Press power button, PC stops after 1/2 second, smell smoke!!!

[Muse]

I pressed a 2nd time because it didn't start (come out of suspend), wasn't sure I hit the right button. It again turned off after 1/2 second. Momentarily I smelled burning electronics. Oh oh.

Well, I suppose I have to regard everything connected to and inside the midtower with suspicion. The mobo is likely fried. I have been meaning to replace it, new CPU, RAM, burner, HDs. I suppose the PSU is history. There are 4 HDs in the box. Suggestions???

 

[Burpo]

You haven't told us what system specs are, but start by unplugging everything. Test only the motherboard, cpu & ram with nothing else hooked up. If that doesn't work, most likely your power supply died.

 

[VirtualLarry]

You haven't told us what system specs are, but start by unplugging everything. Test only the motherboard, cpu & ram with nothing else hooked up. If that doesn't work, most likely your power supply died.

I wouldn't test things as-is, without smelling the PSU, and then, if necessary, replace it before powering on the rest of the components.

If OP got lucky, then just the PSU died.

Something like that happened to one of my clients, PSU (UL-listed, I don't use non-listed PSUs) blew out somewhat "spectacularly". I replaced the PSU, their P4 was back up and running. That client's AC wiring was kind of funky though. Walking across the floor, and touching the case to discharge the static, would reboot the PC. It should have dissipated through ground, and caused no harm. So I suspect that their outlets weren't properly grounded, and that was why their PSU died a premature death.

 

[Muse]

You haven't told us what system specs are, but start by unplugging everything. Test only the motherboard, cpu & ram with nothing else hooked up. If that doesn't work, most likely your power supply died.

Specs:

Gigabyte GA-K8n Pro motherboard Specs: http://ee.gigabyte.com/products/page/mb/ga-k8n_pro/

PDF of manual: http://download.gigabyte.eu/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_k8npro_e.pdf

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (socket 754, FSB1600, E6, Venice, 90nm, L2-512KB, 2GHz)
BFG Tech GeForce 6600GT OC 128MB DDR3 AGP Dual DVI Video Card w/TV-Out
2 sticks Crucial 1GB PC3200 400MHz 184-pin DDR Memory - CT12864Z40B, 2 GB total
Corsair vx550w PSU
USR Model 2977 PCI hardware modem
Hercules GTXP soundcard PCI with breakout box
MyHD MDP-130 HDTV PCI
MyHD MDP-130 HDTV DVI daughterboard

Windows XP
Samsung S23a350H LED/LCD 23" monitor HDMI/VGA
ImageQuest L90D+ 19" LCD Monitor 8ms DVI/VGA
- - - -
Actually, I'm not sure that Corsair PSU is in there, it might be a kind of generic, haven't opened it up yet, I was involved in a very intense computer data entry etc. project last night and I used a laptop instead. Will open it up today. What I DID do was pull the power cord from the machine. The last thing I want to happen is have power on that system at this point.

Probably biggest loss would be the HDTV card, but that's not a big deal. The monitor appears to be OK, although I didn't test it, it did show an image connected to a BR player.

I do hope the sound card and modem are OK. The soundcard has a breakout box with major connectivity advantages, I've used it for many years.

 

[Muse]

I wouldn't test things as-is, without smelling the PSU, and then, if necessary, replace it before powering on the rest of the components.

If OP got lucky, then just the PSU died.

Something like that happened to one of my clients, PSU (UL-listed, I don't use non-listed PSUs) blew out somewhat "spectacularly". I replaced the PSU, their P4 was back up and running. That client's AC wiring was kind of funky though. Walking across the floor, and touching the case to discharge the static, would reboot the PC. It should have dissipated through ground, and caused no harm. So I suspect that their outlets weren't properly grounded, and that was why their PSU died a premature death.

My guess is a blown PSU. I do have a decent spare, IRC, probably that Corsair in the previous post. Well, that system has very very long overdue for an upgrade, I need to determine what I want to order... mobo, CPU, RAM, burner, HDs, ???.

Um, I'm not holding my breath that I'm lucky, but who knows. I've suffered this kind of thing in the past, but it's been several years.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

An oldie but a goodie. Replace that PSU and give it a shot - wouldn't be surprised if that's all it is.

If you want excuses to upgrade the rest of the system, we can provide that.

 

[Muse]

An oldie but a goodie. Replace that PSU and give it a shot - wouldn't be surprised if that's all it is.

