sargenv Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 (edited) Well, with the power outages the last few days, my wife and I were both on our computers when the power decides to shut down. No big deal, we weren't working on anythig important. But after the power returns, my machine fires up just fine and hers won't even start. I figure Power supply. So I order her a new one, plenty of power, etc. I install it today and still no dice. Now I'm thinking something is goofy on the motherboard. She currently has an ABIT IC7-G in it. A fairly good board. Problem is, they don't make this one anymore and I'm looking to replace it with another Socket 478 board. Does anyone have anything they can reccomend to me that they have installed lately and thereby is still available for purchase? I kind of need to get this done asap since with her computer down, she's going to want to share mine.. Her CPU is currently an Intel 2.26 Ghz P4, 1/2 gig memory, nothing fancy, just a pretty barebones system. I have an AGP vid card and am looking for a basic system that I can hook a Serial ATA hard drive to. Sound is not important. Vince Edited July 26, 2006 by sargenv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alellis Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Well, with the power outages the last few days, my wife and I were both on our computers when the power decides to shut down. No big deal, we weren't working on anythig important. But after the power returns, my machine fires up just fine and hers won't even start. I figure Power supply. So I order her a new one, plenty of power, etc. I install it today and still no dice. Now I'm thinking something is goofy on the motherboard. She currently has an ABIT IC7-G in it. A fairly good board. Problem is, they don't make this one anymore and I'm looking to replace it with another Socket 478 board. Does anyone have anything they can reccomend to me that they have installed lately and thereby is still available for purchase? I kind of need to get this done asap since with her computer down, she's going to want to share mine..Her CPU is currently an Intel 2.26 Ghz P4, 1/2 gig memory, nothing fancy, just a pretty barebones system. I have an AGP vid card and am looking for a basic system that I can hook a Serial ATA hard drive to. Sound is not important. Vince Did you check the fuse ?. al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 Ok, I'll bite, what fuse? Realize I did swap out the unknown power supply for a brand new one. the old one rattles, the new one appears intact and does not rattle. Actually, the motherboard has an LED that shows when power is turned on. The power supply, when fired up, lights the LED. I switch off the power supply and hold the on switch and it will drain and I physically hear it power down with the side panel off. Nothing spins, no fans start, the hard drive doesn't start, nada.. but that light is on if the power supply is turned to the on position. Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1911user Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 I'd try restoring the BIOS to default settings. It may have been scrambled with the power surges. Make sure the power supply is unplugged from the wall first if you have to move a shorting jumper for 30 seconds or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 (edited) I thought of that too but was trying to avoid having to dig that deep. I'll look into it tonight, it'd save me some cash with a new motherboard. This is a home built system, not one of those off the shelf proprietary systems. Thanks, Vince ps... Ok, cleared the CMOS.. no dice, acting the same.. New motherboard here I come.. Edited July 27, 2006 by sargenv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bberkley Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 I thought of that too but was trying to avoid having to dig that deep. I'll look into it tonight, it'd save me some cash with a new motherboard. This is a home built system, not one of those off the shelf proprietary systems.Thanks, Vince ps... Ok, cleared the CMOS.. no dice, acting the same.. New motherboard here I come.. I would guess the motherboard is dead, but I would bench test it out of the case with just video, ram, and cpu before buying a new one. Pop the CMOS battery out for about 30sec and pop it back in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 You mentioned that none of the fans spin .... are all your fans driven from the MB? Are any fans driven straight from the PS? I would plug at least one in the PS directly and see if it spins. That way you actually know that you have a working PS. It is not unheard of to get a busted new part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 The thing is, without the motherboard telling everything else to turn on, how can I get the fans spinning? I have the fans plugged directly into the power supply in several places, but nothing spins up. To me that points to motherboard failure.. even if it's just the circuit that allows everything to turn on when you short the two connectors via the power switch. If I could get to the bios, then almost all of it would be easy, but nothing happens at all. I've thought that maybe it's the switch, but without pulling the socket to it and testing with an ohm-meter, there is no way to know. Maybe I'll check that next. Thanks for the help all Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vluc Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 (edited) Diagnose testing I have a tool that you can plug the power supply cables in to to simulate it operating under load. That determines if it works or not. Also can get peripherals like fans running as well. You should be able to get them at an electronics store or Comp-USA Power supply tester. BTW, check e-bay, a good number of IC-7 G Abit boards there. Search abit 478. Edited July 27, 2006 by vluc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 Ok, I'll look into a power supply tester. Why I didn't think of something like that is beyond me. Personally, I didn't know they had them so cheap. Any geek should have one of these. I will soon enough lol. I know that ebay has those boards, but I don't want a used board or a refurb, has to be brand spanking new one. I've been burned on ebay too many times when it comes to computer stuff. How do you refurb something electronic? there is nothing to replace. I've opted to get an ASUS board with the items I need on them for wife's computer, though the power supply tester is something that will find it's way into my toolbox. Thanks! Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Every power supply I've used would power up fans plugged in to it directly without the MB even being attached. Simply powering on the PS would be enough. Here is a easy thing to try .. Try the PS in your other machine in the troubled one. My guess is that you got a bum new PS. Also, and this is really stupid, did you plug in to a different socket, and or power strip, they can fail too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bberkley Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Every power supply I've used would power up fans plugged in to it directly without the MB even being attached. Simply powering on the PS would be enough. Here is a easy thing to try .. Try the PS in your other machine in the troubled one. My guess is that you got a bum new PS. Also, and this is really stupid, did you plug in to a different socket, and or power strip, they can fail too I always have disagreements with my geek friends about power supplies. While they are inclined to go to Fry's and get a case w/ P/S, I will spend $80 or more on an Enermax. I've had great results with quality power supplies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted July 28, 2006 Author Share Posted July 28, 2006 (edited) Actually, yeah, I did try powering it from a different plug, directly into a socket that just had a night light plugged into it. The light was on so I know it's getting juice. Like I said, the motherboard has this LED on it so when I turn on the power supply switch on the back, it immediately lights up. When I hit the power switch on the front of the case, nothing happens. I'm um, not going to sacrifice my computer for hers at this point. I spent $40 for a new supply, a 450 watt Raidmax fancy lighted kind, and.... it does the same thing as the other 420 watt Raidmax supply.. lights that little motherboard LED and then... nothing else when I hit the main power switch. Doesn't matter if it's plugged into a power strip, into the wall, whatever. I know the power strip is providing power since there are lights plugged into the same strip and they are powered on. *shrug* If I had more space, I might try the bench thing.. as it is, my bench is the island in the kitchen.. lol Vince Edited July 28, 2006 by sargenv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vluc Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Maybe it's the cpu and not the mobo....got an extra one sitting around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted July 28, 2006 Author Share Posted July 28, 2006 (edited) Only the one in *my* machine... er.. the one I'm using.. though I guess I could snag one from work for um.. *testing purposes*... V Edited July 28, 2006 by sargenv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timamal Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/con...amp;x=0&y=0 basic computer with 15 lcd for 319 plus shipping and tax in some states Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 True.. but.. um.. it's a dell... I don't much care for puters that they put together by the 1000's and they might run ok.. but, it's kind of like buying factory ammo.. I can build something as good or better for the same money.. I did get an inexpensive power supply tester... the NEW power supply was DOA. I tested another P/S that I pulled out of a system at work.. and it activated the tester, so I know the tester is good. Original P/S is also dead. Waiting on replacement M/B to come then we'll try one of those with the replacement supply that will be here next week. Or I could order something from Dell and with my mods, I'd pay $500 and wait a week and a half to have them ship it.. I did look into it.. Thanks for the suggestion though Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 the NEW power supply was DOA Told ya so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 I kinda wonder if the Power supply was good when I put it into the computer, and something on the MB caused it to fry? Since I didn't have the tester before I tried that trick, it could have been either. I'm not going to take that chance with the supply that tested good. Now if I wanted to take that chance.. and I fry it, would you take back what you said vlad? V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Sure ... though techincally I would still be right because the new power supply was still dead. I didn't speculate on the reasons of demise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Sure ... though techincally I would still be right because the new power supply was still dead. I didn't speculate on the reasons of demise Vince, if you think he's annoying now ---- try being his co-match director, and getting your fanny spanked by him at every match..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Vince... just buy an off the shelf deally... is it really worth the hassle? I used to build them up, now I just get a new one every six months.. it's way easier... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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