Computer just shuts off and doesn't turn back on!

[excalibur313]

I recently set up my AMD 64 3000+ system and today I left it on for the longest it has ever been on (about 12 hours) but mostly just sleeping. I was sitting reading a book next to it and it just turned off. WHen i tried to turn it back on nothing happened although when i unplug the power supply from the wall i can hear the motherboard power down. What do you think happened? Did the processor fry from being too hot? Is the power supply dead? I bought a rosewill case with a 350 watt power supply for $28 total so I know that this isn't the best power supply. What steps should I be taking to isolate what's going on. I just had to replace the motherboard because of a faulty bios upgrade so i was careful this time not to do anything fancy like updating the bios, over clocking or anything like that. I just installed windows and a couple other programs. Thank you very much.
Stephen

I also tried resetting the CMOS to no avail!

 

[excalibur313]

Here are my specs:

Gigabyte ga-k8ns pro
2 seagate 80gb harddrives (type 0 raid)
Corsair 3200 DDR 512 mb
Radeon 9600se (by sapphire)
I also had a nec dual layer burner and a sony 1.44 floppy drive.

I guess the gigabyte board has a built in shut down feature but it was turned off by default so i didn't turn it on unfortunately. Hopefully amd also has one built in so that definitely isn't the problem.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Power supply is junk, as is everything rosewill "makes" dont try to keep using it, you will end up causing more damage than you may have already. Get yourself a decent enermax or antec power supply and give it another shot.

 

[CheesePoofs]

what happens when you press the power button?

If you hear the fans start to spin up, and then shut off, then is because of the power supply.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

The fact that he has to unplug it and then plug it up again tells me its the psu

 

[excalibur313]

No like nothing happens at all. No fans, lights, sounds, or any other indication that anything is going on at all.

 

[Anubis08]

PS is fubar. Try antec or other quality. Go with the newest one they just released if you can. Otherwise True Power is awesome too.

 

[Anubis08]

Welcome to the forums by the by.

 

[excalibur313]

Thanks! So what type of specs should i be looking for on this? How many watts and how many amps on the different rails? How certain are you that this is the problem and not that I fried my processor or something? Is it certain enough to warrent me just to get one on newegg without making for certain that it is the psu? (Going to comp usa to get one to make sure that it is the psu is something i'd like to avoid if this is the cause)

 

[stevty2889]

For the system you have a 350w quality PSU, enermax, antec, Fortron, will be fine. If you wanna get something for future upgradabilty gor for a 400-500w PSU from a quality manufacturer.

 

[excalibur313]

So then how certain is it that this is the problem? Is there a way to ensure that it is before I order something online that might be difficult (or expensive) to return if it isn't?

Also what would be the difference between say the antec true power series and smart power? There is a substancial price difference and I'm curious if i need to spend the additional $30 for a psu with a similar wattage rating.

 

[yezhou]

Well something very similar happened to me recently, and it was the PSU. I guess you can try running a stripped down system - mobo, graphics card, 1 stick of ram and try powering it up. But most likely its the PSU that crapped out.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Bout the only way to make 100% sure is to jump the psu and use a multimeter to check the voltages. But thats a pita, just get a new PSU, you need one anyway as rosewill are junk

 

[excalibur313]

After looking around I found this: http://store.yahoo.com/directron/sf350stainless.html

What do you guys think? To me this sounds like a great psu because it has 22 amps on the 12 volt rail, and it is only $30....the problem is that i'm apprehensive that this sounds too good to be true but it is power flower which i hear is a good company. Should I purchase it?

 

[excalibur313]

Well i got my friends power supply where we had the same components and when i plugged it into mine and turned it on at first nothing happened but then the fan on the processor turned on with nothing showing on the screen. I then smelled burning coming from the psu. I turned it off and brought it over to the original and it no longer booted up that computer although when the power buttons were pressed the fants turned on right away. Is it just coincidence that it fried just when it got moved over or whats going on?

 

[excalibur313]

So what should be done at this point?

 

[Rods]

Are you sure you have no power? Is the motherboard light on? If not, i would be hesitant to say it is the PSU and possibly the MB.

I had a very similar problem which i posted on this forum a month ago, but my MB light was on and I could see my fans try to click over and then fail.

I bought a $140 Antec and problem solved but I was able to test it with another PSU first.

I would recommend you borrow a friend's PSU 1st and test it because it may be MB.

 

[Ike0069]

What PS did you use and what are your friends specs?
I had a PS go bad on me. So I used a cheap but known working PS to try and run my system. Problem was that the working PS ran a "smaller" system that I had. As soon as I booted with this PS, it fried also.
Conclusion: Buy a new PS and troubleshoot from there.

 

[Childs]

Originally posted by: Rods
I would recommend you borrow a friend's PSU 1st and test it because it may be MB.

 

[excalibur313]

So all that was tested was his psu which I admit was a piece of junk and would go any day but its like it was working until we took it out and plugged it into mine. My friend has the exact same specs (we researched this computer together) and i know that this thing would go any day but its unnerving that it went just as i plugged it into mine. I didn't even have the hard drives installed.

 

[excalibur313]

I don't know if the motherboard has a power light but when i unplug it i can hear the motherboard make a faint depowering sound.

 

[mechBgon]

Sounds like now you need two good-quality power supplies. If you ever plan to upgrade to serious gaming cards, then maybe look at the 460W Enermax Whisper II's, and you should be set for the life of your motherboard.

 

[Childs]

Pull your motherboard out of the case and test it. I've never really heard of motherboards killing power supplies, unless there was a short.

 

[excalibur313]

How can we test it?

 

[Childs]

Just pull out the board, and put it on a non-conductive surface, like the bag that the mobo came in. Plug in the video card, hook up the PS, and turn it on. You may need a have the case near by and hook up the power switch to the motherboard in order to turn it on if you dont have a standalone.