Can't turn on my pc

Niara · 10-17-2009, 07:00 AM

Hello,

Maybe the title's question is stupid...I have this problem:

When I try to start my pc the hdd light flashes for a half second and nothing else. If I press again the start button it doesn't do anything, but if I hold the start button for a while (like tha manual turnoff) then I can try another time, but with the same result, till 20-30 intents then (if it wants) it turns on. Afer that, it seems everything works okay (no fan problems, no energy problems)...

Does anyone have the same problem??
I'd like to solve the problem by myself I mean without having to carry the pc to the store (I'm afraid they'd say "mmmm... big trouble...you should buy a new one")
Can you help me? Any idea?

Thank's in advance
Niara

Mario F. · 10-17-2009, 08:20 AM

Looks like a problem with the power supply unit, perhaps? Maybe it needs replacing.
The answer in any case cannot be buy a new computer. As you noticed, it works. Besides unless you put it under a press, computer problems are usually dealt with by replacing damaged parts. Not the entire thing.

Niara · 10-17-2009, 08:29 AM

Ok Mario F. thanks for the help and your time

Maybe that's all I have to do, I will check it out.

Niara

cpjust · 10-17-2009, 04:09 PM

It could also be that your power supply isn't strong enough for all your hardware. A while back I put some new hardware in my old PC and when I tried starting it, it would start for a second or two and then shut down. I put in a bigger power supply and it worked.

**Bubba** · 10-18-2009, 01:12 AM

Definitely a PSU issue. Either not enough power or it's a bad PSU. You could also have a direct short in one of your power cables (I would suspect the 4 pin power connectors) which is tripping the breaker in the PSU.

MK27 · 10-18-2009, 08:51 AM

Another similar problem I have had is in the switch itself (the connecting wires were loose), so it would occasionally turn itself off, or be impossible to turn on. All I had to do was open the front panel and do a little crude soldering.

cpjust · 10-18-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MK27

Another similar problem I have had is in the switch itself (the connecting wires were loose), so it would occasionally turn itself off, or be impossible to turn on. All I had to do was open the front panel and do a little crude soldering.

I've never look inside a power supply, but I'm guessing it has some pretty big capacitors in it, so I would avoid tinkering around in there unless I had the right kind of safety equipment (like thick rubber gloves).

abachler · 10-18-2009, 02:55 PM

Your power supply is overloaded. Either take some unneeded peripherals out of the system, or get a larger power supply. Technically it could also be too large, but thats generally not the case unless you are using an industrial PSU.

Niara · 10-18-2009, 03:13 PM

Hey lots of comments, thank's all for that, and sorry for the delay on response.

I'll try to change the PS for an old one (from an old pc I have in a corner); if not I'll buy a new one.

Thank's
Niara

Niara · 10-21-2009, 12:31 PM

A last comment, if someone else has in the same problem: for the moment (while I'm waiting for the inspiration to change the PSU) I have unplugged one of the 2 cd/dvd drives and now it works. I know that's not a good solution, but for the moment...

Thank's
Niara

Elysia · 10-21-2009, 02:46 PM

You could also underclock your cpu and/or gpu. Both are power monsters.
I've had to underclock my gpu to play any games since the PSU can't feed it at full power.

Akkernight · 10-22-2009, 05:01 AM

lol, I remember when this repeativly happened for a new PC I bought xP In the end I got my money back

MK27 · 10-22-2009, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpjust

I've never look inside a power supply, but I'm guessing it has some pretty big capacitors in it, so I would avoid tinkering around in there unless I had the right kind of safety equipment (like thick rubber gloves).

No, I meant the dippy little plastic front panel switch, not the power supply switch. If it was the power supply switch, I'd have just replaced the power supply. I think this is one of the half dozen times I've touched a soldering iron since high school shop. Don't open the power supply kids!

Obviously this is not the problem here tho, but boy was I relieved when the thing kept shutting off, then wouldn't turn on, then it turned out to be the first thing I checked and took about 5 minutes to fix. Like dodging a bullet or something.

Niara · 10-24-2009, 02:00 PM

Right, at the end I bought a new psu and all work's all right. The only problem is that the old psu have the fan in a side, and the new psu has the fan in another side (I forgot to check that in the shop), so I'm not able to fix it in the psu place without set the fan inside the case; for the moment I've left outside.

Ah MK27, I have opened the old ps (breaking all the warranty precints), just to see what's inside (unplugged, of course).

And that's all, thanks for your help; for my part the question is finished, and I hope that can be a help for someone else.

Niara

cpjust · 10-24-2009, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niara

Ah MK27, I have opened the old ps (breaking all the warranty precints), just to see what's inside (unplugged, of course).

