery? if you are make sure it is fully charged.

 

Both. I have tried both. I actually got it to the point where it went to windows and i entered the info, and then it wouldn't do anything.

 

Lights going on and off and then not booting? Either memory or a system board problem. If you already tried reseating the memory (both under the machine and the one under the keyboard..) I think you might have to ship it back..

 

I'm a tech by the way, that's why I'm throwing in the possibility of a bad systemboard into the mix. I don't know how Dell will come to this conclusion..you might want to just give them a hassle over the phone to send you a replacement and you'll send them back the broken one..

 

How do I reseat the memory. I couldn't get the one under the computer to budge?

 

You're crazy to try to fix this yourself. Your $1000 machine didn't work from the moment you took it out of the box, and you want to hold on to it? I might feel otherwise had you waited 2 months for your computer like some people did, but you waited less than a week. Ship it back, wait another week or two, and get a computer for which you won't spend the next several months wondering if/when it will break.

 

I know. the more I talk to reps, the more angry I get though.

 

Totally understandable. It sucks to have to send it back and wait for a new one, but it would suck even more to have to live with the box o' trouble they sent you.

 

I hear ya. I am on the phone now with em'. This girl is actually really nice, which is a change I just hope it gets taken care of

 

I repped ya for sympathy and good luck. Like a virtual pat on the back.

 

Thanks bud. It would be one thing if I had actually used it and it was like a grainy screen, a loose battery, etc...but the dang thing won't even boot. Kind of a bummer.

 

My advice would be to get Dell to send a replacement out first thing -- because even if you can get it working later who knows if there are other problems with it too.

The ram should definitely be able to be removed. The fact that you mention it won't budge might be a hint at its problem: it wasn't inserted in correctly in the first place.

Does the first user review on this page sound anything like what you are experiencing? On that D510 he says his RAM slot went bad and so he had to get the motherboard replaced...

 

Yeah, that sounds like it. I actually got it to boot all the way into windows. Was on the desktop for 30 seconds and it just locked up. Had to be manually powered down. I already ordered a new one. And yeah, the caps lock thing is definitely true.

 

How can Dell ship out a system when it doesn't even boot up to windows! so much for their quality control...

 

"but sir the reason for the 3 week delay is because we do a long process of checking and re checking to ensure the notebook comes to you in the best possibel conditions and to ensure you are satisfied" HA bollocks.

 

I got it up and running for a bit. Put it to sleep and now I can't get it to come back up.

 

omg that sux i thought they would do many testings before the send it to their customers ...this is a wow.

 

Ya......I'm pretty impressed with their "testing".

 

lol i guess it isnt as great as they say -__- im starting to lose trust after seeing so many problems with dell's laptops........if my laptop comes with all that BS i will never touch a dell again lol

 

Ya, I'm giving them another go at it. If it don't work; I'll go elsewhere.

 

i will only give them ONE chance to fix the problems IF it doesn't satisfy me then i will definetly go elsewhere i heard that thinkpads are good maybe i will go for that

 

Yup. We shall see.

 

i agree ^_^

 

Just got a new error:

Memory write/read failure at 00020041, read ED02ED02 expecting 02ED02EE

To resolve....try to reseat the memory.

 

If the memory is already screwed up....I would try to reseat it anyways...what's the worst that can happen??

If you break something, just put it back together neatly and pretend you never opened it

They already know it's broken, they won't blame you...

 

Ya, I pulled it apart. Got it going for like ten minutes. Kaboom. I just put it all back together.

Besides, all I was doing is what the book told me too