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#1
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Computer Won't turn on
My Dad has a problem with his computer. It won't turn on - that is the hard
drive doesn't spin, the fan doesn't go on, and the power light doesn't go on. My Dad said that a few weeks ago it would not turn off, but as of about 1 week ago it won't turn on. We took the case off and played with the switch, but still no go. I've checked the power cord - it's ok. I'm wondering if it's the power supply or the switch. What's a good way to diagnose a problem there? Is there something else it could be? We replaced the battery. Thanks, Jack |
#2
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Short the pins (where the power switch wire connects), on the motherboard,
with a screwdriver to determine if it's the switch. You might also need to disconnect all of the components from the PSU and add them back, one by one. There was another lengthy post on testing the PSU, as well. - Jack Bruss stood up, at show-n-tell, and said: My Dad has a problem with his computer. It won't turn on - that is the hard drive doesn't spin, the fan doesn't go on, and the power light doesn't go on. My Dad said that a few weeks ago it would not turn off, but as of about 1 week ago it won't turn on. We took the case off and played with the switch, but still no go. I've checked the power cord - it's ok. I'm wondering if it's the power supply or the switch. What's a good way to diagnose a problem there? Is there something else it could be? We replaced the battery. Thanks, Jack -- Strontium "It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit |
#3
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I've ruled out the switch as the problem by shorting the pins as you
suggested, and also by getting continuity across the switch wires when I press the switch button. I found the thread on testing PSUs, and I guess I'll try to do that, but this is a 4 year old computer with an AMD 350 processor, and I imagine, a low wattage psu. I would think I could get a replacement psu pretty cheap. Anyway, any other thoughts before I go that route? Thanks Jack "Strontium" wrote in message ... Short the pins (where the power switch wire connects), on the motherboard, with a screwdriver to determine if it's the switch. You might also need to disconnect all of the components from the PSU and add them back, one by one. There was another lengthy post on testing the PSU, as well. - Jack Bruss stood up, at show-n-tell, and said: My Dad has a problem with his computer. It won't turn on - that is the hard drive doesn't spin, the fan doesn't go on, and the power light doesn't go on. My Dad said that a few weeks ago it would not turn off, but as of about 1 week ago it won't turn on. We took the case off and played with the switch, but still no go. I've checked the power cord - it's ok. I'm wondering if it's the power supply or the switch. What's a good way to diagnose a problem there? Is there something else it could be? We replaced the battery. Thanks, Jack -- Strontium "It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit |
#4
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Well, the voltage on the pins of the 20 pin connector are as they are
supposed to be, but what I found is when I push the 20 pin connector around in it's socket on the mother board, I can get the computer to turn on. Also, I now can't turn it off with the switch, but I can turn it off by pushing the connector around in it's socket. So I guess this means that I've got some kind of loose connection between either the socket and the mb, or between the connector and the socket, or between the connector and the wires. Any thoughts on how to fix this? Thanks, Jack "Strontium" wrote in message ... Short the pins (where the power switch wire connects), on the motherboard, with a screwdriver to determine if it's the switch. You might also need to disconnect all of the components from the PSU and add them back, one by one. There was another lengthy post on testing the PSU, as well. - Jack Bruss stood up, at show-n-tell, and said: My Dad has a problem with his computer. It won't turn on - that is the hard drive doesn't spin, the fan doesn't go on, and the power light doesn't go on. My Dad said that a few weeks ago it would not turn off, but as of about 1 week ago it won't turn on. We took the case off and played with the switch, but still no go. I've checked the power cord - it's ok. I'm wondering if it's the power supply or the switch. What's a good way to diagnose a problem there? Is there something else it could be? We replaced the battery. Thanks, Jack -- Strontium "It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit |
#5
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Suspect various reasons for failure, or go right after the
problem with vengeance. Anyone who does computer repairs (responsibly) has the so essential (and so inexpensive) 3.5 digit multimeter. Don't remove anything. Do not wildly replace components. Simply and first measure voltage on connector from power supply to motherboard. Motherboard controls power supply. First measure +5VSB so that motherboard control electronics can work: Measure voltage between purple wire and any black wire. If +5 volts exists, then measure voltage between green wire and any black wire. This will something less than +5V when power is off and will drop to near 0 volts when power switch is pressed. 