[chewmanji]

Hey Everyone,

My computer right now is MESSED UP. Last night, while playing games, it just died out on me. As in, all of a sudden, the screen goes black and everything shuts down.

I then tried to turn the darn thing on again, but to no avail. The power button does NOTHING. So I'm thinking maybe a breaker went or something. I leave the thing for a while, come back to it the next morning, and lo and behold, it STILL doesn't turn on.

There doesn't seem to be a problem with my power supply, as the light on my network interface remains on while the power supply switch is on. I did try turning the power supply switch completely off, leaving it for a while and then turning it back on. When I turned it back on, I heard a high pitched sound not unlike a camera flash charging up. Then I pushed the power button, at which point the CPU fan twitched, but the computer still didn't turn on.

SOMEBODY HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!!!! Yeah, it's screwed up. I really hope someone can help me on this. I don't wanna have to send the thing in for repairs....god I hope I don't have to replace my mobo.

 

[emelius]

w/o hearin' the sound i'd guess it's the power supply's fan...i had a similar problem...squealin' sound then all went black...hafta figure there's only so many movin' parts inside a computer capable of makin' such a sound so ya...replaced the psu & all was well...

but if the sound is completely different then the problem could be as well...

if your mobo is powerin' up (even sometimes) then i doubt that it's gone bad...

a loose power connection anywhere inside the computer could cause it to go black instantly, but there'd be nothin' audible there (if there was then you'd KNOW that it's a power problem--accompanied by fire & brimstone)...

first unplug from the wall & turn psu off...go over every single power connection (disconnect, look for loose wires, reconnect)...then check to make sure your heatsink/fan is situated properly (while we're on the subject you might check to see if you're overheatin' or & if it's your cpu fan that's makin' the sound)...i'd clear your cmos, too before you plug back into the wall etc then power back on...if you still get nothin' i'd try a different psu...borrow one if ya hafta....

keep us posted....

 

[ServinginEcuador]

I'm actually guessing that your 5v or 12v power went out in your computer. Fans run off of 12v power, as does the majority of the MB, and it really sounds like that is what went out on you.

If it were the MB that went bad it would still power up and the PSU fan would run, but that is not happening.

I would seriously look at replacing the PSU, so try and buy one at a local store that will allow for a return; or look at taking it to a store that will make sure that the PSU is really what is bad.

 

[wallijonn]

Quote:

Originally posted by chewmanji the CPU fan twitched, but the computer still didn't turn on.

if you remove the mouse & keyboard, and it still does the same - your CPU is cooked.

 

[chewmanji]

guh. i dont like the sound of this from wallijohn's post.

i'll try hooking up the PSU from my old comp to see whats up.

oh yeah, the sound i hear goes away after a couple seconds. and the cpu fan only twitches right after i've turned the psu off and back on again. after that, absolutely nothing.

and my mobo does not power up AT ALL.

 

[D-EJ915]

my friend fried his mobo before, it's easier than you'd think, try running the CPU in somebody else's system, etc. just to make sure.

1400

 

[Sovkiller]

Replace the PSU and see if the problem persists, I doubt it will be other thing than that, this is the main cause of those problems this PSUs sucks man, to many things inside, and at the end all are the same ********....

 

[D-EJ915]

haha, my PS rocks, I've had more stuff running from my 300W Antec than 2 of most computers do!, and it still rocked on, get an antec if that's what's truly broken, they're rock solid.

 

[Voodoochile]

Quote:

Originally posted by Sovkiller Replace the PSU and see if the problem persists, I doubt it will be other thing than that, this is the main cause of those problems this PSUs sucks man, to many things inside, and at the end all are the same ********....

True.. a crappy PSU is the cause of many instability issues. Not the only cause of course, but more often then people suspect. Having 300 or 400w isn't enough if it's poorly regulated, or cand deliver the current needed on the low-voltage rails. Most dept. store PCs, and many aftermarket cases come with junk PSUs.

The newer CPUs need a lot of very tightly regulated current. The Antecs are very nice, and still widely available.

Edit: They need a lot of tightly VOLTAGE regulated current. Not current regulation, as I posted, but lots of current, with very tight voltage regulation.
Most of these cheesy PSUs have very limited current cap on the 3.3v rail, adn the voltage drifts up and down by several percent. Your CPU hates this with a passion.

 

[chewmanji]

well, i checked again, and the high pitched noise is coming from the PSU. I think it's the PSU that's messed, but i'd have to find a new psu just to make sure. Turns out the PSU from my old IBM PII 300 doesn't match with my new mobo. guh what a pain.

if it's not my PSU that's at fault, i presume the problem is with the mobo or the processor, correct?

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Chew,

Remove everything from the PSU cables and try to fire up the PSU all by itself with nothing else attached to it. If, after removing every single power connection from your computer, it fires up and the fan runs on it, it is NOT the PSU. This will eliminate the PSU as the culprit.

 

[Voodoochile]

If it's an ATX PSU, it won't start if disconnected from the motherboard, even if good.

Pin 13 and pin 14 (black and green, typically) need to be shorted. The green wire is the 'ON' lead which when shorted to black, turns the PSU on. Do not let it run without a load, though. If it spins up, unplug it... don't leave it running.

 

[chewmanji]

it is an atx psu.

so the pins i need to short out are those on the mobo connector? i'm not sure which is which cuz the thing has 20 pins..

stupid old psu's on my old computers don't have the same mobo connector as the new one. otherwise i'd try my old ones

edit: i have found the red and black pins. how do i go about shorting them out? can i just use a paper clip or somethnig? so far when i've joined those two leads with a paper clip, the psu still doesn't turn on. i really wish i had an extra psu to try out.

 

[Voodoochile]

GREEN and black. Not red. You can plug in and turn on... then just touch the curved end of a paperclip to the two pins.

You really have to be sure it is the GREEN and adjacent black, or trouble may ensue. The plastic housing is numbered, if you look very closely.
Or, you can buy another PSU for about $30, or borrow one. Cheaper than another mobo or processor. Someone must have a spare you could borrow?

Pin Signal Colour
1 +3.3 VDC Orange
2 +3.3 VDC Orange
3 COM Black
4 +5 VDC Red
5 COM Black
6 +5 VDC Red
7 COM Black
8 POK Gray
9 +5 VSB Purple
10 +12 VDC Yellow
11 +3.3 VDC Orange
or
11 3.3 V sense Brown
12 -12 VDC Blue
13 COM Black
14 PS-ON Green
15 COM Black
16 COM Black
17 COM Black
18 -5 VDC White
19 +5 VDC Red
20 +5 VDC Red

 

[chewmanji]

lol, sorry i meant to say green. anyway, i've tried it, and it seems the PSU does not work. i will probably get a new PSU in the very new future.

I don't have many components in my system, so will a 300W unit be sufficient? All I have in there right now is a CD-RW, 1 hard drive, 1 floppy, and 1 vid card. The only thing I see myself adding in the near future is an additional hard drive.