Power supply problem

[Greg Lovern]

Recently my computer sometimes won't boot up. The fans run, including the
CPU fan, but nothing appears on the monitor. Sometimes I have to try several
times before it boots up okay.

I tried:
-- Different monitor
-- Different video card
-- Different video card slot
-- Cleared CMOS settings with motherboard jumper
-- Different motherboard (I recently replaced the motherboard with a later
version of the same board to fix a different problem. The problem I'm
describing here happened with both motherboards.)

Same problem in all cases.

I began to suspect the power supply, because sometimes when it wouldn't boot
up, a strange, sort of crackly sound came from the power supply, which I
don't recall ever hearing when it booted up okay.

So I went and got an Antec SL350 power supply. But the same problem happens,
except for the strange sound -- the fans start running but nothing ever
appears on the monitor. Unlike with my old power supply, it never seems to
boot up okay no matter how many times I try.

I'm using that old power supply at the moment, but I don't trust it --
sometimes I have to try several times before it boots up okay -- and would
prefer to get the Antec SL350 working.

Any suggestions?

Motherboard:
Abit KT7A-Raid
Old Power Supply, which came with the case:
300W Power Max FSP300-60BT
New Power Supply that I'm trying to use:
Antec SL350
Video Card:
ATI Radeon 8500 LE


Many Thanks,

Greg

 

[Michael Hawes]

Recently my computer sometimes won't boot up. The fans run, including the
CPU fan, but nothing appears on the monitor. Sometimes I have to try several
times before it boots up okay.

I tried:
-- Different monitor
-- Different video card
-- Different video card slot
-- Cleared CMOS settings with motherboard jumper
-- Different motherboard (I recently replaced the motherboard with a later
version of the same board to fix a different problem. The problem I'm
describing here happened with both motherboards.)

Same problem in all cases.

I began to suspect the power supply, because sometimes when it wouldn't boot
up, a strange, sort of crackly sound came from the power supply, which I
don't recall ever hearing when it booted up okay.

So I went and got an Antec SL350 power supply. But the same problem happens,
except for the strange sound -- the fans start running but nothing ever
appears on the monitor. Unlike with my old power supply, it never seems to
boot up okay no matter how many times I try.

I'm using that old power supply at the moment, but I don't trust it --
sometimes I have to try several times before it boots up okay -- and would
prefer to get the Antec SL350 working.

Any suggestions?

Motherboard:
Abit KT7A-Raid
Old Power Supply, which came with the case:
300W Power Max FSP300-60BT
New Power Supply that I'm trying to use:
Antec SL350
Video Card:
ATI Radeon 8500 LE


Many Thanks,

Greg

If you remove the memory, does it beep? If not, could be CPU or you have
2 faulty motherboards. If does beep, faulty memory. Best to test with all
other devices and adapters disconnected.

 

[Stephen]

Recently my computer sometimes won't boot up. The fans run, including the
CPU fan, but nothing appears on the monitor. Sometimes I have to try several
times before it boots up okay.
Motherboard:
Abit KT7A-Raid

Check for bad capacitors on the motherboard.

Stephen


--

 

[w_tom]

Suspecting something and then wildly swapping parts is
called shotgunning. So many reasons could explain your
problem. And without numbers, then others can only further
wildly speculate. For example, if it was due to a bad
capacitor, then so what? How would you know?

You know after first obtaining specific information - the
numbers. Summarizes of how this is accomplished are provided
below. In your case, numbers for red, orange, yellow, gray,
green, and purple wires are required when the system is not
powered, when the system has powered up properly, and when
system does not respond to the power switch. Those numbers
may tell you little. But those same numbers attract others
who really know how computers work; people who post only when
something definitive is worth posting:
"Computer doesnt start at all" in alt.comp.hardware on 10
Jan 2004 at
http://tinyurl.com/2t69q
"I think my power supply is dead" in alt.comp.hardware on 5
Feb 2004 at
http://tinyurl.com/yvbw9

If those numbers confirm power supply 'system' integrity,
then move on to other 'usual suspects'. Numbers either
condemn or exonerate the suspected parts - without swapping
anything.