Roadrunner

I'm trying to diagnose a problem with my PC. The power supply had been making some noise occassionally after I turn on my PC. Now my PC won't turn on. I push the power button, it starts to power up, you hear the hard drive spooling, and then it shuts down.

I know it's difficult to diagnose a computer problem via the Internet, but maybe some of you can direct me where to check.

I bought a new power supply this morning and will hook it up tonight. If this doesn't solve my problems, what do you suggest I do next? Other then some occassional noise, I believe coming from the power supply, no other recent issues.

I have a P4, 2.4 gig processor, XP Pro, 512 mb ram, 2 internal IDE HDs, and a 128 meg graphics card. Any help is appreciated.


**EDIT**

I forgot to mention my PC stays on 24/7.

I don't believe the noise is from the HDs. The noise, mor elike a vibration, would stop when I put my hands around the back of the PC where the power supply is located.

Intrepid

I had one fail on me once and that is what it did, I replaced it and I was good to go. So my vote is for yes they can fail and yes you should replace it.

Localmotion

yea power supplies will crap out occasionaly. If its not the power supply it could be the hard drive? I dont think that would cause the computer to shut off though. if your hardrive begins to vibrate a lot, make noise and you hear a scratching souund, back everything up asap. More than likely its just a PS

Churnd

I vote for the power supply too. You described classic symptoms.

calg3

Another yep. That is exactly what my power supply did, and I just replaced it and no problems since.

jimbo74

the pwoer supply is bad, or your hd is FUBAR and at minimum needs a format if its salvagable

Roadrunner

Won't you know it, I picked up the wrong power supply.

I went to connect the PS to the motherboard and hit my first roadblock. My MB accepts a 20-pin PS connector, the one I bought (unknown to me until I tried to connect it) has a 24-pin connector. Unless there is some sort of adapter, back to Micro Center I go tonight.

Thanks for all the help. Hopefully a new PS will solve my problems. If not, I post here again.