Forum Settings
       
Reply To Thread

Acouple Problems with my PC...Follow

#1 Feb 15 2009 at 11:01 AM Rating: Decent
***
1,372 posts
1. This started just recently. When I turn my monitor on after its been off for a while, the LED will cycle between blue and orange for a while(seemingly increasing each time) before it will finally turn on. It still happens when not connected to the video card.

2. Whenever I shut down my PC, it won't turn back on. Sometimes after giving it a break, it will turn back on. Also if I unplug my external HDD, sometimes it will turn on.

Specs:
AMD X2 4000+ 2.11GHz
2GB DDR2
Radeon X1950XT
Ultra X3 600W modular PSU
LG194WT monitor
WDC 250gb HDD
Seagate FreeAgent 500gb external HDD

Any help is appreciated.
#2 Feb 16 2009 at 5:34 AM Rating: Decent
***
1,372 posts
Well it was as I feared for the monitor. It wouldn't turn on this morning at all.
#3 Feb 16 2009 at 9:36 AM Rating: Excellent
***
1,225 posts
I assume your monitor draws its power directly from the mains, not from the computer. Try changing the lead for another one - often the PSU lead and the monitor lead will be interchangeable. Also try plugging it in to a different socket so that you rule everything out before having to replace the monitor.

With the PC, when you turn it on, what happens? Do any fans start, is there an LED that indicates the motherboard has power, any beeping, anything? Are your fans okay - do you have enough cooling and are they free of dust? Do they spin when your PC's actually working?
#4 Feb 16 2009 at 10:20 AM Rating: Decent
***
1,372 posts
You're assumption about the monitor is correct. It is plugged into the main. I've tried switching the socket but not the lead. At work now, but I'll try it when I get home.

When I press the Power button nothing at all happens. I have 7 fans(including CPU, GPU and PSU fans) and all of them are fine with minimal dust accumulation. Under load, the temperature never goes much above 50C.

Last night, I tried to turn it on for a while to no avail so I gave up and went to bed. 30-60 minutes later, I hear the fans start up, see the LED light on for a second or two, then it shuts itself off again. I get up, go over to it and press the button again and it starts up fine.

A motherboard problem you think?
#5 Feb 16 2009 at 1:01 PM Rating: Good
Lunatic
******
30,086 posts

A motherboard problem you think?


Anything can be a motherboard problem. This is more likely a short/open/loose connection in your power switch wiring. Can you shut the machine off with the power switch without problems?
____________________________
Disclaimer:

To make a long story short, I don't take any responsibility for anything I post here. It's not news, it's not truth, it's not serious. It's parody. It's satire. It's bitter. It's angsty. Your mother's a *****. You like to jack off dogs. That's right, you heard me. You like to grab that dog by the bone and rub it like a ski pole. Your dad? Gay. Your priest? Straight. **** off and let me post. It's not true, it's all in good fun. Now go away.

#6 Feb 16 2009 at 1:20 PM Rating: Decent
***
1,372 posts
Yes, it turns off fine. And I've checked and reseated the wiring twice already.
#7 Feb 16 2009 at 2:55 PM Rating: Good
Lunatic
******
30,086 posts

Yes, it turns off fine. And I've checked and reseated the wiring twice already.


Try connecting the switch wiring to the reset pins and see if that also works. Obviously, if you have another case handy, just wiring the switch in to the motherboard and testing that would tell you a lot also. Depending on how much time you want to invest in this, take the motherboard out and see if something's come loose on the back of the pcb. Of course, by then, you could have just bought and installed a new motherboard and case for $150 or less, so there's a real question of just how much you really care about this and what finding a solution is worth to you.

It's not rocket science, though, it's either the case switch, the board/switch interface, or some catastrophic CMOS failure. Unsynch your OS clock from a timeserver and see if it's "losing" time during the time you can't switch it on. If it is, it could just be a bad CMOS battery/chip, which would prevent the BIOS from starting at the power signal (and would also explain why when you leave the power switch on it would randomly start up after an hour). You could try replacing that. The real problem, in my eyes, is that we're talking about an essentially disposable item at this point. You haven't listed your MB specs but it's likely, given your CPU, that it's cheap to the point of spending more than an hour on this is a waste compared to just replacing it.

You follow me? You don't spend 15 hours repairing a leak in a $25 tire, you just buy a new tire. If you just want the "win" of fixing it, or you really don't have the $50 or whatever, I understand, but from a utilitarian standpoint you're verging on wasting your time.

Good luck.
____________________________
Disclaimer:

To make a long story short, I don't take any responsibility for anything I post here. It's not news, it's not truth, it's not serious. It's parody. It's satire. It's bitter. It's angsty. Your mother's a *****. You like to jack off dogs. That's right, you heard me. You like to grab that dog by the bone and rub it like a ski pole. Your dad? Gay. Your priest? Straight. **** off and let me post. It's not true, it's all in good fun. Now go away.

#8 Feb 16 2009 at 4:05 PM Rating: Decent
***
1,372 posts
Posting from a 7 year old CRT and ugh, now I know why I thought I needed glasses back then. lol.

I tried the changing the lead to the monitor. Turned it on, blue light flickered(no orange this time) for about 5 seconds then shut off. Stayed off after that.

Smasharoo wrote:

Yes, it turns off fine. And I've checked and reseated the wiring twice already.


Try connecting the switch wiring to the reset pins and see if that also works. Obviously, if you have another case handy, just wiring the switch in to the motherboard and testing that would tell you a lot also. Depending on how much time you want to invest in this, take the motherboard out and see if something's come loose on the back of the pcb. Of course, by then, you could have just bought and installed a new motherboard and case for $150 or less, so there's a real question of just how much you really care about this and what finding a solution is worth to you.

It's not rocket science, though, it's either the case switch, the board/switch interface, or some catastrophic CMOS failure. Unsynch your OS clock from a timeserver and see if it's "losing" time during the time you can't switch it on. If it is, it could just be a bad CMOS battery/chip, which would prevent the BIOS from starting at the power signal (and would also explain why when you leave the power switch on it would randomly start up after an hour). You could try replacing that. The real problem, in my eyes, is that we're talking about an essentially disposable item at this point. You haven't listed your MB specs but it's likely, given your CPU, that it's cheap to the point of spending more than an hour on this is a waste compared to just replacing it.

You follow me? You don't spend 15 hours repairing a leak in a $25 tire, you just buy a new tire. If you just want the "win" of fixing it, or you really don't have the $50 or whatever, I understand, but from a utilitarian standpoint you're verging on wasting your time.

Good luck.


This is my motherboard right here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130057#spec
Just over a 2 year old computer, costed 130$ at the time. And the CPU 160$. >_> lol. Haven't upgraded it since then because of no need. Originally built it for FPS but now I'm more into MMOs which aren't nearly as graphic intensive.

But I understand what you're saying though. I was more worried about the (now dead) monitor than the power on issue. It's just a minor inconvenience to me really since I rarely turn the PC off completely. But I figured I'd ask to kill 2 birds with one stone and to find if there was a potentially serious problem behind it, which from what you're saying is not the case.

Thanks for the help, both of you.
Reply To Thread

Colors Smileys Quote OriginalQuote Checked Help

 

Recent Visitors: 10 All times are in CST
Anonymous Guests (10)