If you want excuses to upgrade the rest of the system, we can provide that.

Someone here posted in a thread here maybe 2 years ago that I needed a new computer (i.e. mobo, etc.) "yesterday."

The SATA controller on that mobo in the box now won't support more than 500GB and it does it very badly. It was a notoriously awful early SATA controller chip. If it were not for that I might go for the oldie but goodie idea.

The video card, well, I hope it's OK, if not I absolutely need another mobo, etc. It's AGP, ancient technology now. Has two DVI outputs, which is nice for dual monitor, which I do use on occasion. Honestly, I haven't upgraded simply because I've been living with the system's limitations, however it may well be that I simply have to upgrade now.

This midtower is mounted on top of another midtower (I have them bolted together, and the top one is bracketed to a window sill). The bottom midtower is still usable, runs Windows 2000 (!), has an earlier version of the HDTV card, but is quite loud. However, I can use it while working out something with the "main" system. I don't watch much TV, but what I do watch is done by DVR with those cards. I have only been using the backup box to do the rare simultaneous program record situation.

 

[escrow4]

An intel i3 4170 with an H97 board (for the outputs and ports) and 8GB RAM would be over three times as fast and have most of that built into the board itself. It seems the system has given up. It isn't exactly new.

 

[Muse]

An intel i3 4170 with an H97 board (for the outputs and ports) and 8GB RAM would be over three times as fast and have most of that built into the board itself. It seems the system has given up. It isn't exactly new.

I figure I need a few PCI slots. The HDTV card uses one, and it has a daughterboard. The daughterboard doesn't need a PCI slot but there has to be room for it next to the HDTV card, which it's bolted to. I have been in the habit of very occasionally using the fax functionality of that midtower. I guess my laptops have a modem built in, I've never tried using that. I should, for the occasional faxing I do, usually a send. Right now, there's a PCI fax modem in that midtower. I have a PCI firewire card that I haven't used in several years, but I want to be able to use it to grab video from an old video camera I have. I know, legacy crap. Also, my PCI soundcard, assuming it hasn't been fried, I like its breakout box.

I'm not super picky. In a mobo I'd like

Stable, won't crap out on me and fry my components (this has happened to me)

Several PCI slots

Support 2 digital monitors

Support faxing somehow (maybe not necessary if I can do that through my laptops)

Firewire either native or using a PCI firewire card, or I'd maybe have to get another firewire card

I don't game, so I don't need a very powerful system, and my current HDTV card has onboard processing freeing up the CPU for other things. I have never experienced slow computing while recording HDTV with that box in spite of its lack of power.

Support modern internal large capacity HDs.

I suppose USB 3.0 too.

I'm really out of the loop on modern systems. I've had to rely on external HDs in recent years because of the crappy SATA controller in that system. I have suffered 4 or 5 failures of said external HDs! My most important data is kept on a NAS with mirrored dual HDs, so loss of the data on the midtower isn't crucial, but it would be nice if it isn't lost.

 

[Ken g6]

I don't game, so I don't need a very powerful system, and my current HDTV card has onboard processing freeing up the CPU for other things. I have never experienced slow computing while recording HDTV with that box in spite of its lack of power.

Funny thing about HDTV: It's really easy to record. The signal's digital, so it only has to be received and stored. It's analog TV signals that take onboard processing to store as MPEG.

I have two HDTV tuners, too. One is a USB stick attached to my old single-core Celeron M laptop. The other is this thing attached to a USB stick. (A 64GB flash drive.) I've lost a couple of external HDDs as well - I think the quality just isn't there these days.

As for a new system, would you consider waiting a month? Skylake's full lineup is supposed to come out in early September. That would put you on DDR4 instead of the soon-to-be-obsolete DDR3.

 

[escrow4]

I figure I need a few PCI slots. The HDTV card uses one, and it has a daughterboard. The daughterboard doesn't need a PCI slot but there has to be room for it next to the HDTV card, which it's bolted to. I have been in the habit of very occasionally using the fax functionality of that midtower. I guess my laptops have a modem built in, I've never tried using that. I should, for the occasional faxing I do, usually a send. Right now, there's a PCI fax modem in that midtower. I have a PCI firewire card that I haven't used in several years, but I want to be able to use it to grab video from an old video camera I have. I know, legacy crap. Also, my PCI soundcard, assuming it hasn't been fried, I like its breakout box.

