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My PC Decided Not to Start -- What Do?

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noname2020x

Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
I just moved into a new apartment. Prior to the move everything worked just fine.
I got everything set up, clicked the power button and heard *click*.

I've tried unplugging all of the peripherals, the hard drives, and the graphics cards so I assume it's the power supply?

After trying it a bunch it doesn't even make a click sound anymore.

Ugh. Happy days! Haha.

What do you guys think?
 
Disconnect the PSU main 24 pin power plug from the motherboard and the 4/8 pin 12v power connector as well. Take a paper clip and straighten it out, then bend it in a U shape. Insert one end of the U into any green wire pin on the 24 pin main power plug and one end into any black wire pin. Make sue at least one fan is connected to a PSU lead directly. Switch the PSU on. If the fan doesn't spin the PSU is plumb dead. My bet is that is what it is. The other possibility is a dead mobo.
 
Thanks!
Unfortunately, it's bad news.
The fans came on.
Motherboards are more expensive :-(

So, since the fans came on, how sure are you that it's a motherboard issue? I don't want to order a mobo and plug it all in and have the same problem, haha.

Are there any other things I might be able to try to see if it will boot without me dropping some cash?

I guess I'd snag this guy:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6BM42W1099

or maybe this guy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Biostar-Tse...401077?hash=item2112818db5:g:8~kAAOSwuzRXeUEr
 
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The PSU still could be faulty because the paper clip/fan test doesn't test it under any kind of appreciable load. All the paperclip/fan trick determines is if the PSU is completely dead. A clicking noise like you describe is usually a sign that the PSU is bad. Can you borrow another PSU to test for that component? Doesn't take long to swap one out.
 
Unfortunately I do not have another PSU or know anyone in my area that does.

Something to add is when I left the plug in the wall for a while and the PSU on for a while and THEN tried to turn it on the lights flickered in my room a tiny bit. (it still didn't start though)

Is there a good return policy on Newegg? I know I've returned things to them before, but do you think if I bought a mobo and it didn't help if I could send it back? OR the same with a PSU?
 
Yes but you most pay return shipping, they will also charge you a restocking fee, these 2 fees are waived if you a premier member.
 
If the problem were the motherboard it wouldn't make the house lights flicker. What is Sentey's warranty? Is the PSU still under warranty?

The thing you need to reckon with is that a bad PSU can easily take out a motherboard. If you got a new motherboard and the PSU was bad, you might fry the new motherboard.
 
That's kinda what I figured.

I just snagged an EVGA 600W for $30 on BestBuy.com

I'll pick it up tomorrow and see how things go.
 
600W PSU should easily cover your power needs since you only have one video card. Which EVGA 600W model did you get?

With the new PSU in place then you can evaluate whether or not the motherboard was damaged. Without a new PSU in place it could be either one or both.
 
Do you live in the Olympia, WA area. The link you provided for the PSU takes me to a Best Buy in Lacy, WA. But maybe that is just marketing technology at work.
 
I do not live in that area. It sounds like a good ol' IP trace.

So, I'm experiencing some bittersweet success.

I got the new PSU, plugged it in outside the case, pressed the power button, everything lit up and fans started spinning.

I then took out my old PSU, hooked up the new PSU, pressed the power button, aaaand nothing happened.

So I did some trouble shooting. I unplugged the CPU, it turned on. I plugged it back in, it didn't, I unplugged it again, it still didn't. I unplugged the hard drives and the CPU, it didn't, I plugged in everything it did...
I don't know what the heck is happening, but right now it is up and running. I'm glad it's working now, but I am not comfortable. I feel like this thing is going to crash any time now, haha.

I had a thought though.

The ethernet output in my room (and other rooms on my floor) was spliced incorrectly so they are going around fixing them. I thought perhaps that wasn't the only thing the workers spliced incorrectly. Maybe my plugs aren't handling the load well?
Is there a way I can test that hypothesis?
 
I do not live in that area. It sounds like a good ol' IP trace.

So, I'm experiencing some bittersweet success.

I got the new PSU, plugged it in outside the case, pressed the power button, everything lit up and fans started spinning.

I then took out my old PSU, hooked up the new PSU, pressed the power button, aaaand nothing happened.

So I did some trouble shooting. I unplugged the CPU, it turned on. I plugged it back in, it didn't, I unplugged it again, it still didn't. I unplugged the hard drives and the CPU, it didn't, I plugged in everything it did...
I don't know what the heck is happening, but right now it is up and running. I'm glad it's working now, but I am not comfortable. I feel like this thing is going to crash any time now, haha.

I had a thought though.

The ethernet output in my room (and other rooms on my floor) was spliced incorrectly so they are going around fixing them. I thought perhaps that wasn't the only thing the workers spliced incorrectly. Maybe my plugs aren't handling the load well?
Is there a way I can test that hypothesis?

I certainly would get a multimeter and check the voltage output at the wall and make sure there is ground. I would also check the voltage output of the original PSU. One thing I should have suggested to you earlier is to take the CMOS battery out of the motherboard and leave it out for a few hours to do a deep reset. Oh well, system is up and running for now. Go with it until and unless something goes whacko again. As Jesus said, "Don't worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
 
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