PC won't boot? Check the power switch.

[Jeff7]

Got a brand new Antec SLK3700AMB. I will do everyone a favor and not write a FULL review of it now - I'll leave that for my website.
I'll just say:
If you want a sturdy case that you won't be modding, this is fine.
If you want to mod it, look elsewhere.
The fan mounts are weird (clips instead of trusty screws), and the drive rails are very slim, which doesn't allow for good mounting - and my Sunbeam Rheobus needed some grinding to allow it to fit, as the rails don't mount to it correctly. Antec should take a lesson from Enlight on drive rails.

Anyway, the problem I had - new PC, all together, and I turn it on. A few seconds later, it turns off. Same thing, each time - no beeps, nothing. Turn on, turn off.
Cooling problem? Doubtful - Alpha 8045 bolted to the motherboard, which was working fine before. (This was just a case change, the PC worked fine before.)
But I undid it, reseated everything - same results.
I decided next thing to check - the switches. I broke out a voltmeter with a continuity tester.

The power switch on this nice new case is shorted out. So, the motherboard, upon receiving power, discovered that the power switch was telling it to be on. Once it was on, the switch then was telling it "turn off" which it then proceeded to follow.
Edit: After more testing, I find that, instead of a Normally Open switch, like they should use, this seems to be acting as a Normally Closed switch. I wonder if any other of their 3700's have this problem?

My first Antec case experience isn't going well - two clips on the front panel were snapped off in transit; Plastic Welder solved that quite nicely. Now the switch is bad. Antec makes decent power supplies, but cases...not impressed thus far. I might have to stick with Enlight - I still love my 7237.
Ok, ranting over, for now

 

[lenjack]

the 7237 is a great case.

 

[nineball9]

A multimeter and a little knowledge go a long way! You may have saved a lot of RMA postage money by isolating the switch instead of returning/replacing the PSU, mobo, cables, etc.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: nineball9
A multimeter and a little knowledge go a long way! You may have saved a lot of RMA postage money by isolating the switch instead of returning/replacing the PSU, mobo, cables, etc.

Yeah - I was thinking of RMA'ing it because of the broken clips. The one clip, both of which hold the top of the front plastic panel to the metal casing, had broken off entirely in transit, and was loose in the box. The other clip was just barely hanging on. The shipping box, and styrofoam shells were all undamaged - the clips broke off from vibration and jarring apparently. Fortunately, that Devon brand Plastic Welder stuff worked great. The stuff smells absolutely toxic when liquid - it's got to have some pretty caustic chemicals in there, because it eats into the plastic a little bit to form a very strong bond.
So there was that problem, then this damn switch. I had gotten everything together, only to have to take out the hard drive cage, with all 5 HDD's in it, unplug all expansion cards, unbolt the heatsink, reseat the CPU....still nothing. I'll have to find a suggestion box at Antec. Be nice if they'd thank me for not using their resources for RMA'ing because of two separate issues. But then, it was also my decision to fix the stuff myself, in order to keep the front panel out of a landfill, and also to prevent the little bit of wasted time, gas, and effort to ship it all back.

Good to hear from you again there, Joe.

 

[nineball9]

I hope you get the switch working! It's a minor part to be sure, but a necessary one. I wonder if Antec will give you any grief because you repaired the plastic clips yourself. You finally get a fancy new case and a couple of plastic clips were not going to get in the way of you enjoying it ... until you discovered the switch problem. Maybe Antec will a solution for just the switch.

Enjoy your new system Jeff

 

[sunase]

I had one computer for a while where, due to using a case I had pulled off the curb, there was no power switch. So I just stuck my needle nose pliers in and shorted the two pins the power switch normally connects to each time I needed to turn it on or off. ^^

 

[bupkus]

Jeff, if you contact them as I had to once, you will be asked to fax them your sales receipt. If you can I believe they will send you a new switch. BTW, since then, did you ever resolve this problem?

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: bupkus
Jeff, if you contact them as I had to once, you will be asked to fax them your sales receipt. If you can I believe they will send you a new switch. BTW, since then, did you ever resolve this problem?

Guess I forgot to update the thread.
Yes, I did get it working, using a switch salvaged from some ancient PC.

And a bit more on the case - I'm adjusting to it. I still stand by my statements about the really weird fan clips, and the little drive rails, however, various aspects of the case make it nice. The cooling is excellent - a 120mm in front, another in back. It's got a removable hard drive cage in front of the one fan too. The side panel is easily removable, and there are nice thumbscrews everywhere.
The top panel is securely fastened too (with rivets unfortunately, I'd prefer screws), which facilitated the addition of a handle.

If I recall correctly, I sent these comments to them when I did the warranty registration for something. Either that, or I just now imagined having done that a few months ago. Who knows.

 

[Blain]

Did you cut out the fan grills on the fron and back? They look restrictive in their native state.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Blain
Did you cut out the fan grills on the fron and back? They look restrictive in their native state.

Indeed I did. But those stupid clips make it so that I can't attach a normal fan grille to the outside. The front one is covered of course by the plastic panel, and the nice little filter. But the back fan is mostly exposed. Luckily, I don't need to reach back there often while the PC is running.

 

[dyle]

I also got the power switch problem with my SLK3700AMB. I haven't built a computer in years so I was really worried when the damn thing wouldn't power on. I shorted the power switch with my scerwdriver and it finally turned on! Right now, I'm using the reset switch as my power button. I could live with it but would really prefer to have a working power switch. Maybe I'll call Antec and see if they can help me by sending over a new one.