[RESOLVED] PSU problems?

[MikeCan]

First, thanks for looking at my thread.

So this is the problem:

This isn’t my computer, but unfortunately I am the most ‘tech savvy’ person around this place so the chore gets shoved onto my shoulders when it comes to fixing things. Words of the user, “The PC was working fine; suddenly the dang thing starts going into hibernate/shutting off every now and then.” User tinkers with power management settings, things seem to be fine for a couple days. User returns after lunch today and PC is off; won’t turn on. Calls me in. I go through very general troubleshooting steps and what we end up with is the PSU fan does not spin during any part of the boot, green mobo LED is on, CPU cooling fan has power, NO display or response from keyboard/mouse.

System specs

Windows 2000
Asus p4sp-mx se motherboard
Phoenix D686 BIOS
Processor: P4
RAM: 512 MB DIMM
PSU: 230W (cringes…) ViewTech model VP-500

The POST boot occasionally (i.e. when I first give the machine power the LED’s light up power to CPU fan, but no POST boot beeps, when I flip the PSU pw switch and it boots I get the POST beeps) it gives me continuous individual long sustained beeps 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 etc. I tried looking up the beep code list for phoenix BIOS but those didn’t seem to match with any of the initial results I received. The pw_switch doesn’t seem to respond but the reset button works fine. There are other functioning computers here, I could swap PSU’s to narrow things down, but out of curiosity of learning more about hardware I prefer coming here and asking more experienced people on what should be my course of action.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’m slightly above average as far as computer usage goes, but that probably isn’t saying much. I realize PSU problems are the #1 hardware issues and the fact I’m asking for help shows I really don’t know anything. However, be as technical as you want in your explanations; I’m here to learn from experience.

Whenever someone has time to get around to this, thanks!

[jmtjet]

The beep code, as you discribed it, usually means a bad stick of RAM. Try reseating the memory module(s)and see if that helps. AS far as the power supply. They make power supply testers that can be purchased for about $10.00 USD that will tell you immediately whether your PSU is good or bad. I'm guessing memory though.

[MikeCan]

Yesterday, I found the AMI beep code said that about the RAM as well. I tried reseating it and still had the same problem. I'll try the other bank and an extra stick there is laying around. I'm in a third world country so dunno if the psu tester will be terribly easy to get a hold of, but we'll see. Thanks for the advice I'll let you know what happens.

[MikeCan]

Well, before I even fiddled with the RAM again I just grabbed a monitor nearby, hooked up the machine and rebooted it... I get a display this time and it take me to the BIOS and says the system hung last time because the CPU was over clocked, which was never done.

Could the CPU of overheated because the PSU fan isn't operative? The convection current created by that fan cools off the machine moderately well I would assume. So the system locked up and after sitting a few hours it cooled down enough to allow a reboot?

Also, as I mentioned I'm down here in a third world country, Paraguay, and whenever bad weather comes strolling through the power ALWAYS cuts out in a blink of an eye. Actually it does that randomly every now and then anyways. We do have batteries for all the machines...except this one, so could a sudden power surge or cut off make the system lock up and be irresponsive like this? The wall jacks here are terrible as well and quality surge protectors are hard to come by, sometimes the slightest tap of a chord cuts the power. So my question is what can frequent and sudden cut offs of power do to the machine?

Could any of those theories be the probable cause?

I’m going to try and get a hold of a voltmeter and test the PSU out anyways. I saw a tutorial on the forums somewhere around here so I’ll try that out. Thanks for the help. If someone could answer those basic questions I think this one could be chalked up as SOLVED. Thanks again for always listening.

p.s. PSU fan still isn't working so that will have to be fixed.

[SuperSparks]

Here's the tutorial:

Testing PSU voltages

We do have batteries for all the machines...except this one, so could a sudden power surge or cut off make the system lock up and be irresponsive like this?

Absolutely it could. Power spikes can take out almost any component. Power cuts seem to particularly affect hard drives in my experience.