power was off and on a bunch of times last night and now it won't even turn on. Power supply or hard drive? What's the first thing I should look at?
Power supply.
The computer will try to startup with other bad components normally.
Is it plug directly into the wall or you using a power strip with a breaker on it?
maybe the Breaker tripped?
Ill have to look, it might be on the strip, but it also might just be into the wall :P
power supply - it normal goes - very inexpensive fix also and its easy to replace yourself.
Geeks.com sells them around 30 bucks -
open case
remove screws from back of case where power supply is -
remove old power supply (pulling cables off hard drives/peripherials and of couse the motherboard) -
replace with new power supply (put cables back to hard drive/CD/DVD roms and mother board) -
Replace screws in back of power supply -
close case
Quote from: kinetic3 on September 15, 2008, 06:31:22 AM
power supply - it normal goes - very inexpensive fix also and its easy to replace yourself.
Yep easy to do yourself. IF you pull you old supply there should be a sticker on the side that says it's specs. Get a new one that puts out at least that many watts.
I've swapped many Power Supplys. They're not difficult usually ~
JM
Could it be anything other than a bad power supply?
If flat out *nothing* happens when you hit the power switch, then it's either the power strip is tripped or something with the power supply. Some power supplies have a reset switch/button them that's like a breaker. It would be right on the back near where the power cord plugs in if it has one ~
JM
oh that would be sweeet!!! I'll check that when I get home. Thanks
Just got home, plugged it in and it works :D
Thermal protection I guess.
Quote from: Monsterlover on September 15, 2008, 03:17:24 PM
Just got home, plugged it in and it works :D
Thermal protection I guess.
It was unplugged the whole time....
huh? ;D
No. . when it wouldn't turn on, I pulled the cord out of the back of it, just in case the power decided to do the "im back on, wait no Im not" dance after I went to bed.
Even I'm not that dense.
Well, ok, at that time I wasn't ;D
Sometimes during a black/brown out (where the lights just flicker a bit) the capacitors in the power supply actually get overcharged and the system shuts down for protection, hence the breaker. You must have a pretty decent power supply. Most of the time (even when the breaker is tripped) it takes the main board out with it.
Someone who works in tech support told me that you never ask someone on the phone if their computer (mouse, keyboard, etc.) is unplugged, even if you are pretty sure it is.
Instead, you say, "I think there might be a loose connection. Could you try unplugging the computer (mouse, etc) and plugging it back in?"
More times than not, it works. ;)
To be clear, I unplugged it to save it from further damage, and it worked when I plugged it in. ;)