Fun Shut Down Issue

[MichaelBits]

So...
Thought I would get the collective knowledge gathered here to mull this one over. I'm typically self sufficient and rarely reach out to peers or others for help.
This one I found somewhat interesting and decided to share on the off chance someone may think of something I have not.

Although through process of elimination I'm fairly sure of my diagnosis.

Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

I'm sure everyone here knows that quote... and if you don't... for shame!

The situation.
Dell Inspiron desktop. Windows 7, fairly typical setup.
It will not stay shut down. Using the power button or hitting shut down from the start menu results in the same. It powers off, then a few seconds later powers back on and boots into windows.
I even used the command line to shutdown and same result.

Exhausted "Tried It" List:
Checked all settings in the bios.
Reset the cmos/bios.
Updated the bios.
Checked every possible setting in windows that can deal with power.
Swapped to a test power supply.
Booted to my linux stick and shut it down.

Everything still results in it not staying off, even booting to a linux stick.
Leads me to conclude it's a motherboard issue.

Some extra background on this.
It was recently in to be checked over because they had a lightning strike. Their lan port was actually dead, and the lightning strike did affect other networking equipment. Port must have been cooked by the strike. I installed a lan card and got the ethernet back.
No other issues at all except it not shutting down.

Conclusion is either the lightning strike somehow damaged the board in some way to cause this, or the now defunct network port is causing it. I suppose technically the same conclusion as both would be board related.

In any case, the desktop works just fine except you can't power it off without actually cutting the power.

So... thoughts?

 

[fencepost]

Does the BIOS still see the LAN port and can you disable it there?
Have you checked for anything funky with the pins where the cables connect to the front of the box?

 

[jbartlett323]

I have seen a similar scenario with multiple Inspiron Laptops, and have always tracked it back to a faulty motherboard. I don't recall if they all had NIC issues, but I think a couple did. Obviously, on a laptop, the simple solution is to remove the battery. Typically, at that point it will stay off until started, but not always.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Turn off the card in bios. Turn off Wake on Lan in Bios. Flash new bios. Check USB ports for bent pins. Does KB have a power button? Swap with new kb.

 

[Knightsman]

There should be an option for AC recovery. I saw this a lot when testing computers, we would get pallets in, and we would get some this did this. Turn the power restore to off, and it might fix it. Otherwise, it is a fault on the motherboard, however its not something that typically causes more problems if the user decides to keep it on all the time.

 

[B Trevathan]

I agree with you, if lightning fried the on-board RJ45 then there is no telling what other damage it did to the motherboard, the bolt could have just weaken other nearby components and now they're slowly going bad. Have you tried it out of the case and also inspected the top and bottom of the motherboard near the port? I won't trusted the motherboard, if lightning hits hard enough or close enough there is nothing that is going to stop it especially a little small gap between circuits, it maybe just a loose joint or even a burned trace.

 

[glennd]

Check all the physical switches, power switch, reset switch or easier, disconnect all the switches from the motherboard. In fact disconnect everything from the motherboard except boot disk. Strip it right back, make sure it's not something trivial that got fried and is making the motherboard play up.

 

[Moltuae]

Checked every possible setting in windows that can deal with power.

Including both the mouse and keyboard wake options in Device Manager?

Check all the physical switches, power switch, reset switch or easier, disconnect all the switches from the motherboard.

This would be the next thing I'd be checking. Internally, power switches are often of the domed steel tactile variety. It's quite common for the dome to collapse/snap, causing sporadic switch activations.

 

[Computer Bloke]

I installed a lan card and got the ethernet back. No other issues at all except it not shutting down.

I don't think anyone's suggested this yet: just remove the new LAN card and try again. It's the only change you made to the machine and it's the only thing you haven't eliminated.

When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras.

I'm sure everyone here knows that quote too... and if you don't... for shame!

 

[glennd]

I'm sure everyone here knows that quote too... and if you don't... for shame!

nope.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

just out of curiosity does it auto wake out of standby?

 

[Knightsman]

Seriously wonder if this is a Dell issue, ive never seen it on any other brand machine do this.

 

[MichaelBits]

Does the BIOS still see the LAN port and can you disable it there?
Have you checked for anything funky with the pins where the cables connect to the front of the box?

Checked, all good.

Turn off the card in bios. Turn off Wake on Lan in Bios. Flash new bios. Check USB ports for bent pins. Does KB have a power button? Swap with new kb.

Did all that.

Check all the physical switches, power switch, reset switch or easier, disconnect all the switches from the motherboard. In fact disconnect everything from the motherboard except boot disk. Strip it right back, make sure it's not something trivial that got fried and is making the motherboard play up.

Tried it...

I don't think anyone's suggested this yet: just remove the new LAN card and try again. It's the only change you made to the machine and it's the only thing you haven't eliminated.

It did this before adding the new card.


I find it crazy how it fried the network port, yet other than the powering down issue, everything is fine. When this happened it also fried their garage door openers, among other things. It wasn't a direct hit, but very close to the house/garage.

It must have just sent a spike on the network cable, because their is no visible damage anywhere.
Although in the bios the port is shutoff, it must be damaged in such a way its still sending a signal to the board to reboot.

 

[nlinecomputers]

What about the router/hub/switch? Perhaps it is slightly toasty and is sending a WOL signal?

 

[MichaelBits]

What about the router/hub/switch? Perhaps it is slightly toasty and is sending a WOL signal?

Nope, have it on my bench at the moment, and can even have the network disconnected, still does it.
They also got new networking equipment as most was damaged from the lightning.

 

[nlinecomputers]

If insurance will cover it then don't waste too much time on it. Call it damaged and move on.

Edit to add: Anything lightning touched I would not trust and would gladly say so in a report to an insurance company to recommend complete replacement.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Anything lightning touched I would not trust and would gladly say so in a report to an insurance company to recommend complete replacement.

+1. Troubleshooting/repairing lightning and/or liquid spill damage is like chasing ghosts. You're never done.

 

[NJW]

Anything lightning touched I would not trust and would gladly say so in a report to an insurance company to recommend complete replacement.

Yup. If you carry on trying to fix it, you will regret it.

 

[MichaelBits]

He doesn't want to replace it.... yet.

I'll give him the details and go from there. He is one of our good long term customers and is quite understanding.
He generally never powers it down anyhow, but I can be OCD and like to be thorough.

 

[nlinecomputers]

And how will you know for certain there aren't other issues. Have you done any memory tests? Hard drive tests? Stress tests?