Computer powers up for a fraction of a second, then immediatly shuts off

[thetxstang]

I usually shut down my desktop PC each night just to save a little on electricity. Standby/sleep mode frequently locks up my system, for whatever reason.

Everything has worked great for two years. Not any hardware problems to speak of. However, this morning I tried to power up and was greeted with a very unpleasant surprise.

The computer will start for a quarter of a second (if that), then immediately shut down. The CPU and cooling fans will spin up during this fraction of a second, however. There are no smells or anything of the sort. If I hold down the power button without releasing it, the computer just cycles through these exact symptoms.

Has anyone else experienced this condition, or one similar to it? Unfortunately, I don't have any spare hardware to troubleshoot and help isolate this problem. Would you suspect a bad power supply or an expired motherboard, perhaps? Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

 

[ronach]

Sounds like your sys is due a good cleaning and careful visual inspection for defective components..this includes your power supply as well. Do the above & following actions in a well lighted area. If you don't find anything obvious that would have caused your symptoms then Disassemble your sys in an orderly manner and give it a good going over. I usually spray my mobo pcboard & ram slots with tuner cleaner, and follow up with a cotton swab if a particular area looks discolored or generally needs refreshing. Don't skimp on the job..take your time and be thorough.

After you do all that..plug all your components back in..give it another visual to make sure everything is back in the correct place. Fire it up..if you still have problems..contact me for my favorite post repair fixit words..they won't fix anything but may make you feel better. Good luck.

 

[Laputa]

If there is a reset switch that you can reconnect to the power on switch, it's worth a shot. Might have a bad power on switch. Could be a loose video card or something is loose. If all fails, you will need a power supply to do further testing.

 

[thetxstang]

Laputa, you are teh win! That's exactly what the problem was. Thanks a million!

 

[Laputa]

Yeah, you probably have a jammed switch or a broken switch somehow. Probably not worth fixing it cause it will break again eventually. My guess is that you will make a good use of that reset switch until it breaks🙂 LOL.