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computer dead please help

trc313
Last night I rearranged my den and moved my computer and desk.When I tried to turn my computer back on it had problems[:(]
I pressed the power button in and the light came on and the cooling fan for the power supply turns on but nothing else. I am down at a neighbors using his computer. I really need to get this up and running. I just enrolled for a couple online classes wednesday and don't have the cash for another computer right now[xx(]
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Comments

24 comments

Date Votes
  • 1911a1-fan
    with what you described i would first check your monitor connection, there is a little light on the front that should turn yellow to green, green means it has signal
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  • ogree
    sounds like the power suplly went on you, same thing happened to me a month ago.
    Buy a new one and install it, should solve your problem.
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  • Permanently deleted user
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    with what you described i would first check your monitor connection, there is a little light on the front that should turn yellow to green, green means it has signal


    +1
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  • powderhombre
    make sure the monitor is plugged in properly! bth power and data cable. make sure there is no disk in the A: or CD drives. try starting in safe made. hope this helps
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  • scrumpyjack
    Start with reseating your RAM and video card.

    Turn power off, unplug power cable, open side panel, give everything a wiggle and light push. Plug it back in and see what happens. As it is starting up you should a hear a beep letting you know that is has POSTed (Power On Self test). Make sure your monitor is plugged in where it was before. It is possible to have 2 or more jacks alike. A VGA connector on your motherboard and one for your AGP/PCI video card.

    There are alot of possibilities, but since it worked before you moved it, try this first. You mentioned last weekend about buying a new hard drive. Were you suspecting impending failure with the old one?? IE: was it making a lot of noise?

    DO NOT just buy parts and slam them in. If you have a Dell, depending on the model, the power supply is proprietary, the wiring to the mobo is different. Installing a generic pwr supply will fry your mother board.
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  • trc313
    The monitor is fine. It doesn't make the usually noises when you start it up. The fan on the processor isnt running( I pulled the fan cleaned the dust off and reseated the processor incase it got loose)I pulled the memory card and reseated it. The hard drive doesn't make any noise unless I unplug the connecting cable going to it.Then I get a little sound from it for a couple seconds.I have always left it on so its been running non-stop for atleast a year or so.(since the last time I moved it)

    If the power supply is bad would the cooling fan still run?
    I hope it is just something simple.I could probably scrounge enough money to replace one faulty coponent.If I could figure out what was wrong with it.If it is the power supply,processor,or hard drive.(hopefully in that order)I think I have enough know how to replace a component just not smart enough to diagnose the problem.

    thanks again
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  • trc313
    I never unhooked any cables or wires when I moved it. A buddy and I just picked the desk and all up and moved it. I only unplugged the surge protector from the wall. Everything is plugged into that.
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  • scrumpyjack
    Yes, with a bad power supply the fan for the power supply will still run. Please post as much info about your computer as you can. This is kind of like pricing firearms online, "I have a gun I inherited, how much is it worth??"[:D]
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  • swamp_thing
    OK, your going to laugh at this, but if I have any power failures due to weather and the computer loses power, it won't restart on the first try. I have to unplug the computer from the wall, or shut off power strip, then turn the power strip back on before it will start.
    Also, recheck both the monitor and keyboard connections to insure they are fully seated. Lastly, if this does not help, check the connector from the power supply to the motherboard and make sure it is fully seated as well.
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  • trc313
    2.6 intel celeron processor
    80 gb seagate hard drive (was looking to get a bigger one because of all the video I have been doing lately)
    512 ram
    bestec power supply(350 watt I think) I heard these were really crappy and that is why alot of the computers that use them get a bad name. If I replace the power supply do I need to replace with exact same wattage or would getting a bigger one be like an upgrade?
    That is all I know about it without going down and looking at it.
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  • Tavis
    Just because you didn't unplug any cables doesn't mean something didn't move around on you. Check all the connections, all power cables coming from the power supply, all ribbon cables going from the motherboard to the CD drive, HD, floppy, etc. Try taking out, dusting everything out with compressed air (carefully!) and reseating the video card, RAM, etc. To me it just sounds as though something got knocked loose. Usually if something goes bad, like RAM, the POST test will tell you in the form of beeping, long beeps, short rapid beeps, etc. Not sure what they all do anymore, as its been a long time since my last computer repair class. Also, yes, the power supply could have gone bad, and still be running the fans. AMD motherboards, and maybe some Intel, not sure if they do, but some AMD's will have 2 power connections, one will run fans and one powers the rest of the motherboard. Make sure all the connections are tight, and if that doesn't work, if you have an old hard drive laying around, try putting that in instead of the current one, that will tell you if the HD is the problem.
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  • LesWVa
    Had a problem like that once.

