Computer refusing to start up

[Industrial One]

I just moved into a new apartment and sometimes when I press the power
on button on my computer, the button either briefly flashes for a few
milliseconds or successfully turns on for 1-10 seconds before shutting
off again.

I can't seem to isolate the problem. This happened in my first
apartment during winter, never happened once in my second apartment
which was a basement suite and now it's happening again in my new
apartment (non-basement suite.)

Sometimes problem is solved when I try a different outlet but also
starts working on the problematic outlet and sometimes doesn't work on
any outlet in the house. Meanwhile, other appliances work fine in the
same problematic outlet.

Sometimes the problem's solved when I leave the case open and has been
less prevalent now since I've operated my comp without the protective
case but I still had a problem this morning even with the case off.

So yeah, I'm completely lost. I don't know what my first and third
apartments have in common besides both being above the basement level.

What could be the problem?

 

[GMAN]

I just moved into a new apartment and sometimes when I press the power
on button on my computer, the button either briefly flashes for a few
milliseconds or successfully turns on for 1-10 seconds before shutting
off again.

I can't seem to isolate the problem. This happened in my first
apartment during winter, never happened once in my second apartment
which was a basement suite and now it's happening again in my new
apartment (non-basement suite.)

Sometimes problem is solved when I try a different outlet but also
starts working on the problematic outlet and sometimes doesn't work on
any outlet in the house. Meanwhile, other appliances work fine in the
same problematic outlet.

Sometimes the problem's solved when I leave the case open and has been
less prevalent now since I've operated my comp without the protective
case but I still had a problem this morning even with the case off.

So yeah, I'm completely lost. I don't know what my first and third
apartments have in common besides both being above the basement level.

What could be the problem?

I know i am starting to sound like a broken record but look for bulged
capacitors on the motherboard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Badcaps-tayeh-4.jpg

 

[Don Phillipson]

I just moved into a new apartment and sometimes when I press the power
on button on my computer, the button either briefly flashes for a few
milliseconds or successfully turns on for 1-10 seconds before shutting
off again.

I can't seem to isolate the problem. This happened in my first
apartment during winter, never happened once in my second apartment
which was a basement suite and now it's happening again in my new
apartment (non-basement suite.)

The Power Supply Unit of your PC may be aging and failing.
PSUs are cheap and swiftly replaced, and PC repair shops
often test them without charge. Variations in mains electricity
voltage may exacerbate PSU problems.

 

[Mike S]

I know i am starting to sound like a broken record but look for bulged
capacitors on the motherboard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Badcaps-tayeh-4.jpg

I just fixed a Viewsonic LCD monitor that refused to turn on by
replacing 3 caps. That might be worth looking at. The caps in my case
were visibly bulging.

 

[GMAN]

I just fixed a Viewsonic LCD monitor that refused to turn on by
replacing 3 caps. That might be worth looking at. The caps in my case
were visibly bulging.

I hope you went ahead and replaced the ones that werent bulging cause they
might go next.

 

[Industrial One]

Guys, I have been using my computer without the side case and it works
fine, at least for now. My PSU is only a year old so I doubt it is
failing, but I do hear buzz groans sometimes, especially during
startup. It sounds like a car engine that keeps trying and failing to
start. On my very old P4, it turned out to be the video card, but this
comp's video card isn't the source, so I'm open to the idea that it
might be the PSU, if PSU's make noise.

Why would keeping the case open fix this? I don't get it.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Simple answer. Overheating CPU or PS and probably the fan on one or the other