More Dell woes
I guess when it rains it pours. I’ve previously chronicled the saga of my neighbor Jerry’s Dimension 4100, whose case fan has failed and can’t be replaced. Yesterday, he called me to tell me that his just-over-a-year-old Dimension 4600 won’t start.
We hauled the PC over to my office, where I plugged it in and took a look. Yep, it’s dead, Jim. I made the obligatory call to Dell’s support line, where I spent 15 minutes on hold before a cheerful tech told me that Jerry’s account was from the Large Systems division. Ha! While I was on hold waiting for those techs to pick up, I surfed over to the Dell Community Forum. And wonder of wonders, I read this thread, and this one, and then hit the mother lode on this one.
In short, lots of people have been complaining about a sudden rash of power supply failures in the Dimension 4600 line, typically just after the one-year anniversary. After I read through all the threads, I decided not to waste any more time waiting for a tech to pick up and tell me the computer was out of warranty. Instead, I’m heading for CompUSA to pick up a generic power supply and swap it with the defective one.
I’ll give kudos to Dell for having a Community Forum, but it’s a double-edged sword. This is one of three problems I’ve experienced with Dell products and support in recent months, and thanks to the forums I’ve learned that I’m not alone. Unfortunately, Dell doesn’t seem to have invested any energy in capturing the feedback on these forums to identify and fix common problems. I can only imagine how annoyed and angry their customers are who are getting the run-around from a support tech and don’t realize that there’s a place to share information and horror stories with other customers.
In general, I think Dell makes good, solid computers, but their support is troublesome. If you’re a Dell customer, do yourself a favor and start in the message boards the next time you have a problem. You might save yourself a lot of pointless aggravation.
Update: Yep, the new power supply fixed the problem.
Update: I’ve closed the comments on this post. They’re now read-only. A lot of people are asking for detailed help with their computers that I can’t offer, and the comments section isn’t really set up to work like a bulletin board or forum. A better suggestion is to go to the Dell forums.
Thanks for all the great feedback. – Ed Bott, February 2006
200 Responses to More Dell woes
Just to be different, I had the same problem with a Dimension 4500. After several go-rounds with Tech Support insisting the motherboard needed to be replaced, someone sent me the link to the Dell Forum, saving me hours of work and aggravation. $30 later, a new PS from TigerDirect solved the problem.
One would think it would be in Dell’s interest to pay attention to the wave of complaints, since selling to their customers motherboards they don’t need doesn’t make them any money and generates a lot of hard feelings.
Correction: mine is a 4550, not a 4500.
Here is Dell’s customer (don’t) care response:
{Jasmine 4:45:07 PM} Thank you for contacting Dell Consumer Customer Care Chat. My name is Jasmine .
{Jasmine 4:45:09 PM} How may I help you today ?
{Eric Stutes 4:45:35 PM} (3374061978) I need to bring to customer care attention a problem with the Dimension 4600 desktops which is effecting a large number of you customers including myself.
Based on the information on the Dell Customer for at http: forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_other&message.id=210341 (160+ messages and growing) I determined that the power supply was bad and replaced it. I had the Dell PS checked out and it was bad. I still have it by the way.
Based on Dell forum listed above and other forums such as http: http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000260.html there is obvious problem with the power supplies in the Dimension 4600 desktops sold starting on October of 2003 and in most cases right after the warrantee ran out. To make things worst the guys in tech support are stuck reading some script which brings them to the conclusion that it is a motherboard problem and the customer(s) need to buy a new motherboard.
Some of the members of the forum have sworn off Dell and even have begun contacting PC related magazines begging for help. It is obvious that teck support will not solve our problem therefore I am asking you for help.
Sincerely
Eric
{Eric Stutes 4:47:13 PM} Who can I speak with who can help in a instance such as this?
{Eric Stutes 4:48:54 PM} Hello?
{Jasmine 4:48:58 PM} please allow me a minute while I go through your account.
{Eric Stutes 4:49:09 PM} Thanks
{Jasmine 4:52:27 PM} Eric, Are you referring to order number xxxx, for Dimension 4600 ?
{Eric Stutes 4:54:15 PM} YEs
{Jasmine 4:54:37 PM} Eric, as i am a customer care representative, i suggest you to please contact our technical support team and they will assist you better
{Jasmine 4:54:49 PM} I apologize that I am unable to assist you directly with this issue.
{Eric Stutes 4:56:09 PM} Tech Support said that I needed to speak with customer care…..
{Eric Stutes 4:58:20 PM} and until the unit is identified as defective by customer care they could not provide any replacement parts without charging the customer.
{Jasmine 4:58:44 PM} Yes, Eric, we are customer care and unable to assist you in your technical queriy.
{Eric Stutes 4:59:17 PM} Thanks anyway. Bye.
{Jasmine 4:59:27 PM} bye bye.
Found this site by accident, when I was looking for information regarding my Dell 4600 Power Supply. My Dell is just over 1 year old and it was difficult to believe that the power supply would have failed that quickly.
However based on the many reports posted on your site regarding Dell PS issues I soon discovered that that was exactly the problem. Replaced the power supply and all is working fine again. Dell needs to face up and take responsibility for these product failures.
