OT: Any Suggestions To Get My Compter Running Again?!?

[xcelbeyond]

This afternoon I was by my computer - I leave it on all the time - and it shut off by itself. I was having trouble with this a couple of weeks ago but thought I fixed it. Last I checked, it had been running for 11 days straight.

When I went to turn it back on, smoke started coming out of the unit - enough to really see and STINK (like electrical fire) & 4 hours later house still stinks. I shut it off and the took the cover off. I turned it back on with the cover off hoping I could see where smoke was coming from. There wasn't any more smoke coming out, and nothing felt like it got hot. None of the wiring or circuits "look" like they got hot. Let it run a while and no smoke - but nothing external was connected to the computer.

I put it back together and turned it on. The monitor flashed "No Input Signal" then the little blue power led goes to orange (not normal). I am assuming that the video card is bad. I know that it could be one thing bad or everything bad.

I'll listen to any suggestions. It looks like its gonna take 5 days to get a new video card.

 

[Skarn]

Hard to diagnose from here, but it sounds like your power supply might be going up or has gone up.

When you power it up, does the light on the power supply itself light up?

It's a pretty simple thing to replace and not very expensive...just make sure you get one that has the same or more wattage as the one you are replacing.

Good luck,
Skarn

 

[Kaiser]

Xcel,
It's more than likely your power supply. You wont need to take your computer anywhere to fix this as it is fairly easy. You may need to remove the old one so they can match it up when you take it to the computer store. More than likely they'll have it in stock, unless it is something like one of mine where it is a specialized unit. (Dell Precision 670) Usually power supplies run around $45-$50, but if you spend a little more, you can get alot better quality that will not burn out in another 2 years. Incidently, leaving a PC on causes less wear and tear than turning it on and off all of the time. If you need help, PM me and I'll give you my number so I can walk you through it. Also, if you are not sure if that is the problem, you'll be able to smell it once you have it out of the case.

 

[xcelbeyond]

Thanks guys!

I've built my last 5 computers so I know a little bit

The reason I didn't suspect my power supply is:
1) It's less than 1 year old (the 3rd one i've put in this computer )
2) It still seems to be running - lights and fans are on (I realize the electronic could be all burnt up).
3) It seemed to be a relatively good one - 550W, quiet, big fans, etc

I may have another power supply around to try. It would be nice if that's all it is!

Can I check the voltage at any of the leads - what should it be?

 

[Kaiser]

If the box is running more than likely you are getting semi adequate power out of it still. Yellow is usually 5 volts and red is 12 volts. Is it possible that one of the power supply fans burnt out? Being that you went through 3 of them in a year, do you have this computer running on massaged power like an APC UPS? I don't know what country you are from so are you on base 220v or 110v? Is there a name brand on your power supply? You can bet that if you smelled something burning and your computer is still running that it was the power supply. If it was something else, your operating system would be showing hardware failure or the box wouldn't be running at all.

 

[xcelbeyond]

I just tried a "different" power supply and it must have been bad - wouldn't turn on. The computer is about 3 yrs old not 3 power supplies in a year.

The one that came out it a Silence Blue i think made by Real PC Power (???)

Like I said it came on, gave the input signal error, then nothing.

The power-on and hard drive leds seem to work sporadically, but the hard drive lilve light generally blinks when it's booting up - which is isn't doing now.

The power supply is just loud enough along with the other fans in the computer to hear if my hard drive is still trying to boot up - but I'm afraid it doesn't sound like it.

With as much smoke that came out, you'd think you could see that something had been fried

I live in Oregon and we have good power I'm pugged into a APC SurgeArrest.

I'm gonna put the power supply back in that was in it then test the voltage. I hope to god there's no voltage cause if there is, i think i'm f*cked

 

[alan1973]

if after replacing the PSU (or even right now), check the capacitors on the Motherboard (MoBo), especially the ones around the PSU. If any look like they are bulging or have a brown rusty color on them, you have the "capacitor plague".
that would mean you need a new MoBo

 

[xcelbeyond]

Well - I wasn't sure about checking voltage so I went and bought a new Antec PSU. Do you check across the yellow and black, and red and black - I'm assuming that black is ground/neutral?