    Unplugged the surge protector from the wall for an hour or so and then try again.
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  • trc313
    It does not beep, click, pop,or make any other audible noise.
    1.I press power button
    2.light on front of computer comes on(stays on does not flash or blink like it doing something)
    3.cooling fan on power supply starts running
    that is all is does
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  • 1911a1-fan
    quote:If the power supply is bad would the cooling fan still run?
    I hope it is just something simple.I could probably scrounge enough money to replace one faulty coponent.If I could figure out what was wrong with it.If it is the power supply,processor,or hard drive.(hopefully in that order)I think I have enough know how to replace a component just not smart enough to diagnose the problem.

    yes a power supply has 3.3, 5, and 12 volts and one of them varying in .5 mv can cause problems, there is only 2 ways to test it, 1. replace it, 2. a ps tester {one of the best investments i've made}, if you buy a new one DON'T GO CHEAP, when a ps fails it can damage other components, but try this, check your mobo/ps connection {some have a single 24 pin with a separate 12v 4pin connector all the way up to a 28 pin/ 8pin, if your cpu fan connects to the mobo this would be why it is not working, upon turning it on watch your keyboard light up, your key board is actually a integrated part of the mobo, and lights will always work over sound but if your mobo has sound it will give you a sort of morse code with the beeps more than once it is giving you a self diagnostics code
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  • trc313
    no lights on keyboard
    when you turn it on you can not turn it back off with the button you have to unplug it.
    The power supply has a 20 plug and a 4 plug going to the motherboard.
    Again if I have a 350watt power supply do I buy a 350watt or if I get a bigger one will that be an upgrade or fry it? If I go pick up a power supply today what should I know or look for? Are they all plug and go or do they have different cables/connectors like I have learned about the hard drives?
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  • Johnnylikesguns
    Had the same problem

    Found that 3 wacks with a axe solved it

    Sorry I can't help
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  • jwb267
    i am told my motherboard is bad, and when the power is off even for a blink mine will not boot up. i have to unplug power cord,open the case, remove the battery, then reinstall battery,replace metal case and plug in. push the button and it works. new battery does not solve my problem
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  • Tavis
    quote:Originally posted by trc313
    no lights on keyboard
    when you turn it on you can not turn it back off with the button you have to unplug it.
    The power supply has a 20 plug and a 4 plug going to the motherboard.
    Again if I have a 350watt power supply do I buy a 350watt or if I get a bigger one will that be an upgrade or fry it? If I go pick up a power supply today what should I know or look for? Are they all plug and go or do they have different cables/connectors like I have learned about the hard drives?


    They aren't all the same. If I were you, I would take the PS with you, it should unscrew fairly easily with just 4 screws (usually) holding it to the back of the case. I would also just get one with the same wattage, why go higher, if the one you had worked for the comp for a year? Also, make sure its made for your type of CPU, if you don't know what you have, take a look at the PS and check out the plugs going to the motherboard. Make sure the new one has the same configuration. If you have time to order one online, it might be better to just to here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010320058+1131414175&name=301+-+400W
    and look for one.


    quote:Originally posted by jwb267
    i am told my motherboard is bad, and when the power is off even for a blink mine will not boot up. i have to unplug power cord,open the case, remove the battery, then reinstall battery,replace metal case and plug in. push the button and it works. new battery does not solve my problem


    I don't know about your mobo being bad, that is a weird problem, never heard of anything like it. Try reseating the jumper on your mobo that resets your Bios, that *might* work for you. Or, maybe its loose/corroded just enough to cause you problems. And you should leave it plugged in if your going to be fooling around in the case, leave it plugged in but off, Make sure you touch the case where its metal before you touch anything inside the comp, static electricity can really screw up components bad.
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  • Jacob2008
    A shotgun will make it pop.. maybe even beep.


    Check craigslist for cheap, or free computers and use it for nothing but your classes.
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  • scrumpyjack
    trc313....
    You can go bigger than 350W...if you're doing alot of video editting and have a bigger video card, then you will need it. Just make sure whatever you buy is rated at 350W continuous or better. They label some power supplies as being 400W but they are really 400W peak and have a much lower continuous power rating.
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  • 1911a1-fan
    quote:Originally posted by trc313
    no lights on keyboard
    when you turn it on you can not turn it back off with the button you have to unplug it.
    The power supply has a 20 plug and a 4 plug going to the motherboard.
    Again if I have a 350watt power supply do I buy a 350watt or if I get a bigger one will that be an upgrade or fry it? If I go pick up a power supply today what should I know or look for? Are they all plug and go or do they have different cables/connectors like I have learned about the hard drives?


    sounds like you have a p4 power supply, upgrading will not hurt at all it is rated in a different way than say a stereo, i'm running a 750w, but i have liquid cooling pump multiple fans/lights, sli, sata drives


    try to have it tested if you can, a p4/ps {celeron is socket 478} is pretty basic as far as connections {molex/floppy/mobo}just pay attention to the back and make sure the fan, and plug match up {ive seen them reversed}, but i would definitely test it first without having it in front of me it is hard to say it is the ps 100%, a bad cpu will do very similar problems you described, a 2.6 celeron is known to run very very hot because it is 90nm architecture, and if thermal paste ever dried out it can fry in 90 seconds of booting up, i replace the thermal paste with arctic silver in all of mine once a year, but a ps is definitely cheaper
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  • moonshine
    I had to replace my power supply a while back,did you know the ps is fused? be very careful playing with the ps as it can kill you.
    my ps kept blowing the fuse so had to replace it.
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  • LKB3rd
    I'd double check all of the cables, and make sure everything is seated properly. My power supply has a small switch on the back of it that i have had to turn off then back on to reset it and get it to work again. Not the power toggle, but a smaller switch that looks sort of like a circuit breaker.
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  • shoff14
    quote:Originally posted by moonshine
    I had to replace my power supply a while back,did you know the ps is fused? be very careful playing with the ps as it can kill you.
    my ps kept blowing the fuse so had to replace it.


    If the power supply fuse is blown nothing will run. It does sound like your power supply is bad. It can be bad and still run.
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