[RESOLVED] Turning it on
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Thread: [RESOLVED] Turning it on

  1. #1
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    Resolved [RESOLVED] Turning it on

    I'm not even sure how to ask this. I'm not sure I know enough about the problem, and the many ramification of the problem, to ask a proper question.

    My desktop will not turn on. It ran well yesterday, shut down properly last night, no problem. This morning it would not turn on. It's an old tower with a Gigabyte 7ZE1 motherboard, if memory serves me well. It has an Antec 430w power supply, a replacement a number of years ago.

    I've got the case open now, and have evicted all the dust bunnies. When I hit the power button the little green light on the motherboard will come on for about a second. Then it goes out, and won't come on for about ten minutes. After the ten minute wait I get another one second flash.

    I'm lost, and badly in need of guidance. I have no available spare power supply to swap out, and hesitate buying a new one.

    I really need some help.

  2. #2
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    Do you have a multimeter or voltmeter you can use to test the power supply? I would guess that there is at least a 65% probability that the power supply is the problem. Is there a local computer repair shop that you could take it to? They likely have a spare power supply or a power supply tester that could be used to determine if your power supply is bad.

  3. #3
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    Thanks for the quick reply. You hit one of my worst fears, the power supply. On the other hand, a power supply is easy to replace, once I buy it.

    Yes, I have a multimeter. Could you please explain how to test the power supply? Theory says it should be easy enough, but I'd hate to do it wrong and let all the smoke out the motherboard.

  4. #4
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    Lots of links for that and some videos here:

    https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en#h...ith+multimeter


    Check out several of them before attempting the process - that should cover most of the potential issues.

  5. #5
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    The power supply testing is done. It would seem that I'm in the market for a new power supply. ALL voltages were reading high. The 3.3v pins were between 4.05v and 4.25v. the 5v pins were between 6.19v and 6.45v. the 12v pins read 15.07v and 15.12v. The -12v was -14.26. On the Molex (is that right?) the red was 6.47v and the yellow was 15.35v.

    All these voltages are out of tolerance, according to THIS SITE.

    The power supply is an Antec Earthwatts 430w unit. It lasted quite a while. I'll try another Antec, if I can find one, somewhat larger, probably about 600w.

    I thank you for your help, sir. It's always reassuring to have proper guidance.

  6. #6
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    Lets hope the overvoltages did not damage anything on the motherboard or elsewhere.

    You can check NewEgg.com for ratings and reviews on various power supplies.

    There are also power supply wattage calculators available on the web to determine the power requirements for your system.

  7. #7
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  8. #8
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    Turning It On---Again

    Sorry about the interruption in my maladies. I had to take a several week run to Reno. My wife's aunt went into the hospital on 7 October. In fact, we've been to Reno twice since then.

    I bought a new power supply before going to Reno, but didn't have a chance to install it. It is a CoolerMaster V650. I've just installed it, and the problem remains. Reference my previous post Turning It On. Yes, the identical problem.

    I'm afraid it's more than the power supply. I re-did the power supply test, on both the old and the new power supplies. BOTH read high on every pin. I found that exceeding curious, so I tested the house current at a wall outlet. It seems that my house is running at 143volts. Right, 143 volts from the wall outlet. I now suspect my multimeter in somewhat less than accurate. Time for a new multimeter.

    All that means, to me, that the old power supply is probably good, and that the high readings were caused by a faulty multimeter.

    Given all that, what would my next step be, other than buying a new multimeter?

  9. #9
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    Removed the "Resolved" and merged threads.

    I would swap out the PSU anyway. Don't assume the old PSU is good.

  10. #10
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    Your multimeter is probably off, although it wouldn't hurt to check your house voltage.

    Check the motherboard for bulging or leaking capacitors, like the ones at the link below.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=bad+...FQwwiAodTcoLlg

    Also, you could try disconnecting any non-essential devices or drives to see if that changes anything.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdc2000 View Post
    Your multimeter is probably off, although it wouldn't hurt to check your house voltage.

    Check the motherboard for bulging or leaking capacitors, like the ones at the link below.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=bad+...FQwwiAodTcoLlg

    Also, you could try disconnecting any non-essential devices or drives to see if that changes anything.
    Thank you, Midnyte. This really is a continuation of the same thread.

    I did install the new psu. It did exactly as the old one did.

    I don't think there are any bad caps, but I'll look again, more closely. Good thought about disconnecting things. I'll try taking it down to bare bones.

    As a matter of curiosity, I just tested a 9 volt battery with my not so trusty multimeter. It claimed the battery is 11 volts. Time for a new meter.

  12. #12
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    Note that if the 9 volt battery is brand new, it might very well be over 9 volts.

  13. #13
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    I took both power supplies in to my daughter's work yesterday and tested them with a known-good Fluke meter. They both tested good, well within parameters. I'll keep the new psu, use it, and have the old one as a spare.

    I have a "good when pulled" motherboard on the way. Mine must be bad, and I don't know enough to fix it. The new one is the same make and model, so it should be a direct replacement.

  14. #14
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    I've got the replacement motherboard installed. Things are a bit better. Now the computer stays on rather than turning itself off after a second.

    The motherboard is a take-out from another computer. It seems to have retained the BIOS settings from that previous use. It arrived with both a CPU and a battery installed. Whatever they are, the BIOS settings are not compatible with my system.

    I may have to find the documentation for the motherboard, and slog through all the settings. What a pain. Is there an easier way? Any thoughts?

  15. #15
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    What error(s) are you getting from the BIOS when booting? You can reset to factory defaults, although downloading the manual from Gigabyte and check all of the settings would be a better way to go.

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