PC wont start.....

2009-06-25 09:50:34

#1

Teamsreth: Complete Tanker; +17|7105|England

Hi Guys,

Switching on my computer today, there was a small pop, and a strange smell. It was loading into windows at the time, but I pulled the plug as the smell was getting worse. Was on for about 30-35 seconds.

Took the side off the case, couldn't see anything wrong. (No idea what I was looking for tbh) Waited a while, the plugged it in and powered it up again. Left the side off of the case, started fine, GPU and CPU fans spun up, loaded into windows. Smell came back, and about 2 mins later it shut down. I had Intel TAT running, with temps of 23 and 24, and riva tuner showing 46. Had been running for about 4 mins total.

Now it wont switch on. When I plug into the wall, an LED on the M/B lights up and the fans spin for 1 sec. The light stays on, but the fans stop, and the power button does nothing at all.

Specs
Dell Optiplex 330
E6550 Stock
2GB Ram
ATI 4670

Bit stuck now, no idea what to check, or how to fix it. Hopefully it's not completely buggered. Any ideas, or help will be very appreciated.

Cheers

2009-06-25 09:52:45

#2

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6715|The Twilight Zone

maybe the power button from the case hasn't got sufficient contact with the mobo. Try turning it on with a screwdriver

https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png

2009-06-25 10:09:36

#3

alexb: <3; +590|6202|Kentucky, USA

Check for broken capacitors on mobo, or try a different PSU?

2009-06-25 10:10:34

#4

Snorkelfarsan: Soup Boy; +32|6868|Stockholm, Sweden

I seem to be having almost the same problem, and it's most likely the PSU that has given up tbh. Which also might explain the strange smell (probably burned circuitry)

2009-06-25 10:11:25

#5

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6715|The Twilight Zone

Snorkelfarsan wrote:
I seem to be having almost the same problem, and it's most likely the PSU that has given up tbh. Which also might explain the strange smell (probably burned circuitry)

lol replace and try a different PSU asap

2009-06-25 10:12:10

#6

Teamsreth: Complete Tanker; +17|7105|England

@ .sup Sorry for being really stupid, how do I do that.

On the front panel, just above the power button, are the usb ports. I am pretty sure that the gubbins behind there (for the powerswitch, USB) used to light up, but its not now.

Just tried another PSU, same result

Last edited by Teamsreth (2009-06-25 10:13:11)

2009-06-25 10:13:16

#7

alexb: <3; +590|6202|Kentucky, USA

Your PSU is dead. Replace it.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/362

That was rather quick....

Check for capacitors that are damaged.

Last edited by alexb (2009-06-25 10:18:52)

2009-06-25 10:18:33

#8

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6715|The Twilight Zone

Teamsreth wrote:
@ .sup Sorry for being really stupid, how do I do that.

On the front panel, just above the power button, are the usb ports. I am pretty sure that the gubbins behind there (for the powerswitch, USB) used to light up, but its not now.

Just tried another PSU, same result

open the case and locate the Power On cable thats goes from the case to your mobo, remove it, you should see two pins now, use screwdriver and touch both with it at the same time so you get a contact.

Edit: and its not a stupid question at all, its okay to ask

Last edited by .Sup (2009-06-25 10:20:07)

2009-06-25 11:59:31

#9

Teamsreth: Complete Tanker; +17|7105|England

@ Alexb - Had a hiper 580w laying around, and was trying that as I had just read Snorkelfarsan;s thread. But +1 for the guide.

@ .Sup - Had a look in the case for the power on cable. I think it may be combined in another cable. From the front panel, with the switch,HDD access lights + ports, there is just one cable, one of them flat grey ones, like for a floppy drive.

I have opened another computer, and within 2 secs found the power on cable. There is nothing matching this in the Dell. I have searched the mobo, but other than the speaker, CPU fan, and normal connectors (SATA, PSU power supply)

At a loss. Cant even get the front panel off without taking the cpu HSF off. Stupid bloody Dell work based machine.......

2009-06-25 12:01:55

#10

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6715|The Twilight Zone

don't detach the power cable from the case, detach it from the mobo, its easier. If the screwdriver thing works then its gotta be the case

2009-06-25 13:13:48

#11

Teamsreth: Complete Tanker; +17|7105|England

Finally, got the cable off of the mobo, took quite a while, and I thought it was glued down.

I can touch the pins to restart, which I can see the light on the mobo goes off, and then comes back, and touch the power pins, and the cpu fan spools up and stays going. The GPU fan tries to spin, and will sometimes spin a few times, but it is icredibly slow, and sometimes only goes 1/4 turn. Seems better when I unplugged the optical/floppy (was off at the time)

Hooked up to monitor, nothing shows, doesn't seem like its fully booting up. Will try the other PSU tomorrow.
Cheers for the help so far!!!!!!!!

2009-06-26 13:03:53

#12

Teamsreth: Complete Tanker; +17|7105|England

Well, after removing and refitting all the cables, different PSU, removing and refitting the GPU, I now get all fans working, HDD spinning up, use of the optical drives, but sadly no video output. Tried both with the GPU in, and plugged into the intergrated.

Suppose that sounds terminal. Bugger.

BF2S Forums PC wont start.....

Snorkelfarsan wrote:

Teamsreth wrote:

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