PSU dead for a month, works fine now?

[r4sh1d]

I have my HTPC: intel e6750 @ stock, Gigabit P35-DS3R rev.1, 6GB DDR2, ATI 5850, thermaltake toughpower 750W (W0116), Cooler Master storm scout case, windows 7 ultimate X64, Intel X-25M Gen2 80GB, 6 mixed HDD's (1 & 2TB).

My 15 month old son LOVES to turn on/off the pc, he's being doing this for a couple of months. Last month, the pc woun't start, no light, fans..etc nothing.

So, I unplugged everything, except the 24 pin power cable + 4 pin CPU power cable. The PC didn't start. I left it unplugged for 3 weeks thinking it was a dead PSU and went shopping online for the right PSU (I'll build a new system next year for heavy CAD/ 3ds max work for school).

Last night, I decided to check and see if it's the PSU or the mobo that's dead, too lazy to remove my Nzxt Hale 80 750 watts from my gaming PC to test and then redo all the wiring. I removed the battery for 20 minutes to reset the CMOS (didn't have a hdd jumper).

I used a screw driver to start the PC by shorting the power header on the mobo, it took a few tries, but then it booted up fine. I shut down the pc and tried to start it. Again, took a few tries, but it did boot up fine.

Now it's working fine, except every once in a while, I'd have to unplug the power cord, press the power button for 6-8 seconds to remove any electricity in the system, then it'd boot up fine. But, when it boots up, it runs fine for hours!

PSU fan running fine, no weird noises or anything! Temp's are fine..etc

Is it the PSU that is dying? (I'll buy one, but next year), or is it the mobo dying on me? Or there's a short somewhere causing this?

Thanks!

 

[meeshu]

Either the PSU or the motherboard is failing.

I had a similar situation very recently.

Best way to test is to replace the present PSU with a known working PSU which will determine if the present PSU is faulty or not. If there are still issues with the replacement (test) PSU installed, then the motherboard is faulty.

 

[silicon]

Now it's working fine, except every once in a while, I'd have to unplug the power cord, press the power button for 6-8 seconds to remove any electricity in the system, then it'd boot up fine. But, when it boots up, it runs fine for hours!



Is it the PSU that is dying? (I'll buy one, but next year), or is it the mobo dying on me? Or there's a short somewhere causing this?

Thanks!

Why, every once in a while, do you need to unplug the PSU and hold the power button on?

It does sound like the power supply is going bad.

 

[denis280]

Now it's working fine, except every once in a while, I'd have to unplug the power cord, press the power button for 6-8 seconds to remove any electricity in the system, then it'd boot up fine. But, when it boots up, it runs fine for hours!

Can i ask why you have to do this.is it stopping or sommething

 

[r4sh1d]

If I shut down the pc normally, then try to start it up by pressing the power button, it will not start up.. Fans, hdds.. Etc dont turn on. The only way I can tell there is power is from a small light on a usb/sd combo reader. I'd have to unplug the power cable, press the power button for a few seconds, try to boot it up, then it'd start. This does not happen all the time though.

 

[inachu]

Looks like a fake pc needs to be created for the latest pc guru in the family!

Buy a bunch of different colored lights. Just need pc case. a cheap PSU.

 

[r4sh1d]

hehehe, he plays with the sound system, big smile and gives us a smart look when he turns the sound off, like look what I can do hehehe, try to reach the router/switch and try to locate their ON/OFF button.. he doesn't like playing with the kiddie toys we bought for him though.


I will test the system using my other working PSU and try to isolate the issue.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Why, every once in a while, do you need to unplug the PSU and hold the power button on?

It does sound like the power supply is going bad.

This. PSU is going bad.

 

[Smoove910]

My 15 month old son LOVES to turn on/off the pc, he's being doing this for a couple of months. Last month, the pc woun't start, no light, fans..etc nothing.

could the power button on the case be going bad because of this??

 

[meeshu]

. . My 15 month old son LOVES to turn on/off the pc, he's being doing this for a couple of months. Last month, the pc woun't start, no light, fans..etc nothing. . .

. . I used a screw driver to start the PC by shorting the power header on the mobo, it took a few tries, but then it booted up fine. I shut down the pc and tried to start it. Again, took a few tries, but it did boot up fine. . . But, when it boots up, it runs fine for hours!

. .Is it the PSU that is dying? (I'll buy one, but next year), or is it the mobo dying on me? Or there's a short somewhere causing this? . .

Further to my earlier post, the case power button may be faulty due to son playing with it. However, given that there are booting issues even when bypassing the case power switch using the screwdriver shorting procedure to boot the system, that almost certainly indicates a faulty PSU.

This is very similar to what recently occurred to my system. The PSU was found to be failing. Another PSU is running my system just fine now.

 

[r4sh1d]

Yup, even when shorting the power header pins, it takes a few tries for the system to boot up.

 

[PhIlLy ChEeSe]

Gigabyte is famous for the choke on start, for chits n giggle can you test the battery see if it needs replacing. I'm sure you'd rather swap out PSU first but. It may be a setting in the bios that changed when the unit was powered off.

 

[phasseshifter]

imho....it`s the power supply..now another vote for your p-supp..how old is the supply...that is a good unit pity if its gone bad..take ..meeshu`s..advice...

 

[r4sh1d]

Sorry for the late reply. But, I did try another CMOS battery that I removed from my working gaming system. It didn't work!! I put the old battery back in.

I disconnected a usb/sd combo reader that's connected to an internal USB header, replaced my pc's power cord ( I connected it to my printer, and it works fine; but what the hell). Now the system runs fine, EVERY time I power it up, it boots up fine.

Since they charge an arm & a leg for yesterday's PSU units over here, and Amazon is my only option; I'll keep an eye on a good deal on Antec Edge 650W, EVGA 750W G2, or a Rosewell 750-M. I'm going to build a power horse in a year or so with tons of HDD's so I think 650-750W unit is what I'll need.


Edit: The PSU is around 5 years old.