Troubleshooting Request - Hardware

[Concordedly]

My computer has been fine since I bought it. I left it on the other night, (no programs were running, just the desktop), and when I woke up I noticed it was shut off. I tried to boot it up, nothing happened. Taking the case cover off, I notice that when I press the power button, the CPU fan and the secondary fan start to spin, but then stop. The power button that normally stays lit when the computer is on shuts off as soon as the fans stop spinning as well. The power indicator light on the PSU lights up when plugged in.

This being said, I don't know what happened. Any troubleshooting advice would be greatly appreciated. The computer in question is the one in my signature. I also have since added a PNY PCIe1GB graphics card since I made the signature, but I tried removing it and it still won't turn on. Again, any help, successful or not, would be appreciated.

 

[spirit]

Take a read of this http://www.computerforum.com/209946-tech-guide-diagnosing-pc-will-not-post-start.html and try some of the steps there.

 

[Concordedly]

Take a read of this http://www.computerforum.com/209946-tech-guide-diagnosing-pc-will-not-post-start.html and try some of the steps there.

I was already looking at it

Question though, I have never heard my motherboard make a sound when I startup. How do I make it beep?

 

[spirit]

You need an internal speaker to hear the beep codes, otherwise it won't work. Most motherboards don't come with them, but some do.

 

[johnb35]

First start by resetting the cmos. Remove power from power supply, remove cmos battery from motherboard, press the power button on the case a few times to discharge any remaining power. Then wait 5 minutes then reconnect everything and see if it boots up. Also try removing reinserting the memory. If not, I would start with a different power supply.

 

[Concordedly]

Thanks I will try this as soon as I get home and report with update on my backup computer. (The one that makes me want to slit my wrists. )

 

[Concordedly]

Tried the above mentioned, no go. To try a different power supply must I disconnect all of the power connectors from the old power supply or can I just hook up a different one directly to the motherboard to test it?

 

[johnb35]

All you need is the 4 pin cpu and the 20/24 pin main hooked up. You don't even need to hook up devices.

 

[Concordedly]

Well it's just as you thought. Power supply was bad. Hooked up the new power supply without devices or ram and the motherboard stays on and produces the beeps as described. Guess I need to find a slimline power supply now or get risky and get an external one. ~sigh

Thanks for the help.

 

[johnb35]

You may want to hook up power to the hdd and cd drives just in case you have a bad device. I've seen a bad hdd cause this symptom too.

 

[Concordedly]

Tried it, everything booted into Windows normally. Decided to take my first major hardware dive and transfer the slimline motherboard into my fullsize case. Had to remove the hardware that was in that case, but after two and a half hours of careful work with my clumsy hands, I managed to get the computer swapped, hooked up, and I'm now typing from my refurbished desktop. If you're ever in Iowa let me know and I'll buy you a beer.