Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem

Ranko · 03-30-2007, 07:48 AM

Hello, I am new to this board. I know I am supposed to post system specs, but I am at work and don't remember the full details so I will describe the problem and the specs to the best of my ability.

I was on my computer browsing the news last night, and all of a sudden my screen went black and the computer started to beep in short continuous beeps. I pressed the restart button and the computer came back on, but the screen remained black (there was power to the monitor, but not from the computer). I can hear the fan, and the HD, so there is definitely power to the system. There were no unusual sounds. I am unsure whether or not this is a hard disk failure or a power supply failure. I recall some intermittent beeps 15 or 20 minutes before the crash, but they were random and I was listening to some music, so I didn't pay too much attention to it.

Computer Specs (to the best of my memory):
80 GB HD (Maxtor)
256 DDR RAM
Intel 3.2GHz
nVidia GeForce 5200
350 Watt PS (not sure of the bran)

Thank you for your help guys....

**manic** · 03-30-2007, 08:13 AM

Reseat video card. Double check the ram while your in there. Video would
be my first guess.

dai · 03-30-2007, 04:06 PM

see if you can borrow a larger psu to try in it
blow the dust out with a can of air,especially around the cpu heatsink and fan
put your specs into here
http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp
add 30% to the end result

Ranko · 03-31-2007, 11:20 AM

Thank for your help guys.

The video card is fine (tested it on another system) and the RAM is fine. So my next step will be to try a larger power supply. I am actually currently at 300W not 350. What makes me skeptical is that the CPU fan comes on, along with the PS fan. Is it possible to have some devices receive power and some not?

**speedster123** · 03-31-2007, 11:24 AM

Yes
Did you do the calculation Dai requested?

Ranko · 03-31-2007, 11:55 AM

I did the calculation and got 268W so with 30% on top of that it is 349W. It exceeds my PS by 49W. I will probably try a 450W PS next.

dai · 03-31-2007, 12:25 PM

i would jump to a 550w

Ranko · 03-31-2007, 02:32 PM

Ugh, I replaced my old 300W PS with a 500W new one, and I still get the same symptoms. The PS and CPU fans come on. The power LEDs come on. I hear the HD a little bit, not no power to the screen. The HD light on the front of the case is on constantly. Could it be a motherboard issue?

dai · 03-31-2007, 02:49 PM

can you borrow another video card to try in it

Ranko · 03-31-2007, 03:10 PM

Okay, just did that. The other video card didn't make a difference. It's a 478 Socket Asus motherboard. Not really expensive. I can find a new one for under $60 if that is the problem.

dai · 03-31-2007, 03:18 PM

if you start the computer with the video card removed do you get the bios beep code indicating it is not there
check the caps for swelling or leaks

Ranko · 03-31-2007, 03:24 PM

The capacitors on both Video card and the Motherboard look good. I started it up without the video card, and there was no beeps. It does the same thing as before.

dai · 03-31-2007, 03:26 PM

see if you get beeps with the ram removed

Ranko · 03-31-2007, 03:36 PM

No RAM, no Video card, still look and sounds the same. No beeps.

dai · 03-31-2007, 03:38 PM

then i would suspect the m/b

Ranko · 03-31-2007, 03:42 PM

That is my suspicion as well. Thanks a lot for your help. I will continue my task tomorrow when the stores open up. I'll keep you updated through this thread.

Thanks again.

**manic** · 03-31-2007, 05:30 PM

Clear cmos and see what happens. Unplug machine, remove battery for
a few minutes or use the jumper. You will have to go in bios and reset
some things if it boots...worth a shot.

03-30-2007, 07:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
Ranko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 OS: XP	Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem Hello, I am new to this board. I know I am supposed to post system specs, but I am at work and don't remember the full details so I will describe the problem and the specs to the best of my ability. I was on my computer browsing the news last night, and all of a sudden my screen went black and the computer started to beep in short continuous beeps. I pressed the restart button and the computer came back on, but the screen remained black (there was power to the monitor, but not from the computer). I can hear the fan, and the HD, so there is definitely power to the system. There were no unusual sounds. I am unsure whether or not this is a hard disk failure or a power supply failure. I recall some intermittent beeps 15 or 20 minutes before the crash, but they were random and I was listening to some music, so I didn't pay too much attention to it. Computer Specs (to the best of my memory): 80 GB HD (Maxtor) 256 DDR RAM Intel 3.2GHz nVidia GeForce 5200 350 Watt PS (not sure of the bran) Thank you for your help guys....

03-30-2007, 08:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
manic Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 3,263 OS: xp	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem Reseat video card. Double check the ram while your in there. Video would be my first guess. __________________

03-30-2007, 04:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem see if you can borrow a larger psu to try in it blow the dust out with a can of air,especially around the cpu heatsink and fan put your specs into here http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp add 30% to the end result __________________

03-31-2007, 11:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ranko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 OS: XP	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem Thank for your help guys. The video card is fine (tested it on another system) and the RAM is fine. So my next step will be to try a larger power supply. I am actually currently at 300W not 350. What makes me skeptical is that the CPU fan comes on, along with the PS fan. Is it possible to have some devices receive power and some not?

03-31-2007, 11:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
speedster123 Mentor Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: United States-New York Posts: 3,911 OS: xp pro My System	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem Yes Did you do the calculation Dai requested? __________________ Infection Detection and Removal Thermal Grease Instructions Bench Test

03-31-2007, 11:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ranko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 OS: XP	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem I did the calculation and got 268W so with 30% on top of that it is 349W. It exceeds my PS by 49W. I will probably try a 450W PS next.

03-31-2007, 12:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem i would jump to a 550w __________________

03-31-2007, 02:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
Ranko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 OS: XP	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem Ugh, I replaced my old 300W PS with a 500W new one, and I still get the same symptoms. The PS and CPU fans come on. The power LEDs come on. I hear the HD a little bit, not no power to the screen. The HD light on the front of the case is on constantly. Could it be a motherboard issue?

03-31-2007, 02:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem can you borrow another video card to try in it __________________

03-31-2007, 03:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ranko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 OS: XP	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem Okay, just did that. The other video card didn't make a difference. It's a 478 Socket Asus motherboard. Not really expensive. I can find a new one for under $60 if that is the problem.

03-31-2007, 03:18 PM	#11 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem if you start the computer with the video card removed do you get the bios beep code indicating it is not there check the caps for swelling or leaks __________________

03-31-2007, 03:24 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ranko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 OS: XP	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem The capacitors on both Video card and the Motherboard look good. I started it up without the video card, and there was no beeps. It does the same thing as before.

03-31-2007, 03:26 PM	#13 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem see if you get beeps with the ram removed __________________

03-31-2007, 03:36 PM	#14 (permalink)
Ranko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 OS: XP	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem No RAM, no Video card, still look and sounds the same. No beeps.

03-31-2007, 03:38 PM	#15 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 42,106 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem then i would suspect the m/b __________________

03-31-2007, 03:42 PM	#16 (permalink)
Ranko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 OS: XP	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem That is my suspicion as well. Thanks a lot for your help. I will continue my task tomorrow when the stores open up. I'll keep you updated through this thread. Thanks again.

03-31-2007, 05:30 PM	#17 (permalink)
manic Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 3,263 OS: xp	Re: Power Supply or Hard Disk Problem Clear cmos and see what happens. Unplug machine, remove battery for a few minutes or use the jumper. You will have to go in bios and reset some things if it boots...worth a shot. __________________