PC won't turn on

[Orlando C. Fernando]

Asking this on behalf of a friend:

This problem occured after a blackout in the area. When power came back
on, here's the deal:

He's using a surge strip for all his pc peripherals. Monitor works.
Desktop doesn't. He hits the pc power button and the cpu doesn't even
turn on. The pc light also doesn't light up. I just recommended to him
to unplug the power supply cord from both the pc and the surge strip for
a few secs and replug everything and try again. Awaiting his feedback on
that.

I'm suspecting that his power supply died. Any opinions/recommendations?
Thx in advance.

 

[James]

Asking this on behalf of a friend:

This problem occured after a blackout in the area. When power came back on, here's the deal:

He's using a surge strip for all his pc peripherals. Monitor works. Desktop doesn't. He hits the pc power button and the cpu doesn't even turn on. The pc light also doesn't light up. I just recommended to him to unplug the power supply cord from both the pc and the surge strip for a few secs and replug everything and try again. Awaiting his feedback on that.

I'm suspecting that his power supply died. Any opinions/recommendations? Thx in advance.


yep that would be the PSU gone - blown dead, even after a surge was in place - hmm!, not sure I understand that - check the equipment garantee on the surge protector and claim back off them if you want to - a good PSU will only cost you around £30 or so

 

[CBFalconer]

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[Clive]

Asking this on behalf of a friend:

This problem occured after a blackout in the area. When power came back on, here's the deal:

He's using a surge strip for all his pc peripherals. Monitor works. Desktop doesn't. He hits the pc power button and the cpu doesn't even turn on. The pc light also doesn't light up. I just recommended to him to unplug the power supply cord from both the pc and the surge strip for a few secs and replug everything and try again. Awaiting his feedback on that.

I'm suspecting that his power supply died. Any opinions/recommendations? Thx in advance.

Orlando

Try removing the modem first, if a surge went down the phone line (mainly due to lighting) this will ruin the modem and cause the PC not to start at all, other than that strip the PC back to basics, remove everything from the board (drives, all cards except graphics, memory cpu etc.) then you may be able to narrow down the problem to one component, see if it boots, if the answer is still no it is normally either the PSU or the Motherboard.

 

[James]

Asking this on behalf of a friend:

This problem occured after a blackout in the area. When power came back on,
here's the deal:

He's using a surge strip for all his pc peripherals. Monitor works. Desktop
doesn't. He hits the pc power button and the cpu doesn't even turn on. The
pc light also doesn't light up. I just recommended to him to unplug the
power supply cord from both the pc and the surge strip for a few secs and
replug everything and try again. Awaiting his feedback on that.

I'm suspecting that his power supply died. Any opinions/recommendations? Thx
in advance.

Orlando

Try removing the modem first, if a surge went down the phone line (mainly
due to lighting) this will ruin the modem and cause the PC not to start at
all, other than that strip the PC back to basics, remove everything from the
board (drives, all cards except graphics, memory cpu etc.) then you may be
able to narrow down the problem to one component, see if it boots, if the
answer is still no it is normally either the PSU or the Motherboard.

--
Clive
www.SwaleComputers.co.uk


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Why would a modem stop the PSU from firing up?

 

[Clive]

Asking this on behalf of a friend:

This problem occured after a blackout in the area. When power came back on,
here's the deal:

He's using a surge strip for all his pc peripherals. Monitor works. Desktop
doesn't. He hits the pc power button and the cpu doesn't even turn on. The
pc light also doesn't light up. I just recommended to him to unplug the
power supply cord from both the pc and the surge strip for a few secs and
replug everything and try again. Awaiting his feedback on that.

I'm suspecting that his power supply died. Any opinions/recommendations? Thx
in advance.

Orlando

Try removing the modem first, if a surge went down the phone line (mainly
due to lighting) this will ruin the modem and cause the PC not to start at
all, other than that strip the PC back to basics, remove everything from the
board (drives, all cards except graphics, memory cpu etc.) then you may be
able to narrow down the problem to one component, see if it boots, if the
answer is still no it is normally either the PSU or the Motherboard.

--
Clive
www.SwaleComputers.co.uk


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.520 / Virus Database: 318 - Release Date: 18/09/03

Why would a modem stop the PSU from firing up?

If there is any dodgy component it can stop the PC starting up.

That is why whenever a computer refuses to start, the first choice is strip the computer down to basics so you can Identify the fault, 9 times out of 10 it is either the modem or indeed the PSU especially after a surge.

Most times the modem will not function, but often it stops the PC firing up. I have come across this problem on a number of occasions.

This a common fault after a power surge down the phone line, that is why a lot of surge protectors now come with a phone line protector too.

