w_tom said:
Wild speculation to fix something typically costs more money and
wastes time. "Follow the evidence" as said in CSI. Best way to
accomplish that is to spend only 30 seconds with a meter (as sold even
in K-mart) to first learn what exists. Your eyes cannot see what is
obvious. Numbers from the meter will either see the problem
immediately OR make possible posts here that are useful. An answer
based in speculation is wasted time and money.
Procedure was posted previously in "When your computer dies without
warning....." starting 6 Feb 2007 in the newsgroup alt.windows-xp
at:
http://tinyurl.com/yvf9vh
Connector chart to locate each color:
http://www.hardwarebook.net/connector/power/atxpower.html
In your case, important are numbers from the purple, gray, and green
wires both before and when power switch is applied. Less than 30
seconds. Do not complicate the problem by removing or disconnecting
anything. A part is replaced because the problem is obvious. Same
procedure then confirms a successful solution. Most are unaware that
a defective power supply can still boot a computer. Procedure can
also identify a defective new supply long before its warranty expires.
No question that you'll get more information about the PS if a multimeter is
used to get the voltages. For one who is used to using one, checking
voltages, putting probes on connectors and knowing the safety skills that
are necessary to do testing this becomes trivial. For one who is a complete
novice, who only knows that they plugged the thing in and it didn't work,
all you have to do is mention 'voltage' and they think they are speaking a
forbidden language.
I AGREE, everyone should know how to use a multimeter, as well as using a
jack on a car to change a flat. It is a life skill, along with so many other
things, such as cutting a piece of wood with a handsaw. Reality is though,
that most people can't or don't know how to change a flat tire, and even
less people know how to use a multimeter and are even less reluctant to
learn because of the misbeliefed fear of 'immediate electricution' should
they attempt using one.
That said, I would urge the OP first to check the obvious; that the
outlet has electricity, that the power cord is good and plugged all the way
into the PS, that the power supply switch has not been inadvertantlly
switched from 110 to 220. If all that has been checked I would go to the
store and get the multimeter (everyone should have one. They are not only
invaluable, but they will impress the hell out of most of the population
when one knows how to use it) and really take the effort to check the
voltages as w_tom proposed in the first place. Play with it using a small
battery, such as a D or C cell until satisfied that it will not harm them
and actually does provide information. Then do the PS voltage check on the
power supply.
I would take the trouble to remove the PS from the computer first, so
accidents do not happen in the computer case and to simplify the diagnostic
effort. Put the PS on the table and attach a spare hard drive to it (as a
load) to make the voltage checks.
There are many good web pages available to go through the test process, and
(here's where I'm getting myself into trouble) it is quite straight forward
and easy, after one has practiced and feels at home with the multimeter.
For most they would see this dead computer as a problem. For a few they
would see it as an opportunity to learn something as they fix the dead
computer.
