Computer Doesn't Turn On...

[gizbug]

Got a question:

I put my system together (IWILL KK266 / AMD 1.0ghz Thunderbird), and I installed windows 2000.
After installation , I put serive pack 1 and service pack 2 on. I then shut down my computer. Upon trying to start it up again, the power wouldn't turn on at all. The temp in my apartment was high 80's due to my AC being out. Is this a sign that the POWER SUPPLY (300 wt) died? I highly doubt the CPU burned out (it is a 1.0 ghz...but i didn't overclock anything on it).

How would you troubleshoot this? I tried a different power cord, but to no avaialbe. The computer just doesn't turn on. If it was a CPU problem, I should be able to at least get the computer to turn on, correct?
My power supply is about 3 - 4 months old =<

 

[gizbug]

BTW - I have a supermicro SC760-A case (with a 300 watt power supply that came with it).

 

[sohcrates]

it's time to rip some cables out! unplug IDE cables and stuff, and see if it then boots. if not, then rip out floppy cables, and start unplugging hard drives, etc. from the power supply.

if it does boot, then just re-do the cables

if it still won't boot up, start taking out pci cards (keep your video card in )

if it works with pci cards taken out, put them back in one at a time to see which one is causing it not to boot

if it still won't boot up, take out the video card and see if it will give &quot;no video card&quot; beeps

if all else fails, and you suspect the power supply, remove the PSU from the computer and carefully use a paperclip to connect the green wire (on the plug that usually goes right to the mobo) to any of the FOUR black wires. this will force the PSU to turn on, and will tell you whether the power supply is any good.

see if any of this works, and post your results here

EDIT: also try clearing your CMOS (either with jumpers on mobo or by taking out battery for 20 minutes or so)

 

[gizbug]

Only card in the system is the Video card.
To clear the cmos with the jumper, I put the jumper in the proper way (according to the manual), then what? put it back to the default jumper setting?

 

[sohcrates]

clearing cmos via jumpers tends to differ with every mobo..i'm not familiar with iwill's...so unless you can find instructions on their website (which i most likely think you could) then you should just take the battery out for like half an hour and then put it back in.

 

[gizbug]

I will give that a try on Monday when I go back to my apartment (by then the ac should be fixed). I just dont understand what could have gone wrong. My processor is 1.0 AMD that was tested at 1.33 from the company I bought it from, and the funny thing is, I didnt even try to oc it yet =) Just have it at the default speed, with my Taisol heatsink and my AS2 paste on there. So I see no reason why/how the processor could have burned out. But then again, I don't see any reason my power supply would just QUIT on me after 3 months.


If anyone else has this problem, suggestions, please let me know =)
Since mycomputer isnt working , I am at home on my paretns computer, gathering all the knowledge/info before I go back

 

[FrontlineWarrior]

to clear CMOS just put change the jumpers for a sec, put it back, then boot.

 

[Ken830]

Diagnosing your problem is sooo simple, that I felt obligated to register with Anandtech to help you out...

First, your motherboard and CPU are almost certainly okay... assuming you haven't done anything bad to them... From what you described, it seems like a power supply problem.. You're correct in assuming that the system will power-on even with a bad CPU...

To verify that the culprit is really the power supply, first make sure it's plugged into the wall, and that there's power to the power supply (plug in, turn on switch on power supply if applicable). Then unplug the power supply from the motherboard by disconnecting the ATX power block. Holding the power block in your hands, you should see a -gray- (or grey, if you prefer) wire. this wire is probably going to be thinner than the rest. That's because it doesn't supply much current/voltage. It is a signal wire. Use a piece of wire, or anything, and short this gray wire with a ground wire (black). A working power supply will turn on. You can tell by the spinning fan inside. Or, if you suspect that the fan inside may be broken, you can measure the voltage of the RED, YELLOW, etc. wires... anything but GRAY, BLACK, and GREEN should have some positive or negative voltage. Don't worry about killing yourself, the maximum electrical potential is about +/- 12V. Anyways.. if the power supply DOES NOT turn on. Then just replace that.. it's cheap..

However, if the power supply DOES turn on.. then I'd be almost willing to bet that the problem lies with the wires that go to your case's SWITCH!! It's a bit unlikely that the switch itself is bad.. but probably your power-switch connector fell off your motherboard... or the wire is torn inside the insulation... or something... If the power supply is working, and it won't turn on.. it's somewhere between the powersupply and the switch...

In the rarest case.. it's a problem with one of the traces on the motherboard's PCB. That would be easy to fix, but hard to find.. If the connection of this signal and ground wire from the ATX power block to the jumper connector for the power switch is broken, you can just solder it back.. this is easier said than done without some good basic soldering equipment.. but you probably won't need to worry about that...

Basically... I'd bet it's either:

1) your power-switch connector fell off from the motherboard - reconnect it
2) Your power-supply is bad - replace it.
3) Maybe you just didn't know you had a switch on your power-supply and you accidentally turned it &quot;off&quot;

Simple, huh? Sorry for making it so long, but I wanted you to have all the information you need for the &quot;just-in-case&quot; scenario... seeing that you don't have a computer to use to respond back and forth when you get back to your apartment.. good luck.. let me know how it goes by responding...

-Ken

 

[Zepper]

Clearing CMOS:
Remember on ATX systems, unplug system from wall or turn off the power switch on the power supply before clearing. Otherwise there is always some voltage present that may keep CMOS from clearing. There are also several software utils for clearing cmos, so you don't have to mess with hardware at all. Very handy for laptops where finding cmos clear points is most always &quot;fun&quot;.
.bh.

ps. Oh yeah, after putting jumper in clear position for several seconds, put it back in normal position. Otherwise cmos would be MIA on boot. bh.

 

[gizbug]

Thanks for the help.
I don't know if you all are familar with the Supermicro case that I have. But the power supply has a red light above it, that recently has been beeping/going on when I plug in the power cord into the power supply. I believe the light is for CPU TEMP / Fan INOP. Don't quote me on the exact wording, but it is something along those lines. But I will print out this entire thread Sunday night before I go back, and try all these suggestions.

 

[RussianSoldier]

did you change your power setting on your cord past 115 volts? if so you could have fried the whole thing....

 

[heffe734]

if you have another P/S around your house somewhere...plug it into your system. My friend had the very same problem as you and it was P/S that went out. He had his 225 (Watts or volts i don't know) instead of 115 on the back of his P/S...make sure it's on 115...that could blow your p/s out.