Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 20 total)
  • my pc won't switch on
  • Gary_M
    Free Member

    Returned from a weeks holiday on Sunday and when I presed the on/off button on my pc it won't switch on. There is power going in as it has a green light on the back, the on/off switch presses in/out as normal but it isn't lighting up.

    Bloody thing was fine before we went away, how can it stop working when it's been off?

    Any ideas. If I take it to bits can I just snip the wires at the switch and connect them together to bypass the switch?

    GrahamS
    Full Member

    Switch it off at the wall. Wait ten seconds. Switch it back on.

    Any better?

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    No, I've tried that several times. Still nothing.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    Davy
    Free Member

    Probably either a dead PSU, or a dead motherboard. Do the fans start up? If not, it's probably the PSU. You can replace them for about £20-30.

    Drac
    Full Member

    Could be the PSU sometimes they do just decide they've had enough, if it is that then very easy to replace yourself.

    GrahamS
    Full Member

    If you don't get anything at all, not even fans, when you press the button then the power supply could be gubbed.

    Open up the PC and just make sure all the power connections are properly seated.

    Don't go snipping wires – it almost certainly isn't the switch itself.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    Fans not starting up, what's a 'psu', is it a power supply unit, where will I find it? Are they generic or do I need one specific to the pc?

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    Does the power cable plug directly into the psu? Beside the power connection on the back of the pc there is an illuminated green led – would this be on if the psu was knackered?

    beanum
    Full Member

    PSU (in Pimpy Gold!)

    Without getting into too much detail that will be fine for an average PC older than about 2 years old…

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    cheers beanum, I'll have a look at it tonight and see if changing it is within my limited pc 'taking apart and putting back together' skills.

    I think the pc is around 3 years old.

    I could ask our it guys in the office but if they can't press 'control alt delete' they throw it in the bin 😉

    GrahamS
    Full Member

    Not too hard to change a PSU.

    Just think of it like a normal adapter that you use for charging your phone, except this on has multiple leads coming off it to "charge" multiple different devices.

    Note what your current one is attached to and make sure you attach the new one to all the same bits.

    Drac
    Full Member

    The connections to the motherboard that vary you need to make sure they match or get one that does both.

    beanum
    Full Member

    You could always have a root around the bins in the IT dept then… 🙂

    RS4KEV
    Full Member

    also try removing and refitting power cable from PSU (not just switching off at wall) as can be some issue over earthing, have had that a couple of times here

    MrTall
    Free Member

    This just happened to my office PC (Dell). The engineer swapped the 'power unit thingy' yesterday and all is now well. Seemed a very easy job to do, took him about 5 minutes.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    Sorry to bring this one up again but I had a chance to look at the pc last night. I unplugged things from the psu, plugged them back in but still nothing. PSU looks easy to change and is rated at 400w.

    I did notice that there is a buzzing noise when the power is on, does this give any clues to the problem or confirm it's the psu?

    GrahamS
    Full Member

    Yep. Buzzing could be a loose solder or knackered capacitor.

    Or it might be a trapped wasp.

    Drac
    Full Member

    Aye usually the sound they make when they've borked.

    MicArms
    Full Member

    Same issue as my PC eariler this year..

    GrahamS
    Full Member

    The real clue is when they go pop and the magic smoke gets out.

    All modern electronic gadgets rely on magic smoke and if that smoke ever escapes then you're screwed.

Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 20 total)

The topic ‘my pc won't switch on’ is closed to new replies.