The Surge protector can also be over protective at times and simply bypassing the surge protector and run the power direct from the mains sometimes works (this has probably already been tried).

 

[James]

Asking this on behalf of a friend:

This problem occured after a blackout in the area. When power came back on,
here's the deal:

He's using a surge strip for all his pc peripherals. Monitor works. Desktop
doesn't. He hits the pc power button and the cpu doesn't even turn on. The
pc light also doesn't light up. I just recommended to him to unplug the
power supply cord from both the pc and the surge strip for a few secs and
replug everything and try again. Awaiting his feedback on that.

I'm suspecting that his power supply died. Any opinions/recommendations? Thx
in advance.

Orlando

Try removing the modem first, if a surge went down the phone line (mainly
due to lighting) this will ruin the modem and cause the PC not to start at
all, other than that strip the PC back to basics, remove everything from the
board (drives, all cards except graphics, memory cpu etc.) then you may be
able to narrow down the problem to one component, see if it boots, if the
answer is still no it is normally either the PSU or the Motherboard.

--
Clive
www.SwaleComputers.co.uk


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.520 / Virus Database: 318 - Release Date: 18/09/03

Why would a modem stop the PSU from firing up?

If there is any dodgy component it can stop the PC starting up.

That is why whenever a computer refuses to start, the first choice is strip
the computer down to basics so you can Identify the fault, 9 times out of 10
it is either the modem or indeed the PSU especially after a surge.

Most times the modem will not function, but often it stops the PC firing up.
I have come across this problem on a number of occasions.

This a common fault after a power surge down the phone line, that is why a
lot of surge protectors now come with a phone line protector too.

The Surge protector can also be over protective at times and simply
bypassing the surge protector and run the power direct from the mains
sometimes works (this has probably already been tried).

--
Clive
www.SwaleComputers.co.uk


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.520 / Virus Database: 318 - Release Date: 18/09/03

so what exactly is happening - because I would have thought that if the
modem had blown through a surge through the telephone wire then at worst the
mobo would be killed - so is the modem causing some sort of short out - is
that what you are saying?

 

[Clive]

If there is any dodgy component it can stop the PC starting up.

That is why whenever a computer refuses to start, the first choice is strip
the computer down to basics so you can Identify the fault, 9 times out of 10
it is either the modem or indeed the PSU especially after a surge.

Most times the modem will not function, but often it stops the PC firing up.
I have come across this problem on a number of occasions.

This a common fault after a power surge down the phone line, that is why a
lot of surge protectors now come with a phone line protector too.

The Surge protector can also be over protective at times and simply
bypassing the surge protector and run the power direct from the mains
sometimes works (this has probably already been tried).

--
Clive
www.SwaleComputers.co.uk


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.520 / Virus Database: 318 - Release Date: 18/09/03

so what exactly is happening - because I would have thought that if the
modem had blown through a surge through the telephone wire then at worst the
mobo would be killed - so is the modem causing some sort of short out - is
that what you are saying?

Yes, but the worst case could be more than just the motherboard, all sorts of components can be damaged from a surge, but normally it is just the modem blown if the surge went down the phone line and killed the machine.

I am not saying that is this conclusion, as I have not seen the computer, but my hunch would be just the modem.

 

[James]

If there is any dodgy component it can stop the PC starting up.

That is why whenever a computer refuses to start, the first choice is strip
the computer down to basics so you can Identify the fault, 9 times out of 10
it is either the modem or indeed the PSU especially after a surge.

Most times the modem will not function, but often it stops the PC firing up.
I have come across this problem on a number of occasions.

This a common fault after a power surge down the phone line, that is why a
lot of surge protectors now come with a phone line protector too.

The Surge protector can also be over protective at times and simply
bypassing the surge protector and run the power direct from the mains
sometimes works (this has probably already been tried).

--
Clive
www.SwaleComputers.co.uk


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.520 / Virus Database: 318 - Release Date: 18/09/03

so what exactly is happening - because I would have thought that if the
modem had blown through a surge through the telephone wire then at worst the
mobo would be killed - so is the modem causing some sort of short out - is
that what you are saying?

Yes, but the worst case could be more than just the motherboard, all sorts
of components can be damaged from a surge, but normally it is just the modem
blown if the surge went down the phone line and killed the machine.

I am not saying that is this conclusion, as I have not seen the computer,
but my hunch would be just the modem.

--
Clive
www.SwaleComputers.co.uk


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.520 / Virus Database: 318 - Release Date: 18/09/03

thanks for the advice - I will always check that now on those jobs? -

 

[Randy]

Maybe the surge strip died. Did he try plugging the pc directly into a
power outlet?