I bought two Dell Dimension 4600 in August 2003. My sons started to give power supply problems in August 2004. I gave up on the tech service after I managed to get it started. I keep both machines on all the time. I switched them both off for Christmas break and now cannot restart either. I spent 1 1/2 hours on the phone to dell tech with them getting me to take my computer apart. Of course no warranty cover and they claim no known power supply faults!! Not impressed after reading your forum.
This sucks. My 4600 PSU died 2 months to the day after the warranty. Tried to call Dell to see if they would do anything for me – big waste of time. I’d still take a Dell over the piece of S$%#t Gateway I used to have.
I am just getting thru 4 days of hell with my Dell D. 4600 after I couldn’t get it to power on… this was a couple of weeks after the warranty expired…I also found this site by accident, when I was looking for information regarding my Dell 4600 Power Supply. I was actually told by Dell to order a new motherboard… luckily I just replaced the power supply and all is working again but very slow… I’m working on that – I have been on hold at Dell tech support for 1 hr 20 mins. We need to make Dell take responsibility for these product failures and their lousy tech support…
Ditto to everyone’s post. 14 month’s into the warranty and the system won’t power on. I’m going to get a new power supply right now. Thanks for the info on this web site.
Add another to this growing list. I turned off the computer to go on xmas vacation, returned, tried to turn it back on and nothing. Died after 14 months. The green light on the mobo came on but apparently that only indicates there’s enough voltage to respond to the on/off switch. Replaced power supply and all is well. Everyone should complain to Dell and ask for a new psu or $.
Just got back from my new years trip, BAM. Thanks for all the posts here, I will get a new power supply for my 4600, but does anyone know what the extra little square 4-pin connector that goes to the mobo does? There’s the standard ATX connector and then an extra one that I can’t seem to find a replacement for. They both go to the motherboard but to different locations. What a great start to the new year!
I am looking to upgrade my PS simply because my new video card suggests having a 300W PS. My Dimension 4600, of course, only has a 250W PS. After reading the dell.com boards and this article and thread, I am now prepared for the worst condiering that my PC is now one year and one week old. My fingers are crossed that I do not have any problems!
Add one more. I’ve been on the phone with Tech support for the last 1.5 hrs. Had to walk through the checklist, and, of course, it’s the power supply. They’re sending me a new one, as I have 5 days left on my 1-year warranty. Usually I have a good experience with Dell, but out of 30 4600′s at work, we’ve had 2 drive failures and one PS failure in 3 months. Not the highest standard. . .
I bought my 4600 in October 2003. I turned it off when I left for Christmas vacation. When I returned last week it wouldn’t turn on. Dell tech support insisted it was a bad motherboard and wanted over $264. to install a new one. After searching the internet I found this site. Then I checked the Dell forum. I bought a new power supply at Circuit City and it solved my problem. I shouldn’t have had to spend $50. on a defective part that Dell has been made aware by many customers. It’s sad to see how the quality of Dell computers has declined.
Unbelievable. Same problem. 1 yr. 2 months to the day and my power supply went out. After several 45 minute waits for Tech support–(Usually in India) they couldn’t identify the problem, but thankfully all of you have!
I doubt I’ll buy a Dell again–they have SERIOUS customer service and Tech issues; but I must say, it was a Dell salesman who turned me on to this site. So Kudos for him!
My 4600 PSU died exactly like the others, but luckily at 11 months, 20 days and so I got it waranteed. I guess all that time playing games paid off
Nice to know it’s a systematic problem though, so I know to buy a better one the next time it goes.
Same problem. Turned off the computer overnight and it wouldn’t go back on the next day. Green light on the MB lights up, but no fan and no power. I will think twice before I buy another Dell.
I experienced the same thing with a Dimension 4600. I disconnected my pc and connected to another power outlet and my PC did not start. I connected several times and nothing.
I leave the CPU connected to the new power outlet for a while (in my case 2 hours, it may be less), then the power led was blinking. After that, I pressed the power button and the PC STARTED!!!!
Maybe, I have good luck with this PSU, but I am thinking it will not last.
My psu is out too. Light on motherboard working but no fan and no led on the switch. It was working until I turned off machine and now can’t get it to turn on again. What’s up. After reading this forum, I’m just changing the psu with a generic. My computer is only one year old too. Thanks for the help guys.
Same here. Bought a Dimension 4600 last year. Shut down PC before going for Christmast holidays. Came back and found the Dimension acting weirdly. The power came on and then turn off the next second automatically without anyone pressing the power button. It cost me my 120GB HDD as the system powered up and down over the holidays, the drive spun up and then power down repetitively. (Should have unplugged the system from the wall socket? damn!!! considering the amount of data loss!!!)
Will go and look for a PSU. Someone or some fair trade organization should hold dell accountable for this PSU issue.
I will definitely rule out dell on my next PC purchase!!!
Purchased a 4600 December 2003, shut down January 2004. Dell tech support said the MoBO was fried. Thanks to this site, picked up a new power supply, and the new power supply fixed the problem.