Computer shut off and won't turn on!

MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
edited May 2005 in Hardware
I just finished playing WoW when I left my computer to help prepare dinner. 10-15 minutes later I fix up a plate and head to my room. ...my computer's off. Nobody touched my computer. No one even entered my room. I thought maybe it had overheated. (It is very hot in my room - summer's almost in full swing, and no a/c so my cpu idles above 90*F) But then I realized my computer's been folding all day. It folds 24/7. The computer won't turn on. I hit the switch in the back to off, then on. Try again, no luck. So I open the computer, fiddle with the ATX connector and reset CMOS, and reseated the RAM. No luck.

What the heck happened to my computer!! I'm stumped and have no clue what to do! :mad:

One thing to note: While I was playing WoW it kinda froze for about 5 seconds and then returned but there was some kind of window open in the backround, it looked like an ATi warning of some kinda sort. I just closed the window and WoW went on like normal.


EDIT:
I have a feeling my PSU took a crap 'cause the power led on my mobo isn't on. Not cool.

Comments

  • maximusbadmaximusbad The Burg
    edited May 2005
    Actually if you got a window from ATI warning you of something it could be that your video card is overheating but it could also be that your PSU might have gone.
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2005
    The video card overheating wouldn't make my computer do this. The power supply is the only thing I know of that would make a computer not respond at all to the power button...

    I think this needs money to fix, and I don't even know what happened! :mad:
  • gibbonslgibbonsl Grand Forks AFB
    edited May 2005
    the warning might have been a power warning stating the power is getting unstable

    the PSU might have gone byby

    or even an overheat warning maybe the fan on the PSU stopped all togeather
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Pull the ATX connector from the mobo and get out a multi-meter. Then using a short piece of wire short the pin from the gree wre and any black wire to start the PSU. I usually leave one fan attached to a molex to be sure and let me know it started. If it starts check the voltages w/ the multi-meter. It won't ake long to find out if it was the PSU Then keep your fingers crossed that it didn't take anything else with it! :mad:

    Good Luck!!!
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2005
    mtgoat wrote:
    Pull the ATX connector from the mobo and get out a multi-meter. Then using a short piece of wire short the pin from the gree wre and any black wire to start the PSU. I usually leave one fan attached to a molex to be sure and let me know it started. If it starts check the voltages w/ the multi-meter. It won't ake long to find out if it was the PSU Then keep your fingers crossed that it didn't take anything else with it! :mad:

    Good Luck!!!
    I was sitting right in front of it with a wire in my hand. I think it's gonna explode lol. Nothing is hooked up right now but two fans. There's no chance it'll harm anything right? Like me? :aol:
  • madmatmadmat
    edited May 2005
    Nope, there's no chance, the green wire is the turn on lead for the PSU and grounding it out makes the PSU power up, simple as that.

    Just to be on the safe side, if you're really worried about it blowing up, turn the psu switch off then jumper it after it's sat for 30-40 seconds then turn the switch on and run. ;D
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2005
    I tried it shortly after I woke up this morning... No dice. :( Is there any real hope that it didn't take anything with it?
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Bad video card with conductive short could damge PSU and\or mainboard with feedback into it too great for PSU to handle. Any fans on???? If using just a surge strip, that might have blown or tripped its breaker also, try plugging computer for time enough to try booting it. UPS highly recommended, costs less for a normal box than a good PSU.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    It may just be the PSU. If it took a sudden dump then nothing else may have overloaded. Many decent PSUs will hit their overloads and trip saving the system. If it slowly dropped voltages and delivered huge currents then you may be very fryed.
    Do you have any way of testing componants? Friends machines?
    The other way is to get a new PSU and remove video and memory, just leave CPU and see if the mobo gives you the right error for no memory. Then put one stick in and see if you get the no video error. And so on.
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2005
    I was planning on a UPS for my next computer in a couple weeks, but it looks like I'll be spending some money before I expected. I guess it's good the thing lasted as long as it did... :range:
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2005
    The other computers around here use integrated video, one uses a PCI video card. One other computer has DDR memory. Not to mention the SP-94 is a major PITA to remove... ><

    My dad is willing to buy me a new PSU, but I fear he'll use pricewatch and get another no name POS. Maybe if I find a reasonably priced Antec or something before he gets home he'll get that instead. He just doesn't seem to understand that
    400W psu from a good company>520W no name psu

    I put this system together before I found this site and I started learning a lot... I'm regretting using my choice of mobo, cpu, and psu.

    P4 2.8C NW
    Asus P4S800
    9700 Pro
    sound card, cd-rw and a couple fans

    400-420W should cover this easily, right?
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2005
    Any complaints here?
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103908
    This system may not last much longer so I'm mostly looking for something to hold me over but one that won't fail any time soon.

    It sickens me that you can find a "550W" psu at pricewatch.com for 14 bucks. I don't think my dad's gonna like the whole newegg idea...
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    TheGr81 wrote:
    Any complaints here?
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103908
    This system may not last much longer so I'm mostly looking for something to hold me over but one that won't fail any time soon.

    It sickens me that you can find a "550W" psu at pricewatch.com for 14 bucks. I don't think my dad's gonna like the whole newegg idea...
    I have one of those True 430 Antecs that I pulled out of my wife's machine and it runs great. I would highly recomend one for sure. The only reason I took it out was because I am switching her over to a new mobo, CPU and vid card and needed the 2.0 spec. If you want I would sell it for $70.00 including shipping (would save you $12.00). It was only run for about 3 months on her NF7-S system.
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited May 2005
    TheGr81 wrote:
    Any complaints here?
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103908
    This system may not last much longer so I'm mostly looking for something to hold me over but one that won't fail any time soon.

    It sickens me that you can find a "550W" psu at pricewatch.com for 14 bucks. I don't think my dad's gonna like the whole newegg idea...

    you'd even be fine with a 350w antec
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited May 2005
    If your Dad squeals about paying that much for the Antec you linked to, here are a couple of cheaper alternatives:

    THERMALTAKE Silent PurePower TT-420AD(DUAL FAN) ATX 420W Power Supply - I have bought 2 of these, 1 for a Tbred system for a neighbor and I'm using the other in my DFI A64 machine at 2700 MHz and it is holding up well on both. It's really cheap on price, but is a heavy and decent psu for a 420 watt one.

    THERMALTAKE Silent PurePower TT-420APD(D-FAN) PFC 420W Power Supply - Retail - Active PCF version of the psu above.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153006

    Hey, I guess that I am getting slow in my old age. Mudd beat me to it.
    I am also running two of these in overclocked folding rigs with no problems.

    My rule of thumb is that I need better than 200W on the combined 3.3V and 5V lines.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited May 2005
    I'm glad I read the whole thread. I was going to link to the same one that mudd & ed suggested. :)
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2005
    Thanks guys :)
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