Computer won't turn on

[BlackDahlia]

So, against my better judgement, I decided to leave my computer on for about 6 days straight. When I turned it off last night, everything was working just fine. But this morning it wouldn't turn on anymore.

Here's what I've tried:

I've unplugged it, plugged it back in.. didn't help.

I've opened it, checked all the cables.. didn't help.

I've disconnected everything from the power supply, reconnected one at a time.. nothing.

Apologized.. awkward silence.

From what I understand (correct me if I'm wrong), if there is a blinking green light on the back of the power supply, then one of the other parts is most likely the problem. Mine, however, is solid. I haven't been able to find anything clear about a solid green light, everyone seems to have the blinking light problem. I'm guessing that I fried either my power supply (that's okay) or motherboard (hope not), but I'm not sure which it is.

Is there any way to individually test if the parts are working? Or what other options do I have (other than buying a new computer)?

Edited August 27, 2012 by BlackDahlia

[dark4yoyo]

On some mobos you have a led at startup for each different componement so you know which one is faulty but you may not have it on yours.

There's an easy way to test if it's the psu or not, it's simply using another psu of sufficient power to test your system (eventually borrow one).

Does it make any noise when you try to make it start ? Could you precise what componements you have in your computer ?

[Elchzard]

So what actually happens when you try to turn it on? Does anything happen at all, or you get literally nothing?

[BlackDahlia]

The motherboard doesn't have any lights on it. The only "extra" components I have are an extra hard drive and a DVD drive. When I try to turn it on, nothing happens at all, no fans power up, no noise of any kind, nothing.

[dark4yoyo]

The motherboard doesn't have any lights on it. The only "extra" components I have are an extra hard drive and a DVD drive. When I try to turn it on, nothing happens at all, no fans power up, no noise of any kind, nothing.

This sounds alot like a psu failure, I suggest you try to power up your computer with another psu and see if it works.

What I mean by componements is what cpu, mobo, gpu do you have ? or is it a prebuilt computer (hp, dell, alienware, something like that)?

[BlackDahlia]

Yupp, it was a prebuilt computer. It says Compaq Presario sr5000.

I'll try using a different psu, be back in a few

EDIT: You were absolutely correct, I changed the psu and it worked. Weird thing, that particular replacement psu seems to be missing a connector, which I think I need since I"m not getting any video. Guess I'll have to look for another psu lol Thanks again, your suggestion solved the problem

Edited August 27, 2012 by BlackDahlia

[Koby]

I don't really know what the issue could be, but leaving your PC on did not cause this.

Many PC are meant to stay on 24/7, especially those designed to be servers.

For example, if the server that hosts this site was turned off, then the site wouldn't be accessible.

As for me, most of my PC's never get turned off until it storms and the power cuts, or I turn it off because of a storm, or if the PC starts running sluggish and needs to reboot to free up RAM, etc.

So, try to explain what happens when you hit the power button. Does nothing happen or does it seem like it's turning on; but you just don't ever see anything pop up on the screen? If nothing happens at all, your PSU is dead. If it actually gets power, maybe your GFX card died.

Leaving it on, wouldn't cause it to stop working, unless you have an issue somewhere with your hardware such as not even fans to prevent overheating etc..

[ZeroPenguins]

I don't really know what the issue could be, but leaving your PC on did not cause this.

Many PC are meant to stay on 24/7, especially those designed to be servers.

For example, if the server that hosts this site was turned off, then the site wouldn't be accessible.

As for me, most of my PC's never get turned off until it storms and the power cuts, or I turn it off because of a storm, or if the PC starts running sluggish and needs to reboot to free up RAM, etc.

So, try to explain what happens when you hit the power button. Does nothing happen or does it seem like it's turning on; but you just don't ever see anything pop up on the screen? If nothing happens at all, your PSU is dead. If it actually gets power, maybe your GFX card died.

Leaving it on, wouldn't cause it to stop working, unless you have an issue somewhere with your hardware such as not even fans to prevent overheating etc..

I think it all depends, believe it or not but some PSU or electronic component actually dies out when you cut the power. Never happened to me but I probably should add, what a crappy PSU you had there, computers are made to be on 24/7 like Koby suggested. The only good reason I can think of turning off a computer is to save power or to prevent heat (I hate summer with my main computer on 24/7).