0 volts on green wire means power supply should turn on. If these voltage exist, then voltage on other wires is monitored when power switch is first pressed to power up machine. Any voltage that does not make an effort may be shorted by system. Power supplies power up all essential voltages. Then checks those voltages. If one voltage is not stable, then power supply automatically turns off all voltages. That one voltage that does not even try to rise may be shorted. Chart for voltages is found in: http://www.hardwaresite.net/faqpowersupply.html Pin 20 is +5 volts. If that pin was defective, then other wires would complete the same connection. However if one pin is defective, then multimeter would detect a voltage across that intermittent connector. Again, no reason to wildly replace things. That meter will detect broken connections, open wires, and insufficient power supply voltages. Jack Bruss wrote: Well, the voltage on the pins of the 20 pin connector are as they are supposed to be, but what I found is when I push the 20 pin connector around in it's socket on the mother board, I can get the computer to turn on. Also, I now can't turn it off with the switch, but I can turn it off by pushing the connector around in it's socket. So I guess this means that I've got some kind of loose connection between either the socket and the mb, or between the connector and the socket, or between the connector and the wires. Any thoughts on how to fix this? Thanks, Jack "Strontium" wrote in message ... Short the pins (where the power switch wire connects), on the motherboard, with a screwdriver to determine if it's the switch. You might also need to disconnect all of the components from the PSU and add them back, one by one. There was another lengthy post on testing the PSU, as well. - Jack Bruss stood up, at show-n-tell, and said: My Dad has a problem with his computer. It won't turn on - that is the hard drive doesn't spin, the fan doesn't go on, and the power light doesn't go on. My Dad said that a few weeks ago it would not turn off, but as of about 1 week ago it won't turn on. We took the case off and played with the switch, but still no go. I've checked the power cord - it's ok. I'm wondering if it's the power supply or the switch. What's a good way to diagnose a problem there? Is there something else it could be? We replaced the battery. Thanks, Jack -- Strontium "It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit |
#6
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I hadn't realized it, but we had a spare power supply laying around here, so
I plugged it in, and the computer seems to work now. At least I can turn it on and off. I was able to mount the spare ps to the case, so I think I'm all set now. Thanks to all who left advice. Jack "w_tom" wrote in message ... Suspect various reasons for failure, or go right after the problem with vengeance. Anyone who does computer repairs (responsibly) has the so essential (and so inexpensive) 3.5 digit multimeter. Don't remove anything. Do not wildly replace components. Simply and first measure voltage on connector from power supply to motherboard. Motherboard controls power supply. First measure +5VSB so that motherboard control electronics can work: Measure voltage between purple wire and any black wire. If +5 volts exists, then measure voltage between green wire and any black wire. This will something less than +5V when power is off and will drop to near 0 volts when power switch is pressed. 0 volts on green wire means power supply should turn on. If these voltage exist, then voltage on other wires is monitored when power switch is first pressed to power up machine. Any voltage that does not make an effort may be shorted by system. Power supplies power up all essential voltages. Then checks those voltages. If one voltage is not stable, then power supply automatically turns off all voltages. That one voltage that does not even try to rise may be shorted. Chart for voltages is found in: http://www.hardwaresite.net/faqpowersupply.html Pin 20 is +5 volts. If that pin was defective, then other wires would complete the same connection. However if one pin is defective, then multimeter would detect a voltage across that intermittent connector. Again, no reason to wildly replace things. That meter will detect broken connections, open wires, and insufficient power supply voltages. Jack Bruss wrote: Well, the voltage on the pins of the 20 pin connector are as they are supposed to be, but what I found is when I push the 20 pin connector around in it's socket on the mother board, I can get the computer to turn on. Also, I now can't turn it off with the switch, but I can turn it off by pushing the connector around in it's socket. So I guess this means that I've got some kind of loose connection between either the socket and the mb, or between the connector and the socket, or between the connector and the wires. Any thoughts on how to fix this? Thanks, Jack "Strontium" wrote in message ... Short the pins (where the power switch wire connects), on the motherboard, with a screwdriver to determine if it's the switch. You might also need to disconnect all of the components from the PSU and add them back, one by one. There was another lengthy post on testing the PSU, as well. - Jack Bruss stood up, at show-n-tell, and said: My Dad has a problem with his computer. It won't turn on - that is the hard drive doesn't spin, the fan doesn't go on, and the power light doesn't go on. My Dad said that a few weeks ago it would not turn off, but as of about 1 week ago it won't turn on. We took the case off and played with the switch, but still no go. I've checked the power cord - it's ok. I'm wondering if it's the power supply or the switch. What's a good way to diagnose a problem there? Is there something else it could be? We replaced the battery. Thanks, Jack -- Strontium "It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit |
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