So I’m humming along, happily browsing the SDMB, when the computer freezes. Thinking that the link that I had just clicked was the culprit, I three finger salute to bring up XP’s task manager and kill the offender. After a few minutes of inactivity, I grow a bit worried - this isn’t the first time I have managed to crash windows XP, but I can count the number of times on the fingers of one hand.
Hitting the reset button on the computer case clears the frozen image from my monitor…but now, the computer doesn’t boot. I can hear the fans going in the case, but the POST / BIOS screen never appears, and the light on the monitor indicates no signal from my video card.
Hitting reset repeatidly has no effect, so I turn off the computer from the power supply in back and unplug it.
Waiting for an hour or so to let everything cool down, I plug everything back in, turn the power supply on, and punch the power button on the case. Nothing happens, not even the sound of the fans in the case.
My best theory, at this point, is that my power supply has died. Taking the case off, I look inside and flick the power supply switch several times. Whenever I turn it on, the case and processor fan both turn for a second…then stop. Punching the power button on the case still has no effect.
So something seriously is wrong. I bring my troubles directly to the Source for All Knowledge. What are your suggestions / theories?
I agree with xash, it’s very hard to diagnose remotely. I’d second the suggestion that it’s your power supply. Rip the PS from your decidely inferior computer and whack it in the dead one, and you’ll be away! [sub]maybe[/sub]
The fact that the case fan (which is internal to the power supply)is not working means it is most probably the power supply, not the motherboard. You can prove it, if it’s an ATX power supply, by shorting the green wire with a black wire, as per this photo from Dan’s Data. If the fan doesn’t spin, it’s the power supply.
boss, there is nothing wrong with any capacitor. it’s just that you have a loose contact between ur on/off switch and the motherboard. or even the smps wires to your motherboard wire.
suggestion
remove the plug of the switch to the motherboard and just short the contacts with a screw driver and see if it comes on.
I have a power supply from a desktop & I plug that in instead. You know I just plug it right into the board. That’s how I test things like this. That way I don’t have to take it apart to test. Frankly, in my opinion you’d probably do better just getting another case with p/s if its the p/s.
Disclaimer: The following post may or may not be too technical for you. Read at your own risk.
Is this non-inferior computer a rather new acquisition? What processor are you running? What’s the wattage on the current power supply?
The power supply from the old machine may not have enough oomph to run the new computer. Many new processors require a PS of at least 300, if not 350-400 Watts. Maybe the new PS wasn’t powerful enough. Is your new computer a name brand, or did you build it yourself?
Computer was bought originally three years ago…and has been upgraded regularly as parts broke/became obsolete.
About six months ago, I upgraded the mobo and processor, from an AMD K6-2 300MHz to an athalon 900MHz. About three months ago, I replaced the voodoo2 3d card with a shiny new ATI SDR 32MB Radeon (PCI slot).
So although the computer itself isn’t exactly new…it is relatively modern.
When I got the Radeon card, I noted that my power supply is rated for 250 watts…the minimum required power for the Radeon card. I knew at the time that I was taking a chance using the old supply (three years old now) … but decided to risk it. Plus, I couldn’t afford the 20 to 30 USD at the time.
So, the power supply was the first suspect in my mind. On the other hand, I am far from being an expert, so I wanted the opinions of more learned minds on the subject. Plus, there was always the possibility that I had overlooked something obvious. Something that wouldn’t require an additional purchase
I tried what Marcus suggested…even though the power supply isn’t an ATX. Nothing happened…so I am going to gamble and head to Circuit City tonight and pick up a new power supply.
You might want to call ahead to see if they have it. Unless it’s some kind of Circuit City superstore it probably won’t have separate ATX power supplies. That’s more of a smaller local PC store thing most of the time unless you’re in a large urban area with a Frys or similar store.
Circuit City didn’t have them. They told me to head to Computer Success, a couple of blocks down, where I gagged on the prices. 120 USD for a 400 watt supply? I could get a whole new case for 79 USD, with a 300 watt supply included.
Since I didn’t feel like ripping my mobo out of the old case tonight, I’m going to head to Best Buy / Krazy Kenny’s Custom Computer Warehouse tomorrow.
