1 yr. old computer won't post

[laurenlex]

I went home for lunch, and the computer was off. Turned it on, fans spin for about 1 second, then nothing. I press the power button on the front, and nothing.

I turn off and on the rocker power switch on the power supply. It makes a faint noise when powering off. I try again, the PS fan and heatsink fan spins for 1 second, then nothing. No beeps, no POST, just a little fan spin, then nothing.

I don't have any extra componets to switch around to see what the problem is. How do you tell if the power supply is dead vs. motherboard vs. graphics card?

Specs:
Antec Smart Power 350 watt.
Chaintech VNF-250
ATI AIW 9600XT
754 3000+

The case was quite dusty inside. All the componets are 14 months old or so. I leave it on most of the time.

Thanks for the help.

 

[alcoholbob]

I had the same problem with the same motherboard a few days ago, on the same 754 socket 3000+ CPU. USB ports randomly started dying. So I turned off the computer and turned it back on the next morning. The PSU (Antec Neopower 480) was making a high pitched whine and the computer wouldn't boot. I could smell something cooking in the PSU.

Went to Fry's, got a non-modular 500W Antec PSU. Same problem. Next thing I knew, I was smelling something cooking and high frequency whine from the new PSU too.

I suspect your motherboard killed your PSU. The CPU might be dead too. I doubt its cooling related, I have about 8 fans in my PC, and my PSU had a 120mm and 80mm fans. Basically, I'm guessing the Chaintech is shorting all over the place and is killing all your PC components.