[smelyt]

This is regarding 2 different PCs facing very similar problems.

PC #1
PIII 600
Asus motherboard ( can't remember what it was.. should be Pseries)
Geforce2 mx
soundblaster live value
512 mb ram
10/100 Ethernet card
2 extra case fans (the processor used to be overclocked)


Problem - As of yesterday, it refused to be switched on at times. It felt like i needed to jumpstart it like car, because everytime this happens, the only way of powering on the computer would be to plug out the power cable from the wall socket and plug it into another wall socket, I found that if i unplugged everything else from the PC, and I mean everything including monitor, printer, speakers, mice, and other USB stuff it would power on.. after a few attempts.



PC #2
I don't really know the specs of this computer, as it's my girlfriend's, but I know its a PIII using a ASUS CUSI-M mother board.

Problem - Not too long ago, she told me that she occasionally saw sparks coming out of the power supply when she switches on her computer. Thinking that her power box was going on the fritz, i got a new one for her and put it in. Then, just a few days back, the computer started powering off on it's on, and like my computer, would refuse to switch back on for a while. This computer has never been overclocked before, and the only contact her computer has made with mine is through my laptop, which i LAN with when i'm at her place.

Would it be possible for my laptop to be causing the problems on our desktops? We never had these problems before i got my laptop hooked on to both the PCs.

Any help and insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[V0lt]

I would say probably not. Does this happen only when the laptop is active on the network? Try taking the computers off the network and turning them on. If the same problem happens, you can almost be sure it is in no way the fault of the laptop.

edit: did you buy the same PS for her that you have in your computer? If it's cheap then that might be why you are both experiencing the same thing.

 

[smelyt]

Well, it happens when the laptop is off and on the network. For my pc, my power supply came stock with the casing, it's about 2-3 years old. Her monito's power also comes from the ps in the casing. And the monitor is still getting power.

edit: btw, someone suggested reformatting both computers... correct me if i'm wrong, but i doubt that computer shutdowns and the inability to startup can be caused by software problems?

 

[BTS'76]

Reformatting isn't gonna solve your problem. It sounds like both power supplies are going.(Thats some luck, huh?)

It could also be an overheating problem, open up the case and see if all fans are spinning when you turn it on. Check for dust.

How many watts are the powersupplies? If you've adding any new hardware, they might be using a lot of power.

 

[smelyt]

Awww.. and one of the power supplies are new.. I really doubt its overheating because the temperatures seem normal to me, unless the temp. probes are busted as well.. I thought that it could be due to insufficient power as well, but while running the computers on its barest essentials, the same problems crop up.
The new power supply is 240v. it's 10v+ more than the older one

 

[BTS'76]

240watts isn't much, I would upgrade the power supply to at least 300watts, 350-400watts is ideal.