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chrisw91

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are all power supplies universal? as far as pluging it in and it working?

does this sound reasonable enough to get one? my computer wont boot, i start it, the computers screen comes up, before windows starts loading, then shuts off. and thats all it does. if i reset it about 10x it will finally go through and load everything. then when i go to use it the next morning, i move the mouse and it freezes and the comp just shut off.
 
are all power supplies universal?
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No. There are two main styles, ATX and BTX. Some will power both styles of MoBos,, but most are either-or.

does this sound reasonable enough to get one? my computer wont boot, i start it, the computers screen comes up, before windows starts loading, then shuts off. and thats all it does. if i reset it about 10x it will finally go through and load everything. then when i go to use it the next morning, i move the mouse and it freezes and the comp just shut off.
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I'd look into some other things before getting a new PSU. Do you get any errors while the system is POSTing? Is your CPU overheating? How are you resetting--clearing CMOS?
 
no, there werent any errors that it showed. how do u tell if it overheating? also i never turn it off. so how do i tell what kind i need? does it say on the psu if it is a ATX and BTX? thanks
 
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If it's overheating and shuts down, you'll usually see a message upon reboot. I'd reset CMOS still and see if that clears whatever is causing it before replacing the PSU. Most PSU's will say ATX or BTX on them, but if you go to newegg.com, you'll be able to sort them out.

Most systems use ATX Supplies. Really, the main use for BTX is prebuilt systems. What are your system specs?
 
how do u reset the cmos? what is it? uh i dont know much. it is a pentuim D, 1 GB ram, 250 GB hdd, and a 350 watt psu
 
To reset CMOS, refer to your MoBo manual. Or, if lazy, just pull the battery for about 30 seconds. What Motherboard do you have?
 
well what is it? and are u talking about the battery that is flat like a little watch battery? from what i could see, it is a ECS with ddr2 667
 
well what is it?
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Some BIOS makers have different ways to clear it. Typically it involves setting a Jumper on the Board for a period of time to delete the stored info.

and are u talking about the battery that is flat like a little watch battery?
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Yes.

from what i could see, it is a ECS with ddr2 667
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You'll want an ATX-style PSU then.
 
ok, so just take that battery out for a bit, then put it back in and try to start the computer? also i dont have any manuels or anything, i didnt build it, i bought it already put together with software pre-installed
 
ok, so just take that battery out for a bit, then put it back in
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Yes. 20 seconds should suffice.

also i dont have any manuels or anything, i didnt build it, i bought it already put together with software pre-installed
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Oh...then it might be a BTX. Where did you buy it? Better yet, if you can read a model number on the PSU, post it up and we can let you know for certain.
 
alright, i tried that and it didnt fix it. so u think the psu is the problem?
and it is an ATX, i found where i said it.
 
I'd try your RAM next, if you have 2 512MB sticks instead of 1 1GB stick. Remove one and start the system, see if it works, then swap with the other one. If the system works fine with one and is quirky with the other, it's a bad stick and needs to be replaced. If it's still quirky regardless, then yes, my next step would be to swap out the PSU.

If you have another computer would pull swap it out with to check, do that first rather than spending money on a new PSu and ultimately having it be something else.
 
ok, it wasnt the RAM. and im am goin to change the psu with my other comp, but the power supplie doesnt say wether it is an ATX or BTX. wat is the difference? will burn any thing up if they are different? or wat? thanks
 
wat is the difference? will burn any thing up if they are different? or wat? thanks
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The difference is the kind of connectors. Nothing will 'burn up', so no worries there.
 
alright, switched em and still didnt make a difference. and i put the original back in it and now the vga for the moniter doesnt work. pretty sure i put everything back in where it was. but more more importantly, what else might the problem be?
 
Well, if I were working on the system, I'd listen for anything that doesn't sound right while the system is POSTing or trying to load (HDD clicking noise, fan spluttering, excessive BIOS beeps, etc.). I'd also enter BIOS, load the default settings, then watch the Temps on the Hardware Monitor screen for about 5 minutes to see if any were very high or fluctuated a lot. I'd look for frayed cables or cracked/loose connectors, and also made certain everything on the MoBo was plugged into their respective sockets.
 
well, it sounds fine. and before i took the psu out, it would beep twice then do nothing, the (loading) LED stops flashing and everything. since i put it back in it doesnt beep anymore, but no video
 
When you swaped the P/Ss out are you sure you plugged back in all the Power connectors-Harddrive-4 Pin CPU power connector so on.
 
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