Startup problem

[Jackietools]

My PC has a start up problem. When I press the power button I get nothing but my USB peripherials power on. After repeated pressing of the power button or sometimes even shutting the PSU power button and putting it back on it will attempt to start but sometimes does not even make it to the bios screen. I had the 4 th core enabled and then went back to 3 cores but still have the same problem. System repair finds nothing and I do not think it is software if I can not sometimes even get to the bios screen. Other times it will start then stop in the middle of trying to load windows I have a Phenom 2 x3 720 Asus mobo M4A78T-E and I just updated it the latest bios. Could it be the PSu, memory or can the board itself be bad. Help. 8 GIgs DDR3 10700 Ram.Problem would occur maybe once every 3 months now happens every time my PC is turned off for a couple of hours. If i just turned it off recently it seems to start okay Thanks

 

[shortstuff_mt]

What PSU do you have? Which exact RAM kits do you have? It's likely related to either the PSU or RAM, but it's hard to say without knowing exactly what we're working with. A low-end PSU will cause all sorts of strange problems.

An easy way to begin to rule the RAM out as the cause of the problem would be to try each stick of RAM by itself. You should also manually set the RAM speed, timings, and voltage to their rated specs in the BIOS and run an overnight Memtest86+ test to check for RAM errors.

 

[Jackietools]

PSU = OCZ700MXSP MODx STREAM PRO ATX12V V2.2 EPS RAM= CRUCIAL DDR3 1333 two 4gig kits (2 x 2GIG) each. I think you need afloppy for memtest 86. Can i run it without a floppy?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

You can either download an ISO image and burn it to a CD or you can use a thumb drive. You don't have to have a floppy drive to run Memtest86+.

 

[pjmelect]

This is almost certainly a faulty power supply and should be the first thing that you change.

 

[Jackietools]

This is almost certainly a faulty power supply and should be the first thing that you change.

I think you are right. Just ran memtest 4.0 and all 8 gigs came back no errors. I think I will be contacting OCZ about a replacement unless there are suggestions for a better PSU around 700 watts and 80 dollars.Thanks everyone

 

[Jackietools]

Do you think it could be the mobo. I have had problems where the pc shut down but the USB ports remained live and when I just tried to start it again the USB ports got power but no boot up of PC>Power indicator flashed for a moment and then I had to manually shut PSU by its power switch, turn it back on and again it took multiple times to get the pc to power up

 

[Jackietools]

This is almost certainly a faulty power supply and should be the first thing that you change.

Sorry I took so long to reply. I never cleared the CMOS. When I cleared it it seems to be running normal. My mistake,should have been the first thing I did.

 

[pjmelect]

It’s hard to see how clearing the CMOS has cured this problem, I am glad for you that it has but I am not so sure that this was the cause I have never seen this issue cured by clearing the CMOS and I have repaired thousands of computers in my time..
If this problem recurs then I would try a new power supply.

 

[Jackietools]

It’s hard to see how clearing the CMOS has cured this problem, I am glad for you that it has but I am not so sure that this was the cause I have never seen this issue cured by clearing the CMOS and I have repaired thousands of computers in my time..
If this problem recurs then I would try a new power supply.

Thanks. Ill take your advice the next time it happens. Thanks for the reply

 

[Jackietools]

Best answer selected by JACKIETOOLS.

 

[Jackietools]

It’s hard to see how clearing the CMOS has cured this problem, I am glad for you that it has but I am not so sure that this was the cause I have never seen this issue cured by clearing the CMOS and I have repaired thousands of computers in my time..
If this problem recurs then I would try a new power supply.

Here it is 2 months later and the same problem at startup occured. This time I unplugged the power cord from the power supply and turned the switch on and off a couple of times to drain the PSU power totally and it seemed to solve the problem. Maybe a bad capacitor in the PSU? I do not know exactly but am now convinced it is the PSU THANKS