I'm not super picky. In a mobo I'd like

Stable, won't crap out on me and fry my components (this has happened to me)

Several PCI slots

Support 2 digital monitors

Support faxing somehow (maybe not necessary if I can do that through my laptops)

Firewire either native or using a PCI firewire card, or I'd maybe have to get another firewire card

I don't game, so I don't need a very powerful system, and my current HDTV card has onboard processing freeing up the CPU for other things. I have never experienced slow computing while recording HDTV with that box in spite of its lack of power.

Support modern internal large capacity HDs.

I suppose USB 3.0 too.

I'm really out of the loop on modern systems. I've had to rely on external HDs in recent years because of the crappy SATA controller in that system. I have suffered 4 or 5 failures of said external HDs! My most important data is kept on a NAS with mirrored dual HDs, so loss of the data on the midtower isn't crucial, but it would be nice if it isn't lost.

Firewire and PCI are all dying out on PCs/mobo's. The H97-D3H has 3 PCI slots (old board has 5), no firewire, but does support all the rest - multiple monitors, USB 3, internal HDDs. Fax no clue.

 

[Muse]

Firewire and PCI are all dying out on PCs/mobo's. The H97-D3H has 3 PCI slots (old board has 5), no firewire, but does support all the rest - multiple monitors, USB 3, internal HDDs. Fax no clue.

I might be able to live with 3 PCI slots. I'll check that out.

As for a new system, would you consider waiting a month? Skylake's full lineup is supposed to come out in early September. That would put you on DDR4 instead of the soon-to-be-obsolete DDR3.

Yeah, no hurry here! () I've been putting off the upgrade for years!!!

 

[mfenn]

I might be able to live with 3 PCI slots. I'll check that out.Yeah, no hurry here! () I've been putting off the upgrade for years!!!

You should probably think about upgrading your add-in cards along with the PC. PCI has been obsolete for a while now.

 

[Muse]

You should probably think about upgrading your add-in cards along with the PC. PCI has been obsolete for a while now.

Yeah, but my Hercules GTXP soundcard PCI with breakout box isn't to my knowledge easily replaceable. The box has a lot of connectivity. I think I'd probably miss that with the complexity of my connections.

Also, I like my PCI HDTV card. It's not the most sensitive, they tell me, but where I live it wouldn't seem to matter. Has the onboard chip that lets the CPU do its own thing. I have issues with lipsynch a lot but they tell me that most people don't get that so I'm hopeful that with a new mobo I won't have that.

 

[Muse]

Not sure where to start in troubleshooting the system. I took the side panel off the midtower case and just looking inside I don't see anything. I suppose I should remove all the cards, drives, etc., maybe replace the PSU and see if the thing will post. Is that the m.o.?

It is the Corsair vx550w PSU in there right now.

 

[Ken g6]

I suppose I should remove all the cards, drives, etc., maybe replace the PSU and see if the thing will post. Is that the m.o.?

Yes, except definitely replace the PSU. Even a cheap, no-name PSU should get it to POST if the mobo is working.

 

[bononos]

Specs:
.......
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (socket 754, FSB1600, E6, Venice, 90nm, L2-512KB, 2GHz)
BFG Tech GeForce 6600GT OC 128MB DDR3 AGP Dual DVI Video Card w/TV-Out
2 sticks Crucial 1GB PC3200 400MHz 184-pin DDR Memory - CT12864Z40B, 2 GB total
Corsair vx550w PSU
USR Model 2977 PCI hardware modem
Hercules GTXP soundcard PCI with breakout box
MyHD MDP-130 HDTV PCI
MyHD MDP-130 HDTV DVI daughterboard
.......

Jeez it died of old age. You must've been lucky with your mb, the caps in those days had a habit of dying and taking out other parts if you were unlucky. And maybe get a new psu as well.

 

[Muse]

Yes, except definitely replace the PSU. Even a cheap, no-name PSU should get it to POST if the mobo is working.

When I have time this week gotta look and see if I have another PSU lying around. If not, have to order another. I suppose either the mobo or PSU or both are toast right now, no sense in trying to POST the mobo with the PSU that's in it right now.

 

[bigboxes]

Do you have other PCs that you use or is this primary? Most likely your psu bit the dust. Hopefully, it didn't take anything else out with it. If just the psu then "yay!" and you move on. Anything more than that and you should just move on, unless you have spare parts on hand. I smell new build in your future.

