I think my computer is fried!!!!! (1 Viewer)

[Vlad D]

I came home the other night and my computer was off. Now, I always leave it on. I tried to turn it on but it wouldn't power up. All of my components, moniter, printer, speakers, etc including my computer are plugged into an APC UPS, and everything else was still on. I figured that maybe my power supply blew and I went out and bought a new one today and installed it........no good! Still won't power up. Now I still think my power supply is fried because when I installed the new one, an LED on my CD burner lit up. So I'm guessing something else is also fried, probably my CPU or motherboard, or both. What do you guys think? What could of caused this? If it was a power surge, wouldn't all my components be affected? Any help is greatly appreciated. I'm so frustrated right now and have no idea how to troubleshoot this.

Thanks,

Vlad

 

[Francois Caron]

Have you tried plugging the computer directly into the wall outlet just in case it was the UPC that was fried?

 

[Vlad D]

Yeah. First thing I tried.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

If you have an APC UPS, any electrical problem would stop there. If your monitor comes on, then the UPS is ok.

However, if there is a problem with your board, such as a short, the power supply will stop. If you turn it on and the power supply fan starts but then stops, you have a short somewhere.

Your best bet is to unplug everything and pull all of your cards too, including the video. You'd just have the motherboard connected. Then power it up. If it goes off, then your board or CPU is fried. You could look at your motherboard fan. If that starts up, then I'd guess the CPU.

If that doesn't work, unplug the motherboard cables and plug a disk drive in and see if it spins up.

Try to swap parts rather than buy them. (It's cheaper!)

Glenn

 

[Vlad D]

Your best bet is to unplug everything and pull all of your cards too, including the video. You'd just have the motherboard connected. Then power it up. If it goes off, then your board or CPU is fried.

You're saying that if it turns on after unplugging everything then its either the board or CPU?

I'll give it a shot.

Thanks

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Exactly. Upon further thought, pull the keyboard and mouse plugs too, just to be sure. Then add them back in, one or two at a time. Ignore the beebs, if you get any. (I guess if you do hear beeps, that is a good sign, no?)

Glenn

 

[John_Berger]

What could of caused this?

Most likely, what caused this was something that causes a lot of computer problems: heat. The electricity flowing through the copper on the motherboard and the silicon in the various chips generates a large amount of heat, causing the motherboard and all of its connectors to expand ever so slightly when the system is turned on and contract when turned off.

It is very likely that the contraction of when you turned your system off last caused either a breakage or a disconnection of one of the critical system connections. Reseating everything - particularly the CPU - might help to reestablish a connection and get your system back up.

 

[Vlad D]

You guys are geniuses! I took Glenn's advice and pulled all the cards out (video, sound, modem, network and SCSI). I also followed John's advice and pulled out the CPU. I also pulled out my memory. I then replaced the CPU, memory and video card, and have nothing plugged into the back, except for power cord. Pressed the power button and viola!!! It turned on. Now, according to Glenn, this would mean that either the CPU or board is the problem. But couldn't it also mean that one of my other cards that are not plugged in is the culprit?

I'm going to try and replace one by one and see what happens. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks

 

[Vlad D]

Well it looks like my modem was the culprit. I plugged every card back in one by one and my computer wouldn't power up when I put in the modem. Which is no big deal since I don't use it because I have DSL. I only left it in as a back up in case the DSL was ever down. Anyways, everything now is just fine. I only which I knew the cause.

Thanks again John and Glenn for all your help.

 

[John_Berger]

That's just bizarre. If you don't need the modem, then all is well; however, I'd still be concerned that there might be a short in the slot connector as well. To have a card that's been in there suddenly stop the computer from even booting is disconcerting.

Actually, you could have used this as a good excuse for a new motherboard and processor.

 

[Vlad D]

Actually, you could have used this as a good excuse for a new motherboard and processor.

While that sounds very appealing to me, the wife would definitely not be happy.

 

[John_Berger]

While that sounds very appealing to me, the wife would definitely not be happy.

Then what you do is tell her how miserable you'll be (and thus make her) and she should succumb just to shut you up. Fortunately, my wife knows that if a system goes down, it *will* be replaced. Things like food and water are just incidentals.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Did the phone cord that was plugged into your modem go directly into the wall, or through the APC?

Glenn

 

[Vlad D]

Did the phone cord that was plugged into your modem go directly into the wall, or through the APC?

It was plugged into the APC.