[dark4yoyo]

I think it all depends, believe it or not but some PSU or electronic component actually dies out when you cut the power. Never happened to me but I probably should add, what a crappy PSU you had there, computers are made to be on 24/7 like Koby suggested. The only good reason I can think of turning off a computer is to save power or to prevent heat (I hate summer with my main computer on 24/7).

Yeah well the psu's in prebuilt computers are often crappy, and since they provide barely enough power, over time as they get used, they can become insufficient.

Do you have a graphic's card, that may be the connector you are missing.)

Edited August 28, 2012 by dark4yoyo

[Alice]

I don't really know what the issue could be, but leaving your PC on did not cause this.

Many PC are meant to stay on 24/7, especially those designed to be servers.

For example, if the server that hosts this site was turned off, then the site wouldn't be accessible.

As for me, most of my PC's never get turned off until it storms and the power cuts, or I turn it off because of a storm, or if the PC starts running sluggish and needs to reboot to free up RAM, etc.

So, try to explain what happens when you hit the power button. Does nothing happen or does it seem like it's turning on; but you just don't ever see anything pop up on the screen? If nothing happens at all, your PSU is dead. If it actually gets power, maybe your GFX card died.

Leaving it on, wouldn't cause it to stop working, unless you have an issue somewhere with your hardware such as not even fans to prevent overheating etc..

I would also agree that computers are meant to stay on 24/7. I also never turn mine off unless there is a bad storm or the power cuts off. You had a crappy psu. If you were able to use another psu to get it running then that was definitely your problem, but you definitely need to still get a better psu if you don't have all the connectors to it. I would also like to add there is an amazing free program you can use to clean up your computer when it gets a little sluggish and it called CCleaner. I've been using this program for quite a long time now. My ex had told me about it because the computer's cleaner itself doesn't clean out near as much as the CCleaner program does.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Sakura Rei

[BlackDahlia]

I don't really know what the issue could be, but leaving your PC on did not cause this.

Many PC are meant to stay on 24/7, especially those designed to be servers.

For example, if the server that hosts this site was turned off, then the site wouldn't be accessible.

As for me, most of my PC's never get turned off until it storms and the power cuts, or I turn it off because of a storm, or if the PC starts running sluggish and needs to reboot to free up RAM, etc.

So, try to explain what happens when you hit the power button. Does nothing happen or does it seem like it's turning on; but you just don't ever see anything pop up on the screen? If nothing happens at all, your PSU is dead. If it actually gets power, maybe your GFX card died.

Leaving it on, wouldn't cause it to stop working, unless you have an issue somewhere with your hardware such as not even fans to prevent overheating etc..

Yeah, when I was pressing the power button, nothing was happening at all. I don't have a GFX card on this computer at the moment, I took it off a few months back when the fan on the card started to sound like crap. I probably should put it back in now that I've fixed the fan.. I think it's safe to say the psu was the problem.. and probably a heat problem as well. I was going to clean the computer, but I just never got around to it. I need to clean the fan on the processor(?) and change the thermal paste because the fan is getting louder and working harder. But I'm not too sure if a hot motherboard would kill the psu. This particular computer cost me about $200 when I bought it some years back, so I wouldn't expect the hardware to be anything special. I get that computers are meant to be on 24/7, but don't they have to be kept in relatively cool temperatures? Do you actually go weeks/months without giving it a break?

Do you have a graphic's card, that may be the connector you are missing.)

Looking at this picture

http://www.computer-...s-labeled-2.jpg

the connector the psu is missing is the 4-pin (main) power cable. It says P7 on the psu that died. The first replacement psu I used had the same wattage but it didn't have that particular connector, I'm guessing it's because it's from a computer that was bought in the 90s. I found another psu, this one does have the connector I need (also labeled P7), but the problem is that it is way smaller and it's only 150w, whereas the one I took off was 250w. I'm not sure how many watts the computer is actually using most of the time, so I'm not sure how much of a problem this will be. I will be buying a higher wattage psu, but it might not be for another month or two. Would it be a bad idea to keep using this 150w in the meantime?

I would also like to add there is an amazing free program you can use to clean up your computer when it gets a little sluggish and it called CCleaner. I've been using this program for quite a long time now. My ex had told me about it because the computer's cleaner itself doesn't clean out near as much as the CCleaner program does.

Thanks, I'll check it out. Maybe it'll give me back the hard drive space that "mysteriously" disappears and reappears at random times lol

Edited August 30, 2012 by BlackDahlia