 

[Muse]

Do you have other PCs that you use or is this primary? Most likely your psu bit the dust. Hopefully, it didn't take anything else out with it. If just the psu then "yay!" and you move on. Anything more than that and you should just move on, unless you have spare parts on hand. I smell new build in your future.

I have had a new build for that machine on my priority list for years TBH. Just haven't goosed myself to do it because I didn't have to. Now, maybe I have to.

I have some spare parts, have to take an inventory. I think I have an extra PSU on hand, a good one, not sure.

This PC is kind of primary, but I have others. I have 6 PCs in all, including 4 laptops and 2 midtowers. Last night I used the other midtower, which I rarely use, but for HDTV duties it's the only one that's currently functional, so that was the one I used. It's running Windows 2000 Professional! :$

 

[Muse]

So, I got around to this today. It's been 7.5 weeks. I took out the PSU. I can't really tell if it smells burned out... maybe, the smell might have dissipated considerably from that time, or the smell might be from something else in the system, but it doesn't smell sweet.

Now, I have another unused PSU from a few years ago. The one I removed is a Corsair HX520W and the unused one is a Corsair HX550W.

I figure to remove all the cards including the video card because I don't want to burn it out (dual DVI AGP). I will install the new PSU and connect the motherboard and CPU to it, leave a stick or two of RAM in there. I will listen for a beep post sound when I try to post.

My question is this... If it fails to post, obviously something is wrong with the motherboard, it's been burned out, at least that's the most likely thing going on. But how do I know if the other PSU, the HX520W is bad or not? If it's bad, it could threaten another motherboard, etc. How do you test a PSU to see if it's OK without endangering your componentry?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

So, I got around to this today. It's been 7.5 weeks. I took out the PSU. I can't really tell if it smells burned out... maybe, the smell might have dissipated considerably from that time, or the smell might be from something else in the system, but it doesn't smell sweet.

Now, I have another unused PSU from a few years ago. The one I removed is a Corsair HX520W and the unused one is a Corsair HX550W.

I figure to remove all the cards including the video card because I don't want to burn it out (dual DVI AGP). I will install the new PSU and connect the motherboard and CPU to it, leave a stick or two of RAM in there. I will listen for a beep post sound when I try to post.

My question is this... If it fails to post, obviously something is wrong with the motherboard, it's been burned out, at least that's the most likely thing going on. But how do I know if the other PSU, the HX520W is bad or not? If it's bad, it could threaten another motherboard, etc. How do you test a PSU to see if it's OK without endangering your componentry?

You can use a paper clip to make sure it turns on. If you actually want to _test_ it, a cheap PSU tester is a couple bucks.

http://www.amazon.com/Computer-Power-Supply-Tester-Connectors/dp/B00IEESN0S/

Although if I were building systems for people, I might want something fancier, which would indicate if the PSU were "working" but not providing proper/optimal voltages.

http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/

If you have a multimeter and know how to use it, you could probably just do the paper clip thing and test the pins with the meter. But that sounds like work.

 

[Muse]

You can use a paper clip to make sure it turns on. If you actually want to _test_ it, a cheap PSU tester is a couple bucks.

http://www.amazon.com/Computer-Power-Supply-Tester-Connectors/dp/B00IEESN0S/

Although if I were building systems for people, I might want something fancier, which would indicate if the PSU were "working" but not providing proper/optimal voltages.

http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/

If you have a multimeter and know how to use it, you could probably just do the paper clip thing and test the pins with the meter. But that sounds like work.

Hey Dave, just saw this. I'd just done the paper clip thing (from Googling), and I think the fan went on in the PSU (hard to tell, I have a loud PC on right next to this!), but the smell got way worse, so I'm thinking 70+% chance that PSU is bad. In any case, I think it smart to try to post the mobo with the new PSU (having removed unnecessary components) before doing anything else. I have multimeters, so yes, I can test output voltages of the suspect PSU by and by. Thanks for the help!

 

[Muse]

I tested the suspect PSU some more. The fan goes on but it seems very weak. It seems to be putting out 7v and 12v, at least on a couple of connectors. A smell is there. I suspect that PSU.

I've got the new PSU in the case and am about to make the two connections and try to post (i.e. beep!).

 

[Muse]

Well, I got a beep but not the one I was hoping for. It was about 2+ seconds long and a weird warble at the end. I guess I'll have to hook up video and see what I see...

OK, think it posted fine, it wants a boot disk. So, I think the verdict is that the other PSU crapped out. Hopefully it didn't take any components out... Will hook everything up and see what's happening.