Problem starting computer... should be simple

divine_music

Honorable
Jun 25, 2013
1
0
10,510
Hi folks this is my first post. I find this resource and its contributors very helpful, but for this matter I can't find the answer I'm looking for... this should be simple for someone more knowledgeable than I, as I know what is NOT the problem.

I acquired my mother-in-laws older computer which always seemed to have a problem with the power switch. Whenever she managed to get it to power up, she would not turn it off for fear it would not come on again.

Anyway, I had forgotten about that issue when I decided to use her old computer case for a complete new build. Brand new mother board, cpu, drives, etc. The power supply, though not new, came from my own reliable computer. The only thing left of my m-in-law's computer was the tower with the wires for the startup switch along with the reset switch, the hdd light and beep speaker, and power led.

Tried turning on my newly built computer, and it failed to start up, but I fiddled with the switch a few times and it started... once.. and eventually twice, but I decided to replace the switch. So I put in a new one and it started on the first try, but then stopped working. I got another switch from the computer shop, but this thing won't start. When I unplug the power cord and plug it back in, I press the button and the cpu fan, video card fan and hdd switch power up for a second and then die and stay completely dead until I unplug all again.

Jumpering the power has no effect.
Resetting the CLRTC/cmos has no effect.
This problem has got to be related to something that came with the tower, and since it doesn't seem to be the power switch (i've tried three)... could it be something to do with the hdd or power led, the reset switch or the beep speaker could be interfering with power up?

When I disconnect power and/or reset CLRTC, once every 50 times it fires up.

I tried connecting the power and reset switch from my other functioning computer... and it starts up... twice. But I choose boot from DVD (with Windows disc inserted); save and exit. Computer shuts down but no restart and power switch no longer turns on computer.

Now I connect all those cables from the working computer (hdd & power LEDs, beep speaker, power & reset)... hit the power button and.... nothing.

The only thing left in from my m-in-laws computer is the tower... all components are tried & tested or brand new.

Is this a bios thing? Or just another mother-in-law curse?