What's could be wrong with my computer?

[1337]

Hello,

First time me being on this forum, looks very helpfull and looks like there are a lot of smart people on here ...

Some specs about the computer i'm having problems with... Asus A7N8X motherboard, AMD Athlon XP 3000 cpu @ 333 ... 350w ez-media power supply, ATI Radeon 9200se 128 meg graphics card, 512 Ultra DDR 3200 memory ... running win xp home edition

I was playing a game on the computer, when the mouse started cutting out, i have an optical mouse, and it would cut out ( seemed like it would loose power cuz the light from the bottom of the mouse would turn off ) for a couple of seconds and then work properly afterwards ... this would happen on an off, i'd exit the game, go back to windows desktop and everything would work fine ... for the last time , i started the game up, and my computer turned off...

Now when i try to turn it back on , the fan from the power supply would turn on for a bout half a sec and then that's it ... the computer doesn't turn on .... It seemed to me that maybe my power supply was put under pressure when i was starting the game and then it died ... took the computer to one of the stores near me, they tested it and they said that the power supply seemed to be working ... so i sent the motherboard back to Asus ( still had a warranty on it ) today i received a new motherboard put it back together and it's still not turning on ...

Should i go and get a new "better" power supply or what should i look for?? Can anyone help me? Could it be that the cpu went? from my understanding it should still turn on and go al least to Post ... any help would be appreciated!

Sorry for the long post, i'm really frustrated, and i'm sorry if i posted in the wrong forum!

 

[Praetor]

When you get it working again:
1. Fire up the ASUS probe before you start playing a game, let it stabilize for a bit and note the temps and voltages
2. Play the game and when it fails etc, note the temps and voltages immeditely afterwards

Some things to consider:
- Yes a new PSU might be something to consider although that seems a bit too easy of a solution
- Could the RAM be a bit messed up?
- Theres no chance that the CPU could be fried right?

 

[1337]

One thing that i forgot to mention is that when i was on the computer, it was a pretty bad weather outside, saw a lot of lighning and i don't have a surge protector ....

but lets say for instance that it was a surge, wouldn't my PSU go as well? i think that would be the first thing to get fried, but apperently from what the guy at the computer store said is that he tested it and it was working ...

to answer your question about the RAM being messed up, i'm not sure, could be it ... but even if it was the computer should still start up, it should at least go to post .... but nothing happens, i turn the PSU switch on at the back , the green light at my MB comes on ( i think that's to show that there is power going to the motherboard) and then i press the button at the front of the computer to turn it on and nothing happens, as i said before it sounds like the PSU fan starts up for half a sec and then turns off...

It's wierd, i'm pretty sure i sound confusing, sorry

 

[kb1ghc]

Power Supply got messed up.

same thing happened to an old crappy compaq (i think) i didn't have an surge protector available, so i just plugged it into the wall. and i was using it as a server.

Check out a company called "Tripp-Lite" they have a surge protector called the "isobar"
they have a $50,000 USD insurance on them if they fail.

 

[kb1ghc]

those surge protectors are expencive though, starting at $45.10 (according to this catolog) for a 4 outlet surge protector. but the cool thing about these surge protectors is that every electrical outlet is isolated from the other one. So it keeps RF out of the lines, etc.

 

[kb1ghc]

you can over ride the motherboards control on the power supply. by shorting out the blue and green wires (i think) and it should turn on the power supply, over riding the motherboard.

http://www.ochardware.com/articles/psuvolt/psuvolt2.html

 

[Praetor]

but lets say for instance that it was a surge, wouldn't my PSU go as well? I think that would be the first thing to get fried, but apperently from what the guy at the computer store said is that he tested it and it was working ...

1. Ask him how he tested heehee
2. Its possible that a small part of the PSU could have been fried (i.e, capacitor overloaded etc) which would mean the thing would still work on a cursory inspection but not actually work as expected (then again im no electrician .. Neph?)

but even if it was the computer should still start up, it should at least go to post .... but nothing happens

When RAM goes sometimes the computer will start up, sometimes it wont.

i turn the PSU switch on at the back , the green light at my MB comes on ( I think that's to show that there is power going to the motherboard) and then I press the button at the front of the computer to turn it on and nothing happens, as I said before it sounds like the PSU fan starts up for half a sec and then turns off...

Thats most indicitive of a goner PSU (course it could still be something like an incapacitated mobo or something). Consider swapping a new PSU just to rule out the possibility

 

[1337]

well i just picked up a new PSU (Enermax 370watt) ... so as soon as i get home i'll try it out, hopefully that's the problem

 

[1337]

ok so i replaced the PSU, still doesn't work ... at least now the PSU stays on and seems to be working, it's just that nothing happens ... when i press the power button the PSU turns on the fan goes on and everything, but nothing else happens ... i guess imma try to see if i can get a cheap cpu .... i checked the motherboard, cpu fan, PSU, so next is the cpu ... this sucks

thank god i got my linux box to at least work on

 

[1337]

finally i'm home, couldn't wait aleady... replaced my old PSU with the new one i bought ... still doesn't work ... now at least the PSU is working, if i press the power button you can hear the PSU running, before that wasn't even running ... so i dunno, i guess the next step is to replace the CPU, which is gonna cost me some money , but hey i need my computer back ... probably gonna go over to my uncles place cuz he has a few xp 2400 cpu's so i'm going to check if that's the problem...

this really sucks

PS next time i'm not connecting anything to a wall unit unless it's through a surge protector

 

[Praetor]

the fan goes on and everything

"the" fan ... which fan? CPU fan? Case fan? PSU fan?

probably gonna go over to my uncles place cuz he has a few xp 2400 cpu's so i'm going to check if that's the problem...

While you're at it, bring your RAM over there and see if the memory is ok