Trying to fix aunt's computer... Please help.

[ibex333]

I built a PC for my aunt about 2 years back. Very simple build.

Small cheap case with built in CPU, Sandy Bridge Celeron, 4 GB ram, the works...


All of a sudden she complained it no longer turns on.


I came in, and notice when power button is pressed, fans jerk for a sec and go out. I unplugged everything I could and powered on the PC again. This time the fans stayed on for about a second instead for half a second...

I am assuming it's the cheapo PSU that crapped out, and I need to give her a new case?

What else can it be? I doubt the mobo is to blame. It's almost brand new. She barely uses her PC.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

PSU or Motherboard. Replace the PSU first, they're cheaper.

What case was this that you can't just replace the PSU?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007I55JVK/?tag=pcpapi-20

 

[Blain]

Is her PC protected by a quality UPS?

 

[ibex333]

Is her PC protected by a quality UPS?

Absolutely not. A UPS would cost more than her whole computer. ; )

PSU or Motherboard. Replace the PSU first, they're cheaper.

What case was this that you can't just replace the PSU?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007I55JVK/?tag=pcpapi-20

It's one of those ultra small cases which have a built in PSU. There is no way to replace it. I can only buy a new one.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

It's one of those ultra small cases which have a built in PSU. There is no way to replace it. I can only buy a new one.

Link to case please. Every SFF case I'm familiar with uses an ATX, SFF-ATX, SFX or external PSU.

Could you replace it with a PicoPSU and wall wart?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is it a Sentey case, by any chance? I built two "little" PCs in Sentey cases, knowing that the PSUs were cheap and proprietary. So far, so good, for the last 2-3 years. They have a Biostar G41 mobo and one of them has an E5200, and the other one has an E3200 or E3300 (whichever one is 2.5Ghz like the E5200 is). 500GB HDD, 4GB DDR3, Windows 7.

Nice little budget boxes.

 

[DesiPower]

As long as the mobo used a regular 24 pin ATX power connector, I dont understand why you cannot test it out with a working PSU, just for troubleshooting purposes. If you build computers, I am sure you have a PSU that you can pull out from a working computer at your place.

My money will be on the mobo though...

 

[Lyfer]

This is why when family ask for a budget PC I tell em "Dude your getting a Dell!".

 

[Blain]

This is why when family ask for a budget PC I tell em "Dude your getting a Dell!".

Or Lenovo