# Computer problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981 "2012-11-24T14:55:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/1 "2012-11-24T14:55:18Z")
Yesterday I was running my tablesaw without turning off my computer. When I came back in the house the computer was dead. Light is still on the switch but otherwise dead. If I reboot I can hear hardrive start to turn for maybe 2 seconds then stop. Could this be a power supply problem? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/2 "2012-11-24T16:08:28Z")
That would be the first place I’d start. What brand of PC (or power supply if custom built) is it? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/3 "2012-11-24T16:36:10Z")
PC is HP about 4 yrs old. Power supply is 250 watt liteon ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/4 "2012-11-24T16:50:32Z")
It might be a power supply problem, but the power supply is working well enough to spin up the hard drive for a couple of seconds. It is much more common for a power supply to completely go out. A motherboard or processor problem is more likely in your case. Some motherboards will beep if the processor is dead. Others won’t. If the 3.3 volt portion of the power supply dies but the 5 and 12 remain ok you’ll get the same basic symptoms as a dead processor which is why you still could have a power supply problem. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/5 "2012-11-24T16:53:01Z")
Thanks guys, I will try a power supply first and report back in a couple of hours ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/6 "2012-11-24T16:54:08Z")
Not sure how to identify the processor? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/7 "2012-11-24T16:58:12Z")
One more thing on the front of my computer is a little warning light that is orange next to what looks like 3 disks. This is weakly flashing ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/8 "2012-11-24T17:34:03Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > It might be a power supply problem, but the power supply is working well enough to spin up the hard drive for a couple of seconds. It is much more common for a power supply to completely go out. A motherboard or processor problem is more likely in your case. > > Some motherboards will beep if the processor is dead. Others won’t. If the 3.3 volt portion of the power supply dies but the 5 and 12 remain ok you’ll get the same basic symptoms as a dead processor which is why you still could have a power supply problem. What happens if the supply is no longer bringing up the “PWR\_OK” line? ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/9 "2012-11-24T17:54:09Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > If the 3.3 volt portion of the power supply dies but the 5 and 12 remain ok you’ll get the same basic symptoms as a dead processor which is why you still could have a power supply problem. Does this really happen that often? Most computer power supplies use a single converter to get all of the voltages (except for the standby output), with perhaps a linear regulator for the low-power negative output(s); a failure of just one output would require some break in the circuit ([and there isn’t much to go wrong in that area](http://www.pavouk.org/hw/atxps.png)). Some high-end power supplies are basically a 12 volt supply with DC/DC converters for the lower voltages for higher efficiency and better regulation, which could separately fail, but no 250 watt generic PSU will have this. FWIW, CPUs usually get their power from the 12 volt line; a failure of the separate power connector is more likely than a PSU failure if there isn’t any power to the CPU; 3.3 volts powers the motherboard logic (or perhaps that is what you meant, since no power to the logic will prevent the CPU from operating). ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/10 "2012-11-24T21:49:06Z")
I am feeling really stupid, I had it locked in my mind that the table saw spiked my computer. The monitor was out. I could have sworn it took longer to power up than it does take but all is normal now. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/11 "2012-11-24T21:53:59Z")
I was wondering what the table saw had to do with it in the OP…but was waiting for a resolution to the question before asking. 🙂 -D/a ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/12 "2012-11-24T23:54:07Z")
I do not know if running a table saw on the same circuit as a PC (is your table saw even on the same circuit?) can cause trouble in the PC, but I do know to beware of the fallacy of cause and effect. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/13 "2012-11-25T00:34:40Z")
Moral of the story: Always turn off the power to your computer when cutting it on a tablesaw. And wear goggles! ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/14 "2012-11-25T01:38:48Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Moral of the story: Always turn off the power to your computer when cutting it on a tablesaw. This is why you should never take your computer to your doctor to have it fixed… ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/15 "2012-11-26T21:44:59Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I do not know if running a table saw on the same circuit as a PC (is your table saw even on the same circuit?) can cause trouble in the PC, but I do know to beware of the fallacy of cause and effect. I’d recommend everybody who values their PC and data already use a power conditioning UPS (uninterrupted power supply) so it doesn’t matter what goes on on the rest of the circuit. They aren’t that expensive, and well worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/641981/16 "2012-11-26T22:40:10Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Moral of the story: Always turn off the power to your computer when cutting it on a tablesaw. > > And wear goggles! > [@ZenBeam](#): > > This is why you should never take your computer to your doctor to have it fixed… Why? Are you saying you should leave the power on when you’re cutting your computer on a tablesaw? Or are you saying you shouldn’t wear goggles?