The new PSU didn't fix it. Exact same thing happens as with other PSU. I'll check the capacitors as Alan said. Are they the ones closest to where PSU plugs in? Would the PSU be the cause of MB burnout?

Thanks Guys

 

[alan1973]

Well - I wasn't sure about checking voltage so I went and bought a new Antec PSU. Do you check across the yellow and black, and red and black - I'm assuming that black is ground/neutral?

The new PSU didn't fix it. Exact same thing happens as with other PSU. I'll check the capacitors as Alan said. Are they the ones closest to where PSU plugs in? Would the PSU be the cause of MB burnout?

Thanks Guys

usually the ones closest to the PSU and sometimes behind/beside it..
On Dell MoBos, they are the furthest set back.
PSU not the source, the faulty caps are 99% of the problem.

 

[xcelbeyond]

usually the ones closest to the PSU and sometimes behind/beside it..
On Dell MoBos, they are the furthest set back.
PSU not the source, the faulty caps are 99% of the problem.

Thanks buddy! I'll check this in a little bit.

Since I built the machine, it doesn't have a Dell MB (aren't those made by/for only Dell?). I don't remember the brand/co. of the MB, it wasn't a common name like Asus, Gigabyte, Abit. One of the reason I bought it, other than features and price, was it had an Intel chipset.

You didn't say the CPU is probably bad, which would be nice.

 

[Kaiser]

Xcel,
Did I understand you correctly before? The computer does run but it smelled like smoke. Or does it actually not run? Either way, if your tried a second power supply, (which is usually the easiest way to diagnose) and it still smokes, or doesn't run correclty, it is probably like Alan said, your motherboard. Good luck on that though. The good thing is that if it was a name brand like you said you should be able to see the model number on the board and pick on up on eBay real cheap which will mean you wont have to reload Windows.

The only other thing that sometimes goes is if by chance you have a dual processor motherboard and there is what is called a VRM (voltage regulator module) for the second processor that clips on to the motherboard.

 

[alan1973]

Thanks buddy! I'll check this in a little bit.

Since I built the machine, it doesn't have a Dell MB (aren't those made by/for only Dell?). I don't remember the brand/co. of the MB, it wasn't a common name like Asus, Gigabyte, Abit. One of the reason I bought it, other than features and price, was it had an Intel chipset.

You didn't say the CPU is probably bad, which would be nice.

No problem, you have given plenty of helpful tips to me directly and indirectly....I still owe ya!

 

[xcelbeyond]

I couldn't see any burnt capacitors anywhere but there was a spot next to the capacitor on the MB smaller than a dime that was "burnt" (no circuitry left). This in the left side of the CPU and about 1/2 way to the left side.

I saved the CPU label in my case. It's only 2-1/2 years old (that's when the the CPU was packed). It a 3.0gHz Pentium 4 - Socket 478. I drove all the way to Frye's Electronics AGAIN (about 70 mile round trip) and they don't stock ANY Socket 478 MBs. I went online to look - when I setup this computer, there were probably 50 MB's to chose from. It's SLIM pickings for a decent socket 478 that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. A decent Biostar only cost me $48 but I wasn't willing to fork out $35 for 3-day Select delivery - not on a $48 part

I was wanting an Intel chipset with 800mhz frontside buss. Had to settle for a VIA chipset to get the 800. Couldn't find an Intel chipset with 800.

 

[Kaiser]

You will have to reload Windows when you switch chipsets.

 

[alan1973]

You will have to reload Windows when you switch chipsets.

is this Driver related?

 

[Kaiser]

is this Driver related?

Yes, but chipsets are mounted very early in the setup process. They are also running at an early stage of the boot process so they do not get a chance to get updated until after the box boots up. Then you have a chicken and egg problem because the chipset is needed to mount the kernel, which of course is before the Plug and Play sequence is initiated. Usually what will happen if he goes from Intel to Via is he'll get a BSOD with a Stop 7C or 7B -INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE on boot. The way manufacturers do it when they support more than one chipset per image, is to have what is called a PE (pre-installation environment) that would come up prior to mounting the chipset drivers and would decide which chipset drivers to use while imaging.

There is a couple of ways around this but his computer would have needed to be running to make the changes.