eelbrown

Hello, all.

Two nights ago we had a storm in my area which included lots of rain & high winds. Where I live we have overhead power lines & frequent outages, so I decided it would be best to power off & unplug my computer for the night to guard against surge damage. However, when I got up in the morning and tried to turn on my PC & check my mail, nothing. The LEDs didn't flash, I didn't hear any of the fans spin, no beeps from the BIOS, nothing. When I got home from work I began doing some troubleshooting, but so far, nothing is working & I'm about out of ideas.

I stripped my PC down to essentials (mobo, CPU, PSU, RAM, GPU, monitor, mouse & keyboard), & began trying different configurations of RAM in the three mobo slots with no luck. So, I tried using a pair of smaller (256 MB), sticks of RAM that I have, but still no response. I've also tried resetting the CMOS by using the jumper as well as removing the battery for a few seconds as well for roughly 30 minutes. I tried using a spare CMOS battery that I have, but that didn't work either. I've tried removing the GPU & monitor as well as the mouse & keyboard, as well as an older GeForce 6600 GPU & a different mouse & keyboard.

Each time I try to start the machine, I can see the CPU fan as well as the PSU & case fans spin for a second or so, then stop. I suspect that it must be the motherboard, due to the lask of POST beeps, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I do have a few spare parts on-hand, so I have the ability to try different configurations, but so far, nothing seems to make a difference.



AMD Athlon 64 3700+
FoxCONN K8S 755A6ELRS
2 GB Samsung DDR 400 RAM
Sparkle GeForce 7600 GS
SoundBlaster Audigy 2ZS Platinum Pro
535W Enermax EG565P-VE PSU
2 internal SATA HDs, 320 GB & 120 GB (NOT set up as a RAID array)
1 Internal DVD-R/W, 1 internal CD-R/W, 1 internal floppy drive
Windows XP Pro SP3

Doby

Can you try another psu in it first? That would be the best and easiest at this point.

Check the clear cmos jumper is on pins 1&2 and did not come dislodged or something, a board could act like that if the jumper is not on pins 1&2.

I would even replace the jumper cap, I have ran into one were it was not making contact.

If you try a known working psu and all jumpers are on the correct pins I suspect its the motherboard

eelbrown

Hey, thanks for replying!

I don't think the jumper cap is worn out - I've only had this mobo for a few months. OTOH, anything is worth a shot, at this point. I do have another board that I can pirate a jumper cap from, so I'll try that next. I have a backup PSU I'm also going to try. It's not very good - it's one of those ones that came with a barebones kit (can't remember the brand; either ULTRA or Rosewill, I think), but it should be enough to determine whether the problem lies with my current PSU.

I have the next two days off work, so I'm going to start from scratch and see if I can figure this out, so I'm really grateful for help.


P.S. I hope I'm not the only one who starts to go a little crazy without my computer. I'm using an old 1 GHz laptop with 376 MB RAM - it's a little bit like watching the web pages being painted onto the screen. If I think of it as a digital ViewMaster I can pretend that using it is more fun than the reality...

lazareth1

When you say switched of the computer, did you completly unplug it from the socket? Also if you are using a power bar, did you leave that in plugged in and just unplug the computer lead? If yes then it could be your power bar at fault. Also try using a completly different wall socket.

eelbrown

I powered down the computer and then switched the toggle on the rear to off. I thought about unplugging it, but it was connected to my UPS/battery backup, so I figured powering it off would be enough.

I do have dodgy electrical wiring in my apartment because it's an old building, which is why I had the bright idea of powering it off during the storm to begin with. There wasn't a blackout, but there's a definite possibility that there was a brown out or surge during the storm that night - we get them all the time here.

Since yesterday, when my PC stopped working, I've tried switching the power cord, using two other (non-UPS) power strips I have, as well as a different outlet. Since the fans spin up for an instant (and my PSU is, frankly, better quality than the FoxCONN board), I suspect the motherboard is the culprit, but I'll be thrilled if it's the PSU. The motherboard is discontinued & I don't have the $$$ for a new processor, mobo, RAM and GPU.

lazareth1

hmm leaving it plugged in could still have blown it yeah. although u flicked the switch off, it's still connected to the socket and a surge of electricity can easily 'jump' across the flick switch on the socket to your equipment.

eelbrown

Yep, that's the possibility I dread.

I'm still going to try what I can, though. My hope is that if it did get a shock, the damage was isolated in the PSU and/or motherboard. Otherwise, I may have to start a thread asking for suggestions on how to build a non-crappy PC for $500.

eelbrown

Update:

So, I just switched the PSU to a low-quality Ultra 400W PSU that I have on-hand, and my PC started to go into its POST routine!

I'm going to put it back together with this PSU and see if it works once everything is reconnected and back in the case. If it does, I'll happily buy a new PSU. I think the Enermax is still under warranty, so maybe I won't even be out any money.

Wish me luck...

Doby

I think you found your problem, just get a new psu don't trust that ulta its not a good quality unit and its to small for thr system

lazareth1

I suggest a surge protector lol.

eelbrown

Doby - Yes, it was the PSU. A new 650W Thermaltake Toughpower is already on its way. The dead Enermax is still under warranty, so I figure I'll try to get a replacement to have on hand as a better-quality spare than the Ultra.

lazareth1 - My computer was plugged into a surge protector, which is part of the UPS/battery backup. I've always been maniacal about surge suppression, since we have so many brownouts here on the Cape. It turns out that the problem originated with the wiring in my apartment - I've learned that some of the outlets aren't properly grounded. My building is 100+ years old in a small town that used to be run with the, "wink, nod & look the other way system," as the electrician phrased it. Thankfully, codes are better enforced now + my landlord is usually reliable - he promised to have the electrician back to make the repairs by the end of the week.

In the meantime, I'll probably just keep using my old laptop since the 400W PSU is definitely underpowered for my main PC. Besides, I'm now even more afraid to even leave it plugged in - even in the "safe" outlets, since I'd have to use extension cords.

Doby

Good choice on the new psu, good luck with your electrical problems, sure hope your landlord does the right thing