Motherboard Shows Post Code, but won't boot... likely PSU Issue

[Treyu]

Antec II Sonata Case
Antec TruePower 450W PSU
Abit AN8 Sli Motherboard - latest bios release 20
BFG 7800GT
1 Stick of 512mb Mushkin Value Ram
3700+ AMD64 skt 939
Seagate 10.7200 320GB HD

I can't get my computer to boot, power button isn't registering any life when I push it. I have checked the connections inside my case multiple times and removed everything but neccessary components and it's the same issue. I have cleared CMOS with the ATX cable and button battery on the motherboard removed. Last time I used the computer it worked just fine, I left for a 3 week period and when I came back I found that some of the cables on the back of the computer had been unplugged and it looked like someone had been trying to troubleshoot something they got into while using the machine. And now the machine doesn't work at all. A red light on the motherboard does remain lit with the PSU turned on and a post code relates to "power off sequence timeout" but without any further information or advice.

I've got an Antec TruePower 450 PSU that came with my Antec Sonata II case. From reading reviews it looks like a majority of owners are having issues with the PSU in the time range from 5-12 months of ownership, I've had mine for around 10 months. When I jump the powersupply by connecing the green to a black plug on the 20pin cable the PSU powers multiple fans, 80mm and 120mm just fine,... so that's what has me confused, because everything i'm seeing points to the PSU being the culprit of my problem, but the PSU certainly isn't dead. Is it possible the PSU just lost some if it's life and while it will still run the fans that it is now incompentent to run the system?

I'm at a loss because I have no idea if whoever was using it made some kind of change or got inside the case to cause the dead system.

 

[wanderer27]

Is the Power Switch on the correct pins?

Check the Reset Switch as well.

 

[pkme2]

In reading this thread and others, I found that most situations require a spare psu. I have a Vantec Stealth 520W PSU as a spare.

One immediate suggestion to all those case/psu combos is to take out the original and use it as a spare and replace it with something like a Fortron, Enermax or Seasonic. Something a little better and reliable.

I remember seeing a $40 PSU with a $40 mail-in rebate somewhere. You can use that as a spare tester, if economics is a problem.

Save yourself a lot of bother and get a spare somehow and you're on your way to having a good test bench. Good trouble-shooting.

 

[Treyu]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, i've checked the power and reset switches. Unfortunatly they were sitten right there where they should be. The actual physical power button has been sticky, so that was a concern, but it does make an audiable "click" so I'm fairly certain that it's working properly.

I tore apart my room looking an ol' spare power supply I thought I had, but I must have tossed it. It really would save me a ton of hassle having a spare here. I've got one ordered from Newegg on it's way now though, picked it out from the reccomendations offered on a thread in this forum.