AnimeSuki Forums

Calca · 2010-05-17, 06:06

I left for the weekend and turned off my computer. When I came back on Sunday, the thing wouldn't turn on. I find it a bit strange that something would go out when the computer was off.

When everything is normal the motherboard always has a green light that is on while power is connected. The green light is not on at this time and when I turn the main power switch on (not the button to power up the computer) the power supply makes a low rattling sound.

Does this sound like a bad power supply?

xris · 2010-05-17, 07:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streetor

I left for the weekend and turned off my computer. When I came back on Sunday, the thing wouldn't turn on. I find it a bit strange that something would go out when the computer was off.

When everything is normal the motherboard always has a green light that is on while power is connected. The green light is not on at this time and when I turn the main power switch on (not the button to power up the computer) the power supply makes a low rattling sound.

Does this sound like a bad power supply?

Well, in practice things don't "go out" during the time they are powered off, they fail during the power down or power up sequence.

Sadly, the best guess we can make is that either
(i) the PSU is at fault
or...
(ii) something else is.

Doesn't help much does it

The problem could wel be the PSU and that has to be the first thing to try. But, bear in mind that the fault could be (for example) the motherboard. It is possible a component on the motherboard has shorted and is drawing too much power. When this happens the PSU would go into some sort of protection mode and shut itself down as to not cause further problems. Trouble is, nearly any component in your PC could be causing this problem if it is some sort of short-circuit.

The fact that the green light isn't on would imply the PSU but again, a short on the m/b might give the same symptoms.

Tiberium Wolf · 2010-05-17, 07:36

I think you should test the PSU cable first. If you are lucky and it's just the cable then it's easy to replace.

Calca · 2010-05-17, 07:44

From time to time the PSU unit would make a very loud "whirl" sound for no reason.

I'm pretty sure there was no surge because all the other components that were plugged into the strip work fine.

The most mysterious thing to me is that I shut down the computer on Saturday and on Sunday it just wouldn't turn on at all (the fan in the power supply isn't moving either.) The only thing that I hear from the comp is the low rattling sound from the PSU.

xris · 2010-05-17, 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streetor

From time to time the PSU unit would make a very loud "whirl" sound for no reason.

Was this back when it was working? If so, then it might imply the PSU was overheating and the sound was the fan going into overdrive to try and cool the unit down.

This might have something to do with the problem. If the PSU wasn't man enough for the job (i.e. your PC was drawing too much power because the PC configuration exceeded the PSU spec) then that might explain the problem. Over time the additional stress of providing too much current to the PC caused a component inside the PSU to break.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streetor

I'm pretty sure there was no surge because all the other components that were plugged into the strip work fine.

No, I'm not saying there was a surge at all. The act of turning on (or off) electronics can cause a lot of stress (i.e. thermal expansion / contraction), this in itself can cause a unit to malfunction / break.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streetor

The most mysterious thing to me is that I shut down the computer on Saturday and on Sunday it just wouldn't turn on at all (the fan in the power supply isn't moving either.) The only thing that I hear from the comp is the low rattling sound from the PSU.

Again, this is not that unusual. It implies the problem most likely occured during the power down.

BTW, most PC PSUs never fully turn off but produce a standby voltage (even when the PSU switch is off). Do you turn your PC off at the mains after shutting down?

Calca · 2010-05-17, 08:02

No, I do not turn the PSU itself off. I just push the "Shut down" option and walk away and let the system boot itself down.

xris · 2010-05-17, 08:18

It would help if we knew more details. Since we cannot eyeball the PC or the problem then it means we can only throw out a bunch of guesses, some good some bad.

Give details about the PC. Was it "home-built"? Off the shelf? What sort of upgrades did it have from the basic spec (as in, did it have additional hard discs, additional memory installed)? How old is it? How often is it powered on?

What is the spec of the PSU. Make and model number might help. Rough spec of the PC might help but ideally we would need to know the power requirement of the system (with all the add ons).

You can try some things yourself. Try and disconnect as much as you can (i.e. hard discs, additional memory). If it is one of these causing the problem then if you remove items one at a time then you might be able to identify the component causing the overload. But, please bear in mind such results can be misleading if you are not familiar fault-finding in this way. PSUs require a "minimum load" to correctly power up so you can't just disconnect everything because even a working PSU wouldn't power up in such a configuration.

