Computer Will Not Turn On

[Kohr'dan Voss]

For the last couple weeks here, my computer would freeze up (mouse wouldn't move and there were less noises coming from the CPU). When this would happen, I'd hold down the power button until it turned off, then I would reset it. This would always restart until an hour ago. It froze, I turned it off, but now it won't start.
It kind of starts, meaning that it will turn on, the monitor will snap on for just a second and then go back to idle. The power turns over (like a car) but doesn't boot up completely. Power to the cd drive and the fan work, and it seems like it starts up normally for only five seconds. I've tried unplugging the power supply off the back and restarting it but that would not work as well.
I'm using a Dell Dimension 2350 personal computer with Windows XP Pro. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[lawson_jl]

If your PSU is failing or failed in this case, it's likely that your PSU fan has stoped spinning making it over heat and that's the cause of the lock ups. The lack of noise would be the fan on your PSU not spinning. This would cause yoru PSU to fail and would cause the system not to boot completely, i.e fans and lights come on but no boot. My first thought would be to replace the PSU.

 

[remixedcat]

Dell-the one word to describe your problem... Please replace PC and try again.

 

[CardboardSword]

Dell-the one word to describe your problem... Please replace PC and try again.

While this may be true, that is kind of an unnecessary comment to make. It does sound like an overheating issue of some sort, and since its not just flat-out shutting down (like it would with dangerously hot CPU for example) the PSU is the prime suspect. Do you have any way of testing it in another computer? Or perhaps another power supply in yours?

 

[fmw]

While the the power supply is a likely suspect, it could be any number of things. You need to do the basic troubleshooting routine.