PC Power supply

Agutka

I am not even slightly techie, but given that OH refuses to spend time fixing my PC, again, I need help.
A few weeks ago PC would not turn on. Nothing, completely dead. Power Supply? Put in a working power supply and still nothing. So ended up getting a new CPU, motherboard, case, power supply. So had to start from scratch, and for someone who does not download or install things without supervision this was a slow process. There was a worry about my HDs being fried too, so all was lost for a while. But eventually I got it all back to how I like it, favourites folders and all.
Then it happens again.
The PC is completely dead, OH is saying stuff like need a new power supply, PC case (he did a silly thing with live wires at one point and had a bit of an electricity mishap) etc. Which annoys me, as am not made of money and power supplies are not exactly a consumable. How many do you get through in the average month?
Any ideas where I go next? And what is causing this problem in the first place? Can it be the power cables? They are supposed to have spike protectors or whatever.
And both times this death happened after the PC had been off for two days. Usually I keep it on, I am kicking myself for turning it off.

sco0ter

Just a little point.... Some motherboards have a built in protecter. There is one type in particullar... I think its ASUS but if it doesnt start you have to disconnect the power supply and hold the power button for 15 secs then reconnect and do it again then unplug..wait 10 secs and plug in again. I have done this with my mates (asus board) and my own. Find out your board type and check the website to see if this could be the problem

MercilessKiller

Was there anything you didn't change when rebuilding the pc?

i assume when you mean completely dead absolutely nothing happens when you press the power button?

There are several reasons why it would stop doing this:
1) The case connectors - a trivial point it may seem but if any of the tiny little 1 and 2 pin connectors from the case are in the wrong place it could burn/melt the connectors thus the PSU may be fine.. just not receiving anything.

You can start the computer by taking a flat head screwdriver and toucing the tip to the two power switch pins on the motherboard. The metal screwdriver completes the circuit.

Also, make sure there is nothing that might be causing a short on the motherboard (i.e. a spare screw that is laying around in teh case somewhere). Make sure everything is seated and connected properly (i know you said you did but just make sure). Make sure the power switch to your power supply is turned on.

2) a short - this would happen if a random screw is lieing around on the mobo... it could carry current, and basically fry your motherboard!!! Static would also cause this.

3) a dead PSU - try and return the pSU as faulty, then with a new one make sure you use a SURGE protector on the plug sockets and also make sure when fitting new components touch the side of the case FIRST (to get rid of static)

hope that gives you some more ideas!!!!

First plan of action for me would be the screwdriver. Then the new power supply fitting very carefully.. if neither work you've fried the motherboard somehow!

Good luck!

Agutka

MercilessKiller wrote:

Was there anything you didn't change when rebuilding the pc?

Just the graphics and network card, HDDs, CDrom drive and memory sticks.

i assume when you mean completely dead absolutely nothing happens when you press the power button?

That's it.

There are several reasons why it would stop doing this:
1) The case connectors - a trivial point it may seem but if any of the tiny little 1 and 2 pin connectors from the case are in the wrong place it could burn/melt the connectors thus the PSU may be fine.. just not receiving anything.

So it would work for two weeks and suddenly burn out when turned off? No...

You can start the computer by taking a flat head screwdriver and toucing the tip to the two power switch pins on the motherboard. The metal screwdriver completes the circuit.

I don't know what you mean, but I'll get OH to try.

Also, make sure there is nothing that might be causing a short on the motherboard (i.e. a spare screw that is laying around in teh case somewhere).

The case is upright. But I'll check anyway.

Make sure everything is seated and connected properly (i know you said you did but just make sure).

Again, why would it work fine for two weeks?

Make sure the power switch to your power supply is turned on.

I did check that eventually! Forgot I had one.

2) a short - this would happen if a random screw is lieing around on the mobo... it could carry current, and basically fry your motherboard!!! Static would also cause this.

3) a dead PSU - try and return the pSU as faulty, then with a new one make sure you use a SURGE protector on the plug sockets and also make sure when fitting new components touch the side of the case FIRST (to get rid of static)

I am so changing the plug sockets. I am blaming them for this problem. I've changed everything else.

hope that gives you some more ideas!!!!

First plan of action for me would be the screwdriver. Then the new power supply fitting very carefully.. if neither work you've fried the motherboard somehow!

Good luck!

Thanks, something for me to try of an evening.
Ten quid here, twenty there, occasional hundred. These home-made PCs are expensive to run.

kat21

if your putting the contents back into the same case, to me it sounds like a problem with the case itself. Sometimes there are issues that when the motherboard is screwed into the case can in itself cause problems. The other most common problem is not having enough power to power up the items you have in your computer what is the wattage of the power supply and how many amps does it draw? Look for a power supply that has built in protection HEC power supplys are good. What cpu are you using if its an amd processor go to there website and look at which power supply makes they recomend. It sounds like to me your buying under rated power supplys that cannot cope with the amount of current being drawn.
kat21

MercilessKiller

Just to let you know..

1) power still runs through case connectors even when computer is off so a slow burn is possible

2) everything being seated and connected properly - if not it can work for a while but once again eventually burn something it shouldnt

Were there any probs screwing the mobo into the case? I do believe that's an unlikely cause unless its literally resting on the metal (not the screws)

kat has a good point about power supplies not coping - but unfortunately the problems that would cause are not the ones your experiencing. An underpowered PSU would give random freezes and reboots - it would NEVER die (especially when off!)

Causes of PSU deaths are power surges from plug sockets, faulty PSU's or short circuits. if you can try another psu just to do on/off to see if power works then you know its not the motherboard... (though still check for loose screws - i blew one of my pc's up that way even though the case was upright!!!! ) Also use a surge protector next time.. once you've then replaced PSU on a working mobo using a surge protector.. you know it cant possibly be the PSU or mobo's fault next time....

Tricky!

Gib_Gib

I know this sounds silly, but it just happened to me.

Make sure that the multiplug that the pc is plugged into works properly or just try another one.

I built my parents a pc and it worked fine for 2 years, but it kept playing up in funny little ways, it finally died about a month ago. It has sat on my floor for the last month having almost everything changed, but it refused to work properly, at the weekend I plugged in a shaver into the computers multiplug and I saw the light.

It will be free to swap with another plug, but can you do it for me, I sweated blood over the last month trying to solve that problem.

p.s. Only the memory died with that one.