So I went to turn on my desktop the other day and got a nice little whirr from the CPU fan and then nothing, flipped the circuit breaker on the power supply on the back like I do when the power goes out and nothing. Does anyone have any ideas for this or how one could test it? Is my power supply toast or did I kill the mobo or something?

On another note and maybe this will help, every now and then when I try to turn it on it will momentarily power the CPU fan but it immediately goes dead.

HELP!

 

It sounds like a gummed up, sticking, power button/switch. If you hit the button to turn it on, then after several seconds it turns off, that would be the same as holding your finger on the power button, manual over-ride power off ensues. You follow that? If it's stuck it's like holding your finger there.

 

It doesn't come on for several seconds, it like momemtarily sends power to it and this happens about one out of every 20 times I hit the switch.

 

So (now) when you hit the power button the fan stays running, nothing else happens? Monitor doesn't come on with that blank look in it's eye?

 

No, it MOMENTARILY sends power to it, like it spins for a few seconds then goes off, the fan is the only indicator that it is getting any power, nothing else responds at all.

 

It could be your power supply. Probably, one of the most common things that go wrong on a PC. You may also want to check and see that you have a good connection from your PS to the motherboard. I would even try unplugging it from the motherboard and then plug it back in to make sure it has a good connection.

 

Thanks. I tried disconnecting it at one of the mobo connections but didn't disconnect it from all of them.

 

Hmmm, I've fried a motherboard. It acted a little like that. Except the monitor would switch on (blank stare), and the fan would run (like it was doing any good), sounded like the HD powered up too (?). I refused to believe it was the power supply, I had no idea really, I just wanted to upgrade the motherboard. It worked. I think it was the onboard video at fault on that.

 

The last time it booted up it did something a little wierd right before it shut off, displayed som really random characters and then poof, it definitely isn't power anything at all now. So I am sure that it is the power supply or mobo.

 

I've been programming for 12 years and could probably help you. It may, as has been said, be your power supply. If not, a more serious problem exists, either in the CMOS or other Motherboard circuits. Do you hear a series of beeps when it "turns on" or is it really nothing? Sorry if you've already said yes or no to that, because I only have one browser window open.

 

It is more than likely a power supply or MB problem. Always has been with me. If you don't have a power supply tester, you can unplug the PS from the MB and jumper a black wire to a green wire on the main PS plug with a paperclip to see if the PS fan and any MB cooling fans and the CPU fan comes on.

If it doesn't, it's probably the PS. If it does, that doesn't mean it is not the PS, because it may be bad and putting out just enough juice to turn the fans.

 

If you try that, read this first:

http://www.duxcw.com/faq/ps/ps4.htm

 

Its a dead PS. I had the same thing you described, bought a new PS (of decent quality) and everything worked again. The PS I was using before was free with my case, naturally it was a POS. Plan on spending at least $40 for a good one. I recommend www.newegg.com

 

I agree with Henrythewound, it's a dead power supply.

 

Well, I finally got sick of using my laptop all the time and decided to get a new power supply, unplugged my old one carefuly noting all of the places it was plugged in at and then plugged in the new one to all of the same places and still nothing.....

 

If the computer is powering up and the fan is just spinning and you arent getting anything from the motherboard its probably the mobo itself.

Try pulling the ram out and turning on the computer. you should get three loud beeps. If that doesnt work than the motherboard and or processor are dead. If it does beep three times try switching out your ram with another stick.

More than likely, the motherboard is probably dead..time for a new computer if you dont feel comfortable replacing it yourself. labor is too expensive for it to be worth it.

 

well after much deliberation i decided that it wasn't worth the money to replace this computer so i ordered a new asus mobo on newegg. I got it in tonight, i have everything connected and it powered right up!!! however, there doesn't seem to be any video output using the built in video connector or using my pci-e video card. Anyone have any thoughts now? I am really starting to wish I had just sprung for a new one at this point.

For starters with the issue I had tonight, I removed one of my 512mb sticks and tried running it with just one and still got the same results, removed the stick and reseated it just to be sure but still got the same results.