Urmm guys..... I think my computer just died :( Please help!

[Shmee150]

Ok, I'll summarise.

Was playing CSS for an hour or so. stopped, browsed the web for about half an hour, then tzuuummmmmm. Computer went off. So because it's bad weather here, I thought, probably power cut (which we are normal here) and pressed the on switch... Nothing. So I go and check the fuse box, you never know... and it's normal. So I try the switch again, still nothing. Plug something else into the same mains socket.. works fine.

Ok so now I'm really sh*ting myself. Tried changing ram, disconnecting useless componenet (disk drives, floppy, one chip of ram, the other one, etc...) and still nothing.

So I first thought, humm read a thread the other day about a blown PSU, maybe that's happened to me. But alas, the green LED on the motherboard comes on when the switch on the PSU is turned on.

So I suppose there are two posibilties that I immediately see, the first being there is some sort of problem between the case power switch and motherboard, but from first looks this doesn't appear to be it, and the second is that somehow my motherboard has blown itself up.

I suspect this second reason is the most likely, but how would this be possible? Could it have taken anything else with it?

WHY WHY WHY

ShMeE

[LeChris]

Unplug the psu from power, wait a minute, cable back in. Try.

[menthel]

No bleeps? No disc spinning? My mobo has just gone too.

[Shmee150]

Yeah, no bleeps, no spinning of anything (fans, discs).

But what would cause it to go?

Are Asus very unreliable?

ShMeE

[streetster]

Unplug the psu from power, wait a minute, cable back in. Try.

That would be my advice too. Usually sorts things out. Only extra thing is unplug the psu *then hit the power button on the comptuer* then wait and plug the cable back in etc.

[MasterFlash]

When my PSU went last year - im sure the light on mobo was still on. Have you got a one that you can borrow for an hour or so to check?

[menthel]

I have to say that when nothing happening its usually a bad sign.

[Shmee150]

I unfortunately don't have a spare PSU or Mobo that I can test anything with, so I can now round it down to these two components then?

Anybody have any idea why it may have gone?

ShMeE

[Shmee150]

Another point, i really don't know if it's relevant or not, is that I swapped the ram late last night, it was the system that's in my signature, but as of this morning had 2GB of Crucial PC3200 184-pin ram instead. I set the mobo's timings to auto and it made them something like 3-4-4-8 so must have been safe there. But I can't help thinking that this may have been related. But as I say, I had successfully been gaming and using the computer all day....

ShMeE

[Shmee150]

Ok, I can get to a pre-built Advent computer (yes i know what ur thinking) but I'm not allowed to strip anything out of it.... Would it be sensible/safe to connect the motherboard power socket from the PSU in the Advent to the motherboard in my computer sitting next to it. Would that damage any of the other components in the Advent, because I do not wish to have to disconnect anything.

ShMeE

[chrestomanci]

Yes that should be safe, I used a similar technique to diagnose a dead PSU a while back.

Obvously your PC will not boot as the hard drive will not be getting any power, but you should see a BIOS screen. On the borrowed computer the drives will spin up, but that should not cause any problems.

One thing to watch though, if you graphics card has an extra power connector, it would be wise to power that as well. Also if you mobo has any extra power connectors, then they should be powered as well (Some PCe mobos have a molex connector next to the PEG16 socket to provide extra power).

[Shmee150]

I put my PSU in the Advent and nothing happened, just as inside my own, so looking very much like dead PSU so far.

Going to connect the Advent's PSU up to mine now, I'll keep ya posted!

ShMeE

[Shmee150]

The Advent's PSU does not have enough pins for the motherboard in my desktop to go the other way around, and also the cables are too short.

Have I got enough conclusive proof of a dead PSU to know that's what needs RMAing?

Is there something else I should be doing now?

Thank you so far everyone,

ShMeE

[streetster]

unplug everything from the PSU - all the cables. then on the ATX cable (the one that goes into the motherboard) get a paperclip and connect the GREEN and one of the BLACK connectors together. This should 'short' the PSU on, if nothing happens the PSU might be dead, if it does turn on perhaps there is a problem with the motherboard - have you tried resetting the CMOS / removing the battery for a couple of mins?

[Shmee150]

I think that the fact that my PSU would not get this Advent working is probably conclusive proof that it is now dead. The Advent's PSU is now plugged back in and working. Can I be wrong about this?

I suppose there is a chance that my motherboard is dead also is there?

Anybody from Hertfordshire who has a spare ATX PSU I could come around and have a play with? Or anyone anywhere want to temporarily post and lend one to me, and I'll cover costs etc... Please...

ShMeE

[Shmee150]

Well I was right!

Just back from a trip to Overclock.co.uk's hq with a new PSU, put in computer and hey presto! Working normally!

Is there something I should be watching for in case it happens again? Or was it just bad luck?

ShMeE