What hardware components would cause a computer to not turn on?

Captain Kirk

Captain Kirk

Member
Hello hardware people!:good:

What hardware components would cause a computer to not turn on?

My computer wont start, so I'm just trying to figure out what hardware might be causing this happen:eek:

--Captain Kirk
 
Power supply, motherboard, processor.

What happens when you press the power button? Do you get any lights or fans to come on?
 
When the computer is able to turn on, it runs just fine as normal without any problems.
I haven't been able to turn it on for several days, but when I have turned it on, it loads up normally.
And once the computer starts, it keeps going, even if I turn it off, meaning that it turns off and then I am able to restart it instantly with no problems.
However, the next day, it is the same and it wont turn on.

--Captain Kirk
 
Meaning there is no power anywhere??? You never answered my previous questions..
 
Specifics

Hello Johnb35:)

When you press the power button, the computer does not turn on. There are no lights on the computer. The computer is plugged in and the computer has power. The fan does not come on.

This is a different issue, but some time ago, the computer decided to start turning on by itself when the power cord is plugged into it without needing to press the power button.

Bigfella:cool:
Nice to see you Bigfella.
Thanks for your help!
(I didn't know you were from Austrailia. Austrailia's cool)
here's your details mate:

Sometimes it takes plugging in and unplugging the computer repeatedly for one entire hour to get the computer to turn on -- if it does.
This is why I have given up on trying to turn it on for several days.

--Captain Kirk:confused::confused::confused:
 
Captain Kirk said:
This is a different issue, but some time ago, the computer decided to start turning on by itself when the power cord is plugged into it without needing to press the power button.
Click to expand...

This is either a power supply or motherboard issue. What power supply do you have?
 
Bigfellla,
How's you?

For as long as I had the used laptop, I NEVER had a CMOS battery. It was just until recently that I didn't have to endure the "please set date and time" message every time that I booted, and did not have to regularly change the date and time. What a relief that was.

Now I have a brand new CMOS battery in the laptop. As far as I know the CMOS battery only keeps track of the internal clock.

Johnb35,

I have a HP, output: 18 Volt, input: 100-240V ~50/60Hz AC/DC adapter

--Captain Kirk
 
Dear Johnb35,

You said something about the power cord?;)
Well, okay, so I got a brand new power cord:)
Figured I'd give it a whirl.:P

Nothing!:rolleyes:
No Lights:eek:
No Fan:confused:
But there IS a light that goes on on the power cord though, so I know that it is getting juice...

You have any ideas why this happening?
1. (The rechargeable internal laptop battery is charging just fine and is at max power)
2. (A light goes on on the power cord)
3. (I got a brand new power cord)
4. (The computer has started before)
* (There is a brand new CMOS battery)

--Captain Kirk:(
 
tWINKI,

The power button does not seem like the issue, as when plugged in, the computer starts by itself.
The issue is that it "doesn't" turn on.

I would be glad if it did turn on.
It has been many weary days since I tried, for this process is grueling and very troublesome.

I am going to try and start it again by plugging and unplugging it repeatingly for about an hour, but hopefully it will start before then.
Of course, there is also the possibility that it won't start at all, but that is my worst fear, and I hope that is not the case.

And just to note, even though the possible "sticking power button" is most likely not the issue, I must admit that you did give me the idea that this is what might be causing my computer to turn on by itself. I could not figure out why it was doing this.

Thanks,

--Captain Kirk
 
Spirit?
Hey Spirit, what's up?
How you doing bro? It's been awhile.

Man, you've got spirit, that guides wonderful and very complete. Thorough job dude. Amazing how you were able to list ALL of the things that it could be.
Now just to see what it could be. I saw a couple possible things that I could do after reading through your diagnostic article.
It is true that I don't have a desktop, but computers are primarily the same.
I have not opened up the computer, so I can narrow it down by skipping past the "unplugged internal cords" and such.
I am going to try everthing that you suggested!

WinDude,
Nice to meet you.

Power components?
What exactly do you mean by this? What hardware are you referring to?

--Captain Kirk
 
Spirit,
Yo Bro, how's ya?

Okay, so I did everything in that article that you wrote. It will still not boot. When I try to post, it does not turn on, so therefore there are no beeps.

Here's what I did: [After every step, I tried to boot]
1. Reseated the CMOS
2. Took out the unnecessary/unused Modem Card
3. Reseated both the RAM
4. Took out 1 RAM
5. Took out the second RAM
6. Switched first RAM's seat
7. Switched second RAM's seat
8. Switched both RAM's seats when I put them both in.
9. Took out the DVD drive
10. Took out the rechargeable battery
11. Got a brand new power supply

Spirit, none of these work -- you have any ideas? [Laptop]

WinDude,
Hello.

Refer to several posts back on this same thread. If you remember reading it, it says that I got a new power supply, but it still did not boot.
I had thought you read this.

Therefore you can see why your question was kind of confusing.
But the main confusion was that you termed the "Power Supply" with the words, "power components",
WinDude said:
It may also be with the power components.
Click to expand...

which threw me off.
It was also 'Plural' [(s) components], not singular, hinting that there was more than one power component:
And if you had read my earlier posts, you would have known that I had a laptop = only 1 Power Supply.

A Desktop has a internal power supply AND an external power cord = 2 components.
However, the laptop ONLY has 1 cord, which is externally attached directly to the power supply = 1 components [(s)]


Captain Kirk
USS Enterprise
 
Yo Kirk how is ya? :P

Sadly, I think I'm going to say that your board is bad if none of the above worked. You mentioned earlier that when you plug the AC adapter in, the laptop just starts by itself, right? That's a sign of a bad motherboard. :(

I had an IBM ThinkPad A31 a few years ago which did exactly this and eventually it just died all together because of a bad motherboard.
 
Spirit,
Hey Wiz Kid!

When I was 14, I was doing computer programming. I got the "software" end of things, but don't know much about the hardware end of things.
Also, like you, I prefer and am mostly used to a desktop. All my experience is with a desktop. I am just a beginner when it comes to the laptop.

What I did, was everything that I could think of doing "without" having to open the laptop up. I am not familiar with how to do this. I know that it is similar to a desktop, in that when you first open it, there is a cord that stretches across and that must first be unplugged before the computer can be opened up the rest of the way.
The laptop cords are very 'fragile' and I not sure how to unplug the main cord to open it.

Do you know how to unplug this cord? Maybe press on the sides of the plug connector or use some kind of tool?

If I can figure out how to open it up, I guess I can still check the USB connector/just take it out, but on a laptop, I'm not sure how to do this, or if it is even possible.
And then there is also the part about how you said that there was a light on the mobo; did you mean that on a laptop you can "only" see the light from the mobo if you don't open it up, OR, is there 'also' a light on the mobo itself when you open it up and look in? Because you said to check to see if there is a light on the mobo.

When I plug it in, when I have not opened it up, there is no lights on the computer at all.

And if it is the mobo, would it be possible for it to start sometimes, and then go out after that?

Captain Kirk
USS Enterprise
 
Not sure how you disassemble laptops, never had to do it before. I think the best thing to do would be to check in your laptop manual if you have it, or download the manual from the manufacturer website if you don't have it.

When I said look for a light on the board, I should have said it only really applies to desktop motherboards.

I do think however that the board is dead. The fact that when you plugged an AC cable into it and it just started up on its own without you having to press the power button is a sign that the board is dying/dead.
 
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