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What could be wrong with my 'puter?

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leapinlew:


--- Quote from: RayB on May 08, 2006, 05:22:35 pm ---I've experienced something similar with a failing power supply.

I recommend you get yours checked and replaced sooner than later. I let mine continue like this till it died a smokey death, taking my hard drive and motherboard with it.


--- End quote ---

Ouch! or, I should say Ouch$

AlexC:

Mine was thru process of ellimination  :P

RandyT:


--- Quote from: Dizzle on May 08, 2006, 03:54:22 pm ---So, I was turning off computer the other day (the proper way, as I always do) and instead of the usual screen saying Windows is saving your settings (Windows XP) it shut everything down immediately after I selected the shut down option.  I figured, "That's strange", but didn't give it any further thought.

A couple of days later, the computer wouldn't boot up.  All of the components were getting power, but the hard drive wouldn't boot windows, I got no video signal, and I couldn't even get into bios.  After a week of the same results, I figured, well the mobo or CPU is shot -- time to get another one.   Then I figured I'd try one more thing... unplug the computer for a while, and then start it back up -- worked with no problem.

Anyone have any ideas what could have caused that?

--- End quote ---

I don't know if this is specifically a "failing power supply" problem.  I have seen similar things happen when an ATX supply gets "confused".  It seems pretty much dead until you pull the plug (or if it has a switch, turn it off.)  Then wait for the capacitors to discharge to get a real "cold" boot.  I have been able to accelerate the process by holding down the power button for a few seconds with the unit unplugged.

It sounds strange, but you would not believe how many times that little trick has worked , and on how many different computers.

RandyT

Dizzle:

Randy, that sounds about right..

One thing I noticed when the computer was supposed to be off, was that the led lights on my keyboard were still being powered.

This is the first and only time it's happened... I'll keep an eye on things from now on.

Thanks all!!

Fozzy The Bear:

That is the correct answer from Randy, if you still had lights on your keyboard at the time when the computer was off......

The reason for this is that your power supply is in fact several power supplies in one box... there are two output leads to the mother board.... one is the computer power... the other is the Auxiliary Power.... The computer power, supplies power to the chipset and processor.... The Auxiliary Power provides power to the buses and peripherals (Hard Drive, Video Card etc etc...)

the computer power section was still on! if you had lights on the keyboard.  The Auxiliary power was not starting up because the computer power section was telling it "HEY! What are you trying to do, We're already turned on" and thus wouldn't let it start up.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)


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