Strange Problem.

BriT · 15 Jan 2014 at 11:36

Hi guys

I've noticed that sometimes my PC won't turn on. So i open up the case push a few cables including the power switch close the case and it boots fine. This happens every two to three weeks so not a major problem but just wondering why it does this? PSU? or just a faulty wire?

FatRakoon · 15 Jan 2014 at 15:35

If pushing the cables sorts the issue out, then surely you are nudging on answering your own question.

What I would do, is simply unplug all the connections, make sure that they are not worn or bent out and that they will give a good contact on each pin, and re-plug them all in again.

Hopefully this will give you a longer time between having to do it.

Also make sure that connections have not sort of gone at a funky angle and so causing a short, this can happen with cheap sata cables and also make sure that the old style HD power cables are tight too... They also wear out and can be iffy.

Does the PC work fine while its on? Have you thought of not turning it off?

cheesyboy · 15 Jan 2014 at 15:41

Probably the power button connector is loose on the motherboard header - they're not especially robust and the plastic bit of the connector can crack/break pretty easily and that may affect contact.

BriT · 15 Jan 2014 at 17:39

Hi guys

Fatrakoon - I've checked all the connections are all seem fine. But yeah i think its the power button connector, can i put some masking tape on it? or will effect the motherboard? PC runs fine when its turned on.

FatRakoon · 15 Jan 2014 at 18:44

One way ( IF YOU ARE CAREFUL ) is to simply short the power pins out with a screwdriver or similar and if it seems to power up just fine then have a look at the shape of the holes in the connection... They might simply need to be squished a tiny bit so they fit tighter onto the pins. If its more the switch itself then you may be able to replace it, maybe not. Quite often the switch has some ridiculous plastic effort that breaks but the switch itself is perfectly fine, and without some bodge of a repair, its often a new case time.

But hopefully, you have found the fault area so its now only a matter of pinpointing the fault.