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Computer won't start

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by tabcomputers2002

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I have a PC that won't start (won't even post). When the problem started, the system would run for a while, then just reboot. Checked for anything that shouldn't be there (spy/maleware, viruses), the system was clean. I reseeded all the cards, cables and memory.
The system would run until I put the cover back on, so we thought it was over heating. But then the same problem started back up.
I added a case fan, but then I got a burning smell and no we don't start at all. The Board looks good, so I'm thinking of the PS being the problem. My problem is, I only have a 250w ps to test with. The original was a 300w (The board is a Asus ? A7V400-MX 3200 CPU AMD with 512mb). I think that was too small for this machine to start with.
During testing (before the burn smell) parts were swapped out and checked and run with bare bones set up. Any suggestions were to go from here?

Thank - Tim

10 replies

by bfilmfan

If you smelt burning, then a capacitor on the motherboard or in the power supply has gone out. Time for a new power supply and potentially a new motherboard as well.

by tabcomputers2002

That's what I'm thinking, but the board itself shows no signs of a burnout. Can I test with a small power supply (250W)? And if it turns out to be the PS, what should I have realistically for a PS?

by dmiles

Sniff the back of the power supply where the fan is.
For ref. check the motherboard maunual for specs.

You can use the 250W in a test to see if the power supply will boot the system,use the minimum hardware.

by balbir

Hi,
250W PSU should OK, at least for testing purposes.Replace the PSU and see if it works.Can you smell where the burning is comming from?
Balbir

by tabcomputers2002

We only got the smell early in the testing. We hooked in a CPU fan for extra air flow and that's when we smelled it.

by tabcomputers2002

The burning smell seem to be coming from the old mother board I tried.. The original motherboard didn't smell at all. I could smell burning inside that power supply but it could of been pulled through the fan unit on it.

by tabcomputers2002

We tested the MB on a different PSU (250w), the light on the board lights, and the fan on the CPU spins. The machine doesn't post. After about a minute, the CPU starts to get hot eventhough the fan is spinning. The fan on the PSU is also spinning. I've tested with just the board plugged in(no CPU) and not a peep.

Any ideas? I'd hate to get a new MB and PSU only to find out that the CPU is also toast.

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