Intermittent Case Power Switch

[donrice]

I have a PC that sometimes won't start up. No fan, no nothing. Case power button doesn't work, reset button doesn't work, and unplugging/replugging the power supply doesn't work. (There is no power supply hardware switch.)

What does work is disconnecting the case's power switch lead from the motherboard. Then I can restart the power supply/ motherboard by bridging the connectors with a screwdriver, and stop it the same way. I reconnect the case's power switch lead and everything is right as rain.

The power supply is a new PC Power & Cooling unit. It is plugged into a new APC UPS with USB monitoring. I'm thinking I've pretty much ruled out power surges as a cause. What's left? A grounding problem? The case power button has some residual capacitance and it won't bridge the motherboard contacts until it's cleared?

Any ideas? If this was just disconnecting an external power lead it wouldn't be a big deal, but I have to open the case to get it to work each time it goes dead, and of course, it's not my PC, it's my wife's.

Thanks for any asssistance you can provide.

- Don Rice
Los Angeles, California, USA.

 

[lobadobadingdong]

rma your case if it's still under warranty, if not, you might check with the manufacturer, they will often give or sell at a real cheap price a replacement switch for good public relations. it helps to ensure your next case purchase will be one of theirs.

 

[donrice]

... you might check with the manufacturer, they will often give or sell at a real cheap price a replacement switch for good public relations.

Thanks, I'm still in the diagnosis phase but this is good advice.

So based on what I've posted here, you agree it's probably the switch?

rma your case if it's still under warranty

It's not but good thought.