Argh, computer wont power on since unplugging from mains

mks2005

mks2005

mks2005

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Help me OcUK :(

This morning I had to disconnect all my electrical stuff temporarily and of course shut down my computer and unplugged it from the mains.

Now, just as I've come to hook up all my stuff again, I find my PC isn't recieving any power at all :( There's no light on the motherboard illuminated, and of course it wont start up with the power-on button. It's as if no power is even reaching the motherboard. This is rather concerning.

My other electronic devices work fine from these sockets, and I have since tested:

a) the computer on another socket - it fails
b) a different kettle lead - it still fails
c) the same different kettle lead using another machine to be sure it wasn't dud as well - it works fine on an other machine.

So, I'm left pointing to the PSU I guess. But what the hell? I can't see what horrific mistake I've made here, and just can't explain why it seems to have apparently died. I didn't hear any banging or popping or anything.

One thing I have noticed thats out of the ordinary here is with regard to my speakers and I think has something to do with this. Usually with my computer powered down, there is a quiet buzz eminating from the speakers whilst they're turned on. However, as I started reconnecting everything I noticed a strange kinda of pulsing low-end sound rhythmically "clicking" when I hooked them up to the now broken PC, in addition to the buzz. I'm not sure what this signifies.

So what do you think? PSU randomly copped out on me here? Any chance of the rest of my system being screwed? Argh, this sucks.

Cheers
 
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To rule out the PSU you could always try another one, seeing as you have more then the one system in the house :)

Oh yeah, and the other socket you tried, I presume that was a socket with something which could already be powered from that socket?
 
Well I realised I had another compliant PSU around the house, sadly not powerful enough to actually power the system properly, but I hooked it up. Motherboard lights shines.

Well, there we go, it would seem my PSU has deaded. It's an Antec EarthPower, came with my Sonata III, only a few months old. Time to invest in a Corsair, methinks?

And you know what, I've just had a slight epiphany. For about 2 minutes yesterday, I could smell a weird smell in my room. I wonder if that was the smell of PSU death? It's strange though, I had assumed them to die with a loud bang, or rather abruptly, rather than slowly dying but this also would explain a couple of random restarts I had recently too.

My other components should be OK?
 
Buy yourself a surgesurpressor...

It's funny how that "weird smell" was around. I fix PCs for a living, and often walk into customer houses and tell them "Your PC Power Supply has died" without seeing the PC... the smell of burnt PSU is very recognisable. :)
 
IAmATeaf said:
If it's only a few months old then you should be able to RMA it won't you?
Click to expand...

Good point - not sure how things work in this scenario though since it came as part of the Sonata III case. I'm not able to simply RMA the PSU am I? Sending back the case as well would be a royal pain.
 
mks2005 said:
Help me OcUK :(

This morning I had to disconnect all my electrical stuff temporarily and of course shut down my computer and unplugged it from the mains.

Now, just as I've come to hook up all my stuff again, I find my PC isn't recieving any power at all :( There's no light on the motherboard illuminated, and of course it wont start up with the power-on button. It's as if no power is even reaching the motherboard. This is rather concerning.

My other electronic devices work fine from these sockets, and I have since tested:

a) the computer on another socket - it fails
b) a different kettle lead - it still fails
c) the same different kettle lead using another machine to be sure it wasn't dud as well - it works fine on an other machine.

So, I'm left pointing to the PSU I guess. But what the hell? I can't see what horrific mistake I've made here, and just can't explain why it seems to have apparently died. I didn't hear any banging or popping or anything.

One thing I have noticed thats out of the ordinary here is with regard to my speakers and I think has something to do with this. Usually with my computer powered down, there is a quiet buzz eminating from the speakers whilst they're turned on. However, as I started reconnecting everything I noticed a strange kinda of pulsing low-end sound rhythmically "clicking" when I hooked them up to the now broken PC, in addition to the buzz. I'm not sure what this signifies.

So what do you think? PSU randomly copped out on me here? Any chance of the rest of my system being screwed? Argh, this sucks.

Cheers
Click to expand...

My brother unplugged his PC from the mains the other day and had the exact same problem as you - a completely dead computer.

Changed the power supply and it worked perfectly :)
 
Well today I installed a Corsair 520W and what do you know... the same problem.

This was rather annoying.

I decided something must have been shorting, and finally managed to track it down to a damaged front USB header (which I must have done recently). Disconected front USB from motherboard and everything was fine. This also means that my old PSU probably is fine, but I don't understand why the OTHER PSU I tried actually got power to the motherboard? Bizarre.

Well problem solved I guess.

One question though: Is it normal for the Corsair 520 to have a fairly pungent "new" smell? It's quite strong - doesnt smell like burning or anything, just a bit unpleasant, will this fade?
 
Weird. Maybe the Antec and Corsair PSUs have better short-circuit protection than the old one you tried, so they refused to power the system with the dodgy USB? I once accidentally shorted out a USB port and my PSU shut down instantly.

mks2005 said:
One question though: Is it normal for the Corsair 520 to have a fairly pungent "new" smell? It's quite strong - doesnt smell like burning or anything, just a bit unpleasant, will this fade?
Click to expand...


I got a Corsair 520W on Thursday - mine smelled a bit for the first couple of days too. A bit unnerving but the smell seems to have gone now and it's working fine. I reckon it was the smell of excess grease or something.
 
Mattus said:
Weird. Maybe the Antec and Corsair PSUs have better short-circuit protection than the old one you tried, so they refused to power the system with the dodgy USB? I once accidentally shorted out a USB port and my PSU shut down instantly.




I got a Corsair 520W on Thursday - mine smelled a bit for the first couple of days too. A bit unnerving but the smell seems to have gone now and it's working fine. I reckon it was the smell of excess grease or something.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I think it's smelling less that it did earlier now. I agree it must be something like excess grease or chemicals, because others say theres barely smelt at all. Can't be good to inhale this stuff though, heh.
 
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