Computer won't switch on?

[Tomaz Cedilnik]

Hi

I bought my computer (parts, actually, which I put together) at around
Christmas 2002. CPU: Athlon XP (Do you need to know anything else?)

Recently I added a wireless network card and that's when the problem
started: the computer won't switch on until it's been plugged into mains
for a while (unplugged it while fiddling with the inside). Removing the
card didn't help.

Believing it's just that, I put the card back in so I could move the
computer into another room, waited a while so I could switch it on
again. So, I thought, if I don't unplug it, it won't misbehave, and if I
do, I will just have to wait for a while afterwards and it will be fine.
Yeah right!

A few days ago it got worse. Now it's a lottery - I press the button and
hope it will switch on which it didn't yesterday or the day before at
all, but eventually got lucky today.

Any ideas why it would sometimes (very often) refuse to switch on? I
thought it might be the battery on the motherboard, but wouldn't then
BIOS settings be deleted, preventing the OS to start?

Thanks in advance for help

Tom

 

[JAD]

Hi

I bought my computer (parts, actually, which I put together) at around
Christmas 2002. CPU: Athlon XP (Do you need to know anything else?)

Recently I added a wireless network card and that's when the problem
started: the computer won't switch on until it's been plugged into mains
for a while (unplugged it while fiddling with the inside). Removing the
card didn't help.

Any beep when trying to start? I would try reseating everything, you may
have bumped a card loose.

 

[Rod Speed]

I bought my computer (parts, actually, which I put together) at around
Christmas 2002. CPU: Athlon XP (Do you need to know anything else?)

Recently I added a wireless network card and that's when the problem
started: the computer won't switch on until it's been plugged into
mains for a while (unplugged it while fiddling with the inside).
Removing the card didn't help.

Believing it's just that, I put the card back in so I could move the
computer into another room, waited a while so I could switch it on
again. So, I thought, if I don't unplug it, it won't misbehave, and
if I do, I will just have to wait for a while afterwards and it will
be fine. Yeah right!

A few days ago it got worse. Now it's a lottery - I press the button and hope it will switch on
which it didn't yesterday or the day before at all, but eventually got lucky today.

Any ideas why it would sometimes (very often) refuse to switch on?

You may have disturbed something when adding the wireless card.

If reseating cards, memory and cables doesnt fix it, it may
be a coincidence and the motherboard or power supply has
developed a fault. Check for bad caps on the motherboard.
These are the usually blue or black plastic covered post like
things sticking up vertically from the motherboard. If any of
the tops arent flat or are leaking, thats likely the problem.

If its not that, I'd try a replacement power supply.

I thought it might be the battery on the motherboard,

Not likely to produce that particular symptom, but cheap to try.

but wouldn't then BIOS settings be deleted,

Yes, but it should complain about a cmos checksum error at boot time.

preventing the OS to start?

No, it should start fine with the defaults.

 

[Dave]

Hi

I bought my computer (parts, actually, which I put together) at around
Christmas 2002. CPU: Athlon XP (Do you need to know anything else?)

Recently I added a wireless network card and that's when the problem
started: the computer won't switch on until it's been plugged into mains
for a while (unplugged it while fiddling with the inside). Removing the
card didn't help.

Believing it's just that, I put the card back in so I could move the
computer into another room, waited a while so I could switch it on again.
So, I thought, if I don't unplug it, it won't misbehave, and if I do, I
will just have to wait for a while afterwards and it will be fine. Yeah
right!

A few days ago it got worse. Now it's a lottery - I press the button and
hope it will switch on which it didn't yesterday or the day before at all,
but eventually got lucky today.

Any ideas why it would sometimes (very often) refuse to switch on? I
thought it might be the battery on the motherboard, but wouldn't then BIOS
settings be deleted, preventing the OS to start?

Thanks in advance for help

Tom

Dead power supply. Wireless card is either a red herring, or the straw
that...

 

[Tomaz Cedilnik]

You may have disturbed something when adding the wireless card.

If reseating cards, memory and cables doesnt fix it, it may
be a coincidence and the motherboard or power supply has
developed a fault. Check for bad caps on the motherboard.
These are the usually blue or black plastic covered post like
things sticking up vertically from the motherboard. If any of
the tops arent flat or are leaking, thats likely the problem.

If its not that, I'd try a replacement power supply.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I've thought of card disturbance or loose contact, but I've checked it
thoroughly. Besides, while switched on, I experience no hardware problems.

About plastic covered post-like things on the motherboard - are you
talking about jumpers (can't imagine them leaking) or bigger round
thingies looking like silos? Or anything else?

Tom

P.S.: One thing I find weird, is that even when the computer is switched
off (but plugged into mains) the NumLock light on the keyboard will stay
on if it was on when shutting down and that USB ports still supply
power. I guess this is necessary so that the computer can be woken up
using the keyboard (PS2 or USB) or via LAN (which could also be USB) etc.

However, these things are on even when the computer refuses to switch
on, using either of the ways to do so.

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I've thought of card disturbance or loose contact, but I've checked it thoroughly. Besides, while
switched on, I experience no hardware problems.
True.

About plastic covered post-like things on the motherboard - are you talking about jumpers (can't
imagine them leaking) or bigger round thingies looking like silos?

Sorry, the second one.

Or anything else?
Nope.

P.S.: One thing I find weird, is that even when the computer is
switched off (but plugged into mains) the NumLock light on the
keyboard will stay on if it was on when shutting down and that USB ports still supply power. I
guess this is necessary so that the computer can be woken up using the keyboard (PS2 or USB)
Correct.

or via LAN (which could also be USB) etc.

Wake on LAN is usually done differently.

However, these things are on even when the computer refuses to switch on, using either of the ways
to do so.

You need to have that enabled in the bios, it isnt always by default.

 

[JAD]

Have you replaced the power supply? If I were you I would NOT try and post
that machine anymore until you get some seriuos troubleshooting done. If
this IS a PSU problem you pressing for a bigger problem if it fails in some
catastrophic way.

seriuos trouble shooting IMO:
involves pulling the board out of the case and bench testing it.