What's wrong with my PC?

Troublesome

So I turned my computer on, went to get something out of my bag, look back about 5 seconds later and nothing is happening. So I think "hmm, odd" and try to turn it on again, but this time nothing happens at all when I press the power button, it doesn't even start to turn on. I dunno what's wrong with it.

Power button broke?

PSU broke?

Power is still getting to the PC though, as the ethernet port on the back is lighting up still.

biko

Make/model?
Lappy/desktop?

ITDept

Troublesome wrote: »

Power button broke?

Quite likely if power is still getting through. Lots of local PC repair / sales places would be able to sort that out or tell you if there's something else wrong. Shouldn't be too dear.

Troublesome

Packard Bell desktop, can't remember what model, it has been modified a lot anyway.

Nick_oliveri

Does it make a hum, a squeal or do any of the leds come on when it is turned on or even powered off? Have you switched graphics cards since you bought it?

Troublesome

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

Does it make a hum, a squeal or do any of the leds come on when it is turned on or even powered off? Have you switched graphics cards since you bought it?

No noises whatsoever, absolutely nothing happens.

Auvers

bridge the power button jumper with a screwdriver to rule it out

Troublesome

Auvers wrote: »

bridge the power button jumper with a screwdriver to rule it out

How do you do that?

Auvers

Just use a screwdriver to temporarily bridge the gap between the two power pins, the ones the front panel of the case are normally hooked up to, on the motherboard

Troublesome

Oh, I get what you mean now. Will try it when I get back. Thanks.

Troublesome

OK I dunno what the hell is going on.

I tried bridging it with a screwdriver, same problem... Then after trying about 10 times (with turning off completely in between) I gave up, plugged the power button back in and I pressed it one last time and it actually stayed on. Then I noticed the gfx card fan wasn't spinning, the hard drives hadn't turned on or anything (only noticeable thing working was the cpu fan).. so I pressed the power button again to turn it off, but instead of turning off, everything else that wasn't working before turned on. Now it is working fine again. Although it did make a weird noise the first time I turned it on.

Nick_oliveri

Pissy PC syndrome it would seem.... Try a new PSU on the cheap if it keeps up, if the fans or HD's werent spinning it might indicate a PSU problem

biko

Troublesome wrote: »

it has been modified a lot anyway.

This might be the cause. The more you swap/move around stuff, the more can go wrong with it.

Daemonic

I'd take the opportunity to get a back up of the hard drives too. A dodgy PSU may decide to take the hard drives, amongst other components, with it if it goes.

Troublesome

I think it must be the PSU, I'll probably get a replacement one at some point.

It's weird though, it only seems to have problems turning on (it sometimes makes weird noises for the first few minutes).. But then once on it's fine, it's often left on for weeks at a time with no problems and it's been left on since last night when it decided to work and it hasn't died again yet.

Adyx

I would also check the ATX power cable is seated properly on the motherboard. Happened my parent's pc a few weeks ago. The computer seemed to be coming on, but the monitor would just go into standby as if it was receiving no signal. turns out the ATX cable was partially unseated and the graphics card had no power but the DVD and hard drives did.

Troublesome

Died this morning.

I replaced the PSU tonight though and it's fine.