Tried the following with no success: Unplugging computer from the wall outlet (and waiting for a few hours), switching to another outlet, resetting power strip etc. The machine refused to reboot or even start.. no fan, no sound.. nothing.. just a blank screen.

Then I Googled and came across this blog.

The problem was INDEED the bent pins in one of the USB ports in the front panel of the machine. I think the pins were bent when “someone” carelessly tried to insert an ipod jack into the port.

I straightened the pins out with a small screwdriver and voila.. the machine was alive once again. No more blinking lights!!

Thank You .. to whoever discovered this solution first. I wish the DELL site also provided the tip to check the USB ports!! (I do understand that there are other problems that may cause the orange blinking lights.. but atleast we could get the simple possibilities checked out first).

So before you open up the computer and mess with unplugging the hard drive and other components, do take a moment to unplug ALL usb devices and check the ports to see if any of them have bent pins (use a flashlight!!).. the pins ususally get damaged when someone uses force to insert a usb plug the wrong way!!

1 I turn on the power supply and press the power button and immediately get the blinking orange ring.

2 The computer starts the boot up process often times getting as far as the OS, then without warning a click similar to the one heard when the pc shutdown properly. I think this mite be the psu turning itself off, if so It mite be turning itself off to protect against some form of electrical surge/short or other fault.

In either case the only solution seems to completely kill the power to the machine for a long time supply (unplug from the wall), then plug it back in, make sure the orange ring does not reappear, boot up, cross fingers and pray to any religious deity that happens to listen. I found shaking the case seems to help (although it could just be my imagination), which, again, makes me think it’s a loose electrical connection.

Anyway a few day ago after another of these failures I got fed up and dismantled the entire machine, ram cards PSU and all. I only spared the processor and heat skin as I didn’t have any thermal glue. When I inspected the components I found that of the four pins on the squares connector that I believe powers the CPU, two where badly burnt. Fortunately the socket on the motherboard seams almost unscathed so I am planning to replace the PSU in the next few days to see if this sorts out the problem. I’ve red a lot of posts on different blogs and forums pointing there fingers at the psu, I hope they are right. Ill post back once I’ve tried replacing the psu. Hope the motherboard isn’t damaged.