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Thread: Hardware help needed

  1. #1

    Hardware help needed

    Hello there folks. I have a problem with my (main) computer. I was sitting around surfing on the Internet from my IPAQ which is connected to my pc via bluetooth and trough the pc out on the Internet I had problems connecting to the Internet so I checked it out on the pc. I got the message saying "a network cable is unplugged" with 2-3 second intervalls and between the messages it worked fine. I thought this was just some bug that would be fixed by restarting so thats what I did.
    Rebooted, choose to load windows XP (got dualboot with XP and windows 2000, xp for working and 2000 for gaming) and everything was fine and dandy. All of a sudden the darned thing just went black, like if the power cable had been disconnected. Now it wont start or do anything. I have tried removing networl card, dvd-rom, floppy and just about everything exept the GFX card. Still wont start. No lights flashing when I push the power switch, no dvd-rom spinning, no nothing. If I disconnect the power cord and re-insert it the power indicator on the motherboard flashes for about a split second and the fan spins a couple of times when I push the power button but then - nothing.
    Could it be the power unit that's broken? Would the power indicator on the motherboard still flash if that was the case?
    The system I have is a AMD XP 2000+ with a GeForce 4 MX, 256 Mb RAM, noname network card. Pretty much standard equipment all the way. I have never had any problems with it before and it was working just fine this morning.
    Any idea on what might have happend?
    [shadow] Nobody\'s perfect, but I\'m damn close...[/shadow]

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Possibly a Short circut ot you may need a New battery for your motherboard...maybe..
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  3. #3
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    I would try a different outlet. I noticed that you said MIN pc so i'm guessing that you have another. Try using another power cord. But most likely its a burn out piece of hardware.

    I would attemp to Mix and Match hardware parts between both computers until you find the broken piece of hardware.
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  4. #4
    I've heard of this before (on this very site) where the backplane of the motherboard was shorting out on the case (I think it was a bad screw position or something). The solution they came up with was to take it all out of the case, lay it on the floor and then boot it.

    It definitely doesn't sound like a bad fuse, so that should rule out the cable (as the fuse wouldn't allow anything to happen). Are you getting any beeps from the mobo? As spools said, can you try changing the memory/cpu with your other PC?
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  5. #5
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    I would make sure that nothing is lose and all cabels are connected correctly.
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  6. #6
    Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm gonna check the mb to see if it shorts out but that isnt very likely since it worked fine a couple of hours earlier and no one had toughed it before it broke down. I cant switch processors since they have different sockels.
    There are no beeping from the motherboard (the only beeping is me going "work you *beeep* of a *beeep* of I will *beeep*"). And i tried different cables already, no luck there either.
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  7. #7
    Senior Member Spyrus's Avatar
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    If you have a spare power supply you may want to give that a try too, start small just hook up the motherboard and the hard drive and build your way up, its possible you are overdoing your power supply or that it is going bad.. BOL -spy
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  8. #8
    Make sure that the fan in the Power Supply is working. Sniff around it to make sure there is no acrid, burnt electronics smell.

    If the fan on the power supply is working, the next thing to do is test for output voltage. If you have a small multi-meter, disconnect the motherboard power connectors (all of them) and test for DC voltage (usually between +/- 3 and +/- 12 volts -- check the label on the PS to see what the output levels are supposed to be). You only need to check a couple of the lines.

    If you are getting voltage output your PS should be OK.

    If the power supply fan is not working, the PS probably overheated and is likely dead.

    Good luck!

  9. #9
    Junior Member
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    I once had a similar problem with a server. Once you pressed the power button it would try to power up and then just shut down before it could boot. I took off the case and it turned out that the plastic cover on the power button was sticking, so that when you pressed it, it stayed pressed in and shut the machine off. I broke off the cover of the power button and it's worked fine since. To be honest if this happened to you after it had already powered up and was working it is unlikely that it is the same problem, but it might be worth a look just in case.

  10. #10
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    I would say the power supply has malfunctioned. Rapier57 has the right idea, as does Spyrus.

    If you do have a spare or can borrow one I would try it, but make sure it has sufficient output to support your current kit.

    Good Luck

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