My computer won't switch on!

[Mise]

Help! Major crisis! My computer won't switch on!

Last night I switched it off using the switch on the back, and this morning when I switched it on at the back (and at the front), nothing happened!

My theory is that it's a power supply problem (due to my new gfx card - radeon 9800pro with a (cheap) 350w PSU), so I'm going to buy one later (perhaps tomorrow) to try and see if that's the problem.

But to complicate things, on the mobo, there's a little LED that DOES come on when I switch it on at the back, so I'm thinking that maybe it's actually the button on the case itself which is duff.

I'm also going to try to reseting the cmos, but I don't think that's it.

Any other ideas guys?

 

[nonconformist]

Not jsut the screen?

 

[Mise]

No the whole thing, like I press the switch on the front, and literally nothing happens. (and yes, it's plugged into the wall )

I just found out that the LED that comes on when it's switched on at the PSU at the back is the standby switch, so I think the problem is just that the buttons on the front don't work. Any suggestions?

 

[The Person]

Check if any of the small cords on the inside of the cabinet. One of them is the one that connects the motherboard with the power button. If that cord isn't connected properly the computer won't react when you press the power button.

I strongly suggest you also consult the manual of your motherboard and your computer case to find out what all the cords are and where they should be connected.

 

[stormbind]

Try resetting the system BIOS (check manual for hardware switch). This would reset the date and everything else though

 

[Neomega]

You could also just have a bad powersupply. Could have overheated after you turned it off due to too much dust, and no more airflow.

A good powersupply doesn't cost much, maybe $40.... and you could always use it for your next computer if it that doesn't solve the problem.

Try resetting the system BIOS (check manual for hardware switch). This would reset the date and everything else though

edit:
A hardware switch.... never even thought that was possible.

 

[The Person]

A hardware switch.... never even thought that was possible.

That's why you should RTFM.

 

[Neomega]

That's why you should RTFM.

Well I rarely tweak my BIOS... so having to reset it has never been a worry.

I would still bet the problem is power supply.

 

[The Person]

I never had a use for that switch; it's just good to know that it is there.

But I would still check the cables before buying a new power supply. I remember spending 15 minutes on connecting all the small cables that go to the front of the cabinet when I assembled my computer, only to spend an hour on finding out that I had set the power cable wrong and had to do it all over again.

 

[Mise]

Yeah, I thought it was my PSU that was the problem too, so I tried putting it into my friends computer, and his motherboard fried........... This was on friday, and I ordered a new mobo for him and myself, which came today, and yeah, it all works now (except, curiously, for my keyboard ). But yeah, that's the mystery over with.... and now I'm £38 worse off by it (well actually, £140, cos I bought myself a new processor and ram for my birthday present in advance.)

Another question, how do I get the processor/heatsink off of the motherboard? Can I reuse them both? Are there any sites that will hold my hand and walk me through it? I tried (on my mobo) to get my processor/heatsink off by doing the reverse of getting it on -- use a screwdriver and pop the crip off the catch, but it's too hard, I can't get it off. Any words of wisdom? (This is for my friend's computer - I bought a new processor and heatsink so didnt have this problem)

 

[The Person]

Did you make sure that the motherboard you bought for your friend has the same socket as his processor? But I can't help you with the heatsink, as I need to see it for myself to see anything. Heatsinks also come in different variations. Does your friend still have the manual for his processor? If he has, read that, and do the steps to put it in, just in the opposite order.

I don't know any sites that help you with a guide for this, though.

 

[Mise]

Did you make sure that the motherboard you bought for your friend has the same socket as his processor? But I can't help you with the heatsink, as I need to see it for myself to see anything. Heatsinks also come in different variations. Does your friend still have the manual for his processor? If he has, read that, and do the steps to put it in, just in the opposite order.

The processor is an Athlon 850, which is socket A right? I'm pretty sure about that, but I bought it from memory so it wouldn't surprise me if I was wrong... Anyway, I could always give him my old processor if it turns out to be different (if only I could get the thing out).

I found a guide from AMD: http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_869_4348^6678,00.html but it doesn't seem as easy as that (I seem to be applying a lot more force than I should have to), so I think I must be doing something wrong... I'll let you guys know how it turns out, but thanks for the help so far

 

[The Person]

Or maybe it's for a different type of heatsink than the one your friend uses. I said that there a lots of them out there. And I don't think that an 850 Mhz is Socket A, as that seems a little old. But don't rely completely on it, as my knowldege about processor sockets is virtually nil. Doesn't your friend have a manual for the old mobo or CPU? If not, I hope he'll take this as a lesson and keep all manuals for his future equipment.

 

[CruddyLeper]

Another question, how do I get the processor/heatsink off of the motherboard? Can I reuse them both? Are there any sites that will hold my hand and walk me through it? I tried (on my mobo) to get my processor/heatsink off by doing the reverse of getting it on -- use a screwdriver and pop the crip off the catch, but it's too hard, I can't get it off. Any words of wisdom? (This is for my friend's computer - I bought a new processor and heatsink so didnt have this problem)

Hardest skill to learn - but here's a tip to make it easier.

First, unscrew the fan on top of the heatsink. That makes it easier to get at the retaining clip. Hold on to the heatsink and fan while you are doing it - you don't want to twist the heatsink.

Next, put the motherboard down flat on a surface and keep the clip tensioned with a flat thin peice of metal (like a screwdriver) placed along it.

While it's tensioned, GENTLY ease one side of the clips away - push down and it should pop off. It's a 2 handed, 2 screwdriver job - I use a long driver to hold down the clip, and a small watchmaker's screwdriver for nudging the clip.

It's very easy to crunch the die on the CPU, or break the plastic lugs on the CPU holder. But you're in a good position (in that it's probably a dead CPU anyway).

 

[Chieftess]

Well I rarely tweak my BIOS... so having to reset it has never been a worry.

I would still bet the problem is power supply.

I've only had the BIOS reset once (about 10 years ago on an old computer) -- involved re-arranging these 'jumpers' or whatever they were called. The look a little like this: ╥

 

[Mise]

Hardest skill to learn - but here's a tip to make it easier.

First, unscrew the fan on top of the heatsink. That makes it easier to get at the retaining clip. Hold on to the heatsink and fan while you are doing it - you don't want to twist the heatsink.

Next, put the motherboard down flat on a surface and keep the clip tensioned with a flat thin peice of metal (like a screwdriver) placed along it.

While it's tensioned, GENTLY ease one side of the clips away - push down and it should pop off. It's a 2 handed, 2 screwdriver job - I use a long driver to hold down the clip, and a small watchmaker's screwdriver for nudging the clip.

It's very easy to crunch the die on the CPU, or break the plastic lugs on the CPU holder. But you're in a good position (in that it's probably a dead CPU anyway).

Awesome advice dude! Thanks so much! It made it so much easier to get it off once the fan was off first. Luckily, I hadn't buggered my processor, so I gave that to him, and now everything works! Thanks again to all of you for the help

 

[CruddyLeper]

You're most welcome Mise.

I managed to break the lugs on 2 different motherboards before I worked out what I was doing wrong - now those mobos still work, but they need clips with all 3 holes (not just the central hole).

So I'm keen others don't learn the hard way.