Still, PSU is most likely but you really need a replacement to be sure. But it rather depends how good you are at fault-finding to recognise the actual problem. A short on the m/b can make it appear the PSU is at fault and at worse such a fault can blow the replacement PSU

StudioJC · 2010-05-17, 08:21

If you finally narrowed it down to your psu, don't try to fix it. Just buy a new one. PSUs can cause damage to the other parts of the PC and it's just not worth the risk trying to squeeze some more life out of it.

I'm not sure what your psu looks like, but try to check for a 110 and 220v at the back. Maybe someone decided to play a prank and switched it to something else. Be careful about this one. A lower voltage is no problem for a very short period of time, but a higher one can probably toast your pc for good.

Also, I can't be too sure about this but it might be a bloated capacitor or some bug went inside and got caught in the fan. Anyway, it can be anything.

Calca · 2010-05-17, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by xris

It would help if we knew more details. Since we cannot eyeball the PC or the problem then it means we can only throw out a bunch of guesses, some good some bad.

Give details about the PC. Was it "home-built"? Off the shelf? What sort of upgrades did it have from the basic spec (as in, did it have additional hard discs, additional memory installed)? How old is it? How often is it powered on?

What is the spec of the PSU. Make and model number might help. Rough spec of the PC might help but ideally we would need to know the power requirement of the system (with all the add ons).

You can try some things yourself. Try and disconnect as much as you can (i.e. hard discs, additional memory). If it is one of these causing the problem then if you remove items one at a time then you might be able to identify the component causing the overload. But, please bear in mind such results can be misleading if you are not familiar fault-finding in this way. PSUs require a "minimum load" to correctly power up so you can't just disconnect everything because even a working PSU wouldn't power up in such a configuration.

Still, PSU is most likely but you really need a replacement to be sure. But it rather depends how good you are at fault-finding to recognise the actual problem. A short on the m/b can make it appear the PSU is at fault and at worse such a fault can blow the replacement PSU

The PSU is a Thermaltake purepower I believe it is 600W. I don't know for sure because I'm not at home at this time so I really can't see for sure which serial # it is.

The computer is custom built with a 2.4ghz quad core processor. It is about 1.5 years old and the other modifications I have made on it is adding an extra gig of ram (it is actually 4gigs but XP can only utilize 3 gigs) and a small video card upgrade when the first video card went out.

xris · 2010-05-17, 10:16

Someone else will have to comment if a 600W PSU is adequate for your set-up.

I would suggest the following steps.

Systematically remove one item at a time from the PC and power up to see if there is any difference to the fault.

Remove the memory from the m/b (all of it).
Remove any cards installed (such as your video card).
Remove all disc drives, DVD drives, etc.
Remove all external network cables, printer, mouse and keyboard cables.

If no different then physically remove the PSU from the PC.

Check the plugs and sockets for any burn signs or any indication of sparking.
Give the PSU a shake every which way and make sure nothing falls out (such as a bug or something).
Sniff the PSU to see if it there is any smell of burning or burnt components.
Check the fan still spins (just flick it to make sure it rotates and isn't jammed).

Reinstall the PSU and connect it all back up and try again. If there isn't any difference then purchase a new PSU and try that. You could try the PSU in annother PC but that can lead to a whole bunch of new problems if you are not sure what you are doing.

You might also consider just chucking the whole PC at a repair shop and get them to fault find. It will be more expensive that way and expect them to give you a lot of waffle as to why they charged you so much.

SaintessHeart · 2010-05-17, 10:24

Turn off the PSU, then turn it on again. If it has a voltage switch, remember it is switched to the right one.

If not, check with another PSU external cable. Finally, check your mains with a test pen.

Alternatively, you should get another PSU from a friend to test it out.

TCman · 2010-05-17, 12:00

Hi,

The problem could be the psu, but it also could be the motherboard.

There's a trick to test your psu by using a paperclip: http://aphnetworks.com/lounge/turn_o...aperclip_trick

But becareful, since the psu is a high power device. If you have another psu then it's better to that instead to test out the PC.

So if you can turn on the psu with the paperclip trick then the psu should be okay; an other pc component/hardware is at fault (perhaps the motherboard or even the cpu).

Hope this help you a bit,

Good luck!

Calca · 2010-05-19, 06:22

Apparently it's both. I took the place to Best Buy and they plugged in a new PSU. Everything in the computer lit up such as the fans spinning and the appropriate lights came on.

However when plugged into a monitor, no picture came up and when you push and hold the power button, usually after a few seconds the computer turns off. But in this case it stayed on. They concluded the motherboard is failing.