Unplugged or not, capacitors continue to hold an electrical charge long after the power has been cut off and can be deadly. My electronics teacher said a friend of his touched a screw driver to a big capacitor in a large speaker/amplifier one time... The guy was thrown across the room and the end of the screw driver was melted.

10-17-2009, 07:00 AM	#1
Niara Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Juneda Posts: 224	Can't turn on my pc Hello, Maybe the title's question is stupid...I have this problem: When I try to start my pc the hdd light flashes for a half second and nothing else. If I press again the start button it doesn't do anything, but if I hold the start button for a while (like tha manual turnoff) then I can try another time, but with the same result, till 20-30 intents then (if it wants) it turns on. Afer that, it seems everything works okay (no fan problems, no energy problems)... Does anyone have the same problem?? I'd like to solve the problem by myself I mean without having to carry the pc to the store (I'm afraid they'd say "mmmm... big trouble...you should buy a new one") Can you help me? Any idea? Thank's in advance Niara Last edited by Niara; 10-17-2009 at 07:43 AM.
Niara is offline

10-17-2009, 08:20 AM	#2
Mario F. (?<!re)tired Join Date: May 2006 Location: Portugal Posts: 5,220	Looks like a problem with the power supply unit, perhaps? Maybe it needs replacing. The answer in any case cannot be buy a new computer. As you noticed, it works. Besides unless you put it under a press, computer problems are usually dealt with by replacing damaged parts. Not the entire thing. __________________ Originally Posted by brewbuck: Reimplementing a large system in another language to get a 25% performance boost is nonsense. It would be cheaper to just get a computer which is 25% faster.
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10-17-2009, 08:29 AM	#3
Niara Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Juneda Posts: 224	Ok Mario F. thanks for the help and your time Maybe that's all I have to do, I will check it out. Niara
Niara is offline

10-17-2009, 04:09 PM	#4
cpjust and the hat of sweating Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 3,120	It could also be that your power supply isn't strong enough for all your hardware. A while back I put some new hardware in my old PC and when I tried starting it, it would start for a second or two and then shut down. I put in a bigger power supply and it worked. __________________ "I am probably the laziest programmer on the planet, a fact with which anyone who has ever seen my code will agree." - esbo, 11/15/2008
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10-18-2009, 01:12 AM	#5
Bubba Super Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,470	Definitely a PSU issue. Either not enough power or it's a bad PSU. You could also have a direct short in one of your power cables (I would suspect the 4 pin power connectors) which is tripping the breaker in the PSU. __________________ If you aim at everything you will hit something but you won't know what it is.
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10-18-2009, 08:51 AM	#6
MK27 subminimalist Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NYC Posts: 3,944	Another similar problem I have had is in the switch itself (the connecting wires were loose), so it would occasionally turn itself off, or be impossible to turn on. All I had to do was open the front panel and do a little crude soldering. __________________ Accuracy and integrity mean nothing if you don't make it past the censors...PYTHAGORAS
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10-18-2009, 02:55 PM	#8
abachler Rampaging 35 Stone Welsh Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,924	Your power supply is overloaded. Either take some unneeded peripherals out of the system, or get a larger power supply. Technically it could also be too large, but thats generally not the case unless you are using an industrial PSU. __________________ He is free, you say. Ah! That is his misfortune… These men… [have] the most terrible, the most imperious of masters, that is, need. … They must therefore find someone to hire them, or die of hunger. Is that to be free? - Simon Linguet
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10-18-2009, 03:13 PM	#9
Niara Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Juneda Posts: 224	Hey lots of comments, thank's all for that, and sorry for the delay on response. I'll try to change the PS for an old one (from an old pc I have in a corner); if not I'll buy a new one. Thank's Niara
Niara is offline

10-21-2009, 12:31 PM	#10
Niara Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Juneda Posts: 224	A last comment, if someone else has in the same problem: for the moment (while I'm waiting for the inspiration to change the PSU) I have unplugged one of the 2 cd/dvd drives and now it works. I know that's not a good solution, but for the moment... Thank's Niara
Niara is offline

10-22-2009, 05:01 AM	#12
Akkernight Hail to the king, baby. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Faroe Islands Posts: 713	lol, I remember when this repeativly happened for a new PC I bought xP In the end I got my money back __________________ I deny the Holy Spirit; burn me. http://blasphemychallenge.com/ <- Do you dare?
Akkernight is offline

10-24-2009, 02:00 PM	#14
Niara Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Juneda Posts: 224	Right, at the end I bought a new psu and all work's all right. The only problem is that the old psu have the fan in a side, and the new psu has the fan in another side (I forgot to check that in the shop), so I'm not able to fix it in the psu place without set the fan inside the case; for the moment I've left outside. Ah MK27, I have opened the old ps (breaking all the warranty precints), just to see what's inside (unplugged, of course). And that's all, thanks for your help; for my part the question is finished, and I hope that can be a help for someone else. Niara
Niara is offline

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