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PC won't turn on. PSU problem?

Nazo

Nazo

2[H]4U
Joined
Apr 2, 2002
Messages
3,672
Ok, just the other day a weird new problem started with my system because my video card having frighteningly sensitive memory and crashing frequently isn't enough. As of a couple of days or so ago, my system decided it doesn't want to turn on after I turn it off. I have to actually cut the power to the PSU for a few moments, turn the power back on (or plug the plug back in, depending on my mood) and try again, then it turns on without a problem. This works every time so far, so right now it's just annoying, but it's a little worrying. Right now I'm not exactly swimming in money here, so I can't afford to go around replacing components. Also, I was kind of hoping to start saving up for an upgrade soon (I really need to do almost every component -- new memory, new CPU, new motherboard, and new videocard all at once) and was hoping to carry along everything I can as any other component I have to buy a new version of just means that much longer until I can get an upgrade... At the same time, I don't really want to hear that it is anything else because this CPU, motherboard, and memory each positively scream "I'll make a great server!" All of them run nice and cool with decent overclocking leeway (which translates into more tolerance of heat and such when they aren't being overclocked) and especially the CPU is very hard to overheat (I don't know whether to call it lucky or unlucky, but it seems that San Diegos come in two varieties: cool and can overclock a bit or hot and able to overclock like insane if you can cool them enough. I got the cool variety. Most of the time my CPU is idling in the upper 30s -- barely more than the P3 500s I have in my server currently -- and even when I REALLY push it with Prime95 and no air conditioning, getting it to exceed 55 is almost impossible within reason.)

Whatever it is, is there any fix beyond "buy a new one"?
 
I have this EXACT same problem with an ANTEC power supply. And after swapping in a friends i did indeed verify it is the PSU's problem. For now i just leave my computer in sleep mode and never actually "shut it off".

I do not have any stability problems, just the not turning back on issue. When i do turn it on after turning it off, the LAN light just flashes as well as the light on the inside of my motherboard. i have to turn it off for a few mins then plug it back and and kick it back on. But like i said sleep mode is just fine, when its asleep (vista) i just hit the power button and it fires right up. I have no idea what is causing this and the PSU started doing this about 6 months ago about 3 months after i bought it!

Frustrating for sure.
 
I can verify too that i have had this problem and it did indeed turn out to be the PSU. Right now I'm in the stage of replacing it, along with my somewhat dying harddrive. My PSU was a 550w generic piece of junk that i spent about £20 on.
 
Well, I don't know that I can replace mine just atm. Firstly, it's not generic. Though the brand itself is mostly generic, it was actually made by a fairly reliable company and about the only thing really against it is the fact that it has a pitiful hold time (so whenever the power blinks of course my PC goes off even when other people's nearby keep going.) It's fairly sturdy and provides a RELIABLE 450 watts (which beats out generic 550 watts any day, so I would suggest picking your next PSU carefully. Remember, few modern systems actually use that much power, the real problem lies in using too much of certain voltages. I tested my PC once and the maximum power draw it ever used when I push it as hard as I can is roughly in the range of 250 watts -- almost half of that is my video card btw... I REALLY hope my next video card is more efficient...) Actually, on the subject of blinks, this happened shortly after the power started blinking a LOT (as in as many as five or six times within a single day. My server's main filesystem was irreperably damaged despite it being a journalized FS in linux even.) With my luck it might have even involved surges or something. Whatever the case, I'll bet that it's not a coincidence that this started shortly after the worst day (after blinking a lot it finally went out for some 30 minutes or so.)

Anyway, so you definitely do think it is the PSU then? Well, I have to admit I kind of thought so too really. The only component in my PC I really have any doubts about is the video card. Darned thing is determined to stay unstable (it has to be the memory -- when I tried overclocking I discovered that the memory freaks out if I overclock it by 2MHz. I'm pretty sure that it's overheating despite the fact that I never really kept my card overclocked since I didn't see any benefits and in fact lately keep it underclocked and with the fan set permanently on a higher setting.)
 
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