SaintessHeart · 2010-05-19, 06:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streetor

Apparently it's both. I took the place to Best Buy and they plugged in a new PSU. Everything in the computer lit up such as the fans spinning and the appropriate lights came on.

However when plugged into a monitor, no picture came up and when you push and hold the power button, usually after a few seconds the computer turns off. But in this case it stayed on. They concluded the motherboard is failing.

Tried replacing the graphics card too?

Random32 · 2010-05-19, 14:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streetor

Apparently it's both. I took the place to Best Buy and they plugged in a new PSU. Everything in the computer lit up such as the fans spinning and the appropriate lights came on.

However when plugged into a monitor, no picture came up and when you push and hold the power button, usually after a few seconds the computer turns off. But in this case it stayed on. They concluded the motherboard is failing.

did they do anything to eliminate the chance that the graphics card could be the problem?

Calca · 2010-05-22, 11:08

I finally got back online. Something must have happened with the PSU and the motherboard between the times I went out of town and the time I came back a day later. I got a new Mobo and PSU and it works fine. I'm still trying to reconfigure my soundcard though. For some reason the system cannot find the sound card when I put in the install CD, but windows does find new hardware (I just can't install it). I also manually downloaded the driver and I got the same error (Cannot find support product).

I may try plugging the soundcard into another slot later on when I find the energy to mess with the computer some more. I can live with the onboard Mobo outbound for awhile.

I also found the modem (or the splitter it was connected to) was shot when I came back. I don't know if lightning stuck or what but a lot of stuff seemed fried while my monitor, speakers, and printer were fine.

Kindred · 2010-05-22, 16:26

Chances are it was hit my a storm. Since you mentioned you only turned off the computer but didnt turn off the switch at the back. Do you have a surge protector on the Computer by chance? If you do, you might want to buy a more reliable one too.

Ledgem · 2010-05-22, 23:44

When the power supply fails it's instantaneous, and it usually takes a few other components with it. It's likely that when you tried to power on the system and the power supply died, it sent off a jolt of electricity that fried the motherboard and possibly some other components.

2010-05-17, 06:06	Link #1
Calca Expressionless Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Walking on the path known as life	Power supply went out? I left for the weekend and turned off my computer. When I came back on Sunday, the thing wouldn't turn on. I find it a bit strange that something would go out when the computer was off. When everything is normal the motherboard always has a green light that is on while power is connected. The green light is not on at this time and when I turn the main power switch on (not the button to power up the computer) the power supply makes a low rattling sound. Does this sound like a bad power supply?

2010-05-17, 07:36	Link #3
Tiberium Wolf Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Age: 44	I think you should test the PSU cable first. If you are lucky and it's just the cable then it's easy to replace. __________________

2010-05-17, 10:16	Link #10
xris Just call me Ojisan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: U.K. Hampshire	Someone else will have to comment if a 600W PSU is adequate for your set-up. I would suggest the following steps. Systematically remove one item at a time from the PC and power up to see if there is any difference to the fault. Remove the memory from the m/b (all of it). Remove any cards installed (such as your video card). Remove all disc drives, DVD drives, etc. Remove all external network cables, printer, mouse and keyboard cables. If no different then physically remove the PSU from the PC. Check the plugs and sockets for any burn signs or any indication of sparking. Give the PSU a shake every which way and make sure nothing falls out (such as a bug or something). Sniff the PSU to see if it there is any smell of burning or burnt components. Check the fan still spins (just flick it to make sure it rotates and isn't jammed). Reinstall the PSU and connect it all back up and try again. If there isn't any difference then purchase a new PSU and try that. You could try the PSU in annother PC but that can lead to a whole bunch of new problems if you are not sure what you are doing. You might also consider just chucking the whole PC at a repair shop and get them to fault find. It will be more expensive that way and expect them to give you a lot of waffle as to why they charged you so much.

2010-05-17, 10:24	Link #11
SaintessHeart NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~ Join Date: Nov 2007 Age: 35	Turn off the PSU, then turn it on again. If it has a voltage switch, remember it is switched to the right one. If not, check with another PSU external cable. Finally, check your mains with a test pen. Alternatively, you should get another PSU from a friend to test it out. __________________ When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus. Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.

