newbie need help diagnose my computer

[rurouni123]

Hi Guys,

My desktop suddenly switched off last night when I was surfing, when I wnet and press the power button the power led turns on but that's it, not even the fan of the PSU goes on. I checked all the cables and everything seems ok and the light on my motherboard is still on when I keep the power plug in. I've asked some of my friends, some said that it's the PSU but some said that the motherboard is dead. I'll like some advice please on how to find out which part of the computer is dead before I go out and get parts which I don't need. Can someone please give me some help? Thanks alot!!

 

[notherdude]

Try another PSU, if you can get one without too much trouble. Or else try yours in another PC. If you can't test your PSU in this way, before buying another one, take your PC apart and rebuild it outside of the case, putting in only the essentials - power, 1 stick ram, cpu, video card and monitor. See if you can power it up. Reset the cmos, try all the usual tricks. If it is still unresponsive then first try another PSU and after that it is likely the motherboard.

The PSU and MOBO are the usual suspects in these cases. But that's not 100%. If you have two sticks of RAM try using only one and then the other. Just in case. Bad RAM is a very outside chance though on a dead system, same with video card - usually you'd get something starting up or some error beeps.

CPUs are the last things to ever go bad, they are very hardy.

Also, while the MOBO is out of the case examine it for any signs of damage such as burnt spots or bulging capacitiors.

Simply rebuilding the PC sometimes brings it back to life. So do give that a try.

 

[systemlord]

Try another PSU, if you can get one without too much trouble. Or else try yours in another PC. If you can't test your PSU in this way, before buying another one, take your PC apart and rebuild it outside of the case, putting in only the essentials - power, 1 stick ram, cpu, video card and monitor. See if you can power it up. Reset the cmos, try all the usual tricks. If it is still unresponsive then first try another PSU and after that it is likely the motherboard.

The PSU and MOBO are the usual suspects in these cases. But that's not 100%. If you have two sticks of RAM try using only one and then the other. Just in case. Bad RAM is a very outside chance though on a dead system, same with video card - usually you'd get something starting up or some error beeps.

CPUs are the last things to ever go bad, they are very hardy.

Also, while the MOBO is out of the case examine it for any signs of damage such as burnt spots or bulging capacitiors.

Simply rebuilding the PC sometimes brings it back to life. So do give that a try.

I must agree with notherdude.

 

[rurouni123]

Thanks notherdude, turns out it is a case of dead PSU, borrowed a 2nd-hand one from my friend and it's all back to normal, so he ain't getting it back now ^_^

 

[notherdude]

Thanks notherdude, turns out it is a case of dead PSU, borrowed a 2nd-hand one from my friend and it's all back to normal, so he ain't getting it back now ^_^

Glad it was that and not the MOBO. I re-read your first post and I see the fan didn't even move on the PSU. That really points the finger at the PSU. I missed that the first read.