2010-05-22, 23:44	Link #18
Ledgem Love Yourself Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Northeast USA Age: 38	When the power supply fails it's instantaneous, and it usually takes a few other components with it. It's likely that when you tried to power on the system and the power supply died, it sent off a jolt of electricity that fried the motherboard and possibly some other components. __________________

2010-05-17, 07:44	Link #4
Calca Expressionless Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Walking on the path known as life	From time to time the PSU unit would make a very loud "whirl" sound for no reason. I'm pretty sure there was no surge because all the other components that were plugged into the strip work fine. The most mysterious thing to me is that I shut down the computer on Saturday and on Sunday it just wouldn't turn on at all (the fan in the power supply isn't moving either.) The only thing that I hear from the comp is the low rattling sound from the PSU.

2010-05-17, 08:02	Link #6
Calca Expressionless Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Walking on the path known as life	No, I do not turn the PSU itself off. I just push the "Shut down" option and walk away and let the system boot itself down.

2010-05-17, 08:18	Link #7
xris Just call me Ojisan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: U.K. Hampshire	It would help if we knew more details. Since we cannot eyeball the PC or the problem then it means we can only throw out a bunch of guesses, some good some bad. Give details about the PC. Was it "home-built"? Off the shelf? What sort of upgrades did it have from the basic spec (as in, did it have additional hard discs, additional memory installed)? How old is it? How often is it powered on? What is the spec of the PSU. Make and model number might help. Rough spec of the PC might help but ideally we would need to know the power requirement of the system (with all the add ons). You can try some things yourself. Try and disconnect as much as you can (i.e. hard discs, additional memory). If it is one of these causing the problem then if you remove items one at a time then you might be able to identify the component causing the overload. But, please bear in mind such results can be misleading if you are not familiar fault-finding in this way. PSUs require a "minimum load" to correctly power up so you can't just disconnect everything because even a working PSU wouldn't power up in such a configuration. Still, PSU is most likely but you really need a replacement to be sure. But it rather depends how good you are at fault-finding to recognise the actual problem. A short on the m/b can make it appear the PSU is at fault and at worse such a fault can blow the replacement PSU

2010-05-17, 08:21	Link #8
StudioJC Loser-Bum Join Date: May 2010 Location: a little room	If you finally narrowed it down to your psu, don't try to fix it. Just buy a new one. PSUs can cause damage to the other parts of the PC and it's just not worth the risk trying to squeeze some more life out of it. I'm not sure what your psu looks like, but try to check for a 110 and 220v at the back. Maybe someone decided to play a prank and switched it to something else. Be careful about this one. A lower voltage is no problem for a very short period of time, but a higher one can probably toast your pc for good. Also, I can't be too sure about this but it might be a bloated capacitor or some bug went inside and got caught in the fan. Anyway, it can be anything.

2010-05-17, 12:00	Link #12
TCman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009	Hi, The problem could be the psu, but it also could be the motherboard. There's a trick to test your psu by using a paperclip: http://aphnetworks.com/lounge/turn_o...aperclip_trick But becareful, since the psu is a high power device. If you have another psu then it's better to that instead to test out the PC. So if you can turn on the psu with the paperclip trick then the psu should be okay; an other pc component/hardware is at fault (perhaps the motherboard or even the cpu). Hope this help you a bit, Good luck!

2010-05-19, 06:22	Link #13
Calca Expressionless Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Walking on the path known as life	Apparently it's both. I took the place to Best Buy and they plugged in a new PSU. Everything in the computer lit up such as the fans spinning and the appropriate lights came on. However when plugged into a monitor, no picture came up and when you push and hold the power button, usually after a few seconds the computer turns off. But in this case it stayed on. They concluded the motherboard is failing.

2010-05-22, 11:08	Link #16
Calca Expressionless Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Walking on the path known as life	I finally got back online. Something must have happened with the PSU and the motherboard between the times I went out of town and the time I came back a day later. I got a new Mobo and PSU and it works fine. I'm still trying to reconfigure my soundcard though. For some reason the system cannot find the sound card when I put in the install CD, but windows does find new hardware (I just can't install it). I also manually downloaded the driver and I got the same error (Cannot find support product). I may try plugging the soundcard into another slot later on when I find the energy to mess with the computer some more. I can live with the onboard Mobo outbound for awhile. I also found the modem (or the splitter it was connected to) was shot when I came back. I don't know if lightning stuck or what but a lot of stuff seemed fried while my monitor, speakers, and printer were fine.

2010-05-22, 16:26	Link #17
Kindred It's in your reach... Join Date: Dec 2005 Age: 37	Chances are it was hit my a storm. Since you mentioned you only turned off the computer but didnt turn off the switch at the back. Do you have a surge protector on the Computer by chance? If you do, you might want to buy a more reliable one too.