Psu not receiving power or dead...

[mrapoc]

Basically

Iv been given a "new" machine with vista on. Not sure if it has been powered on yet but they say it has no personal files etc. so either it hasnt been on for long or not at all (making things harder for me)

Iv been given the task to remove vista and put xp on - so i go to power it on and slam my disk in..but wait, not even the psu fan starts up. So i check the plug, works fine. Try three different psu cables, none work but all work in the other pc i have handy. So that means its this machine. I start by checking the button actually works. It does.

So i try the cables running from the button to the motherboard. All in and correct (afaik). So i check the atx power cable is in properly - yes it is. Hmmmm. So i use the good old "jump start a psu for testing" thingy. As seen here. I know this method works as iv used it when installing watercooling and similiar problems.

Alas the psu does not power on. So i think its either down to the actual pins on the back not making contact (i dont know why but i feel its not going in all the way, either way it shudnt make all the difference as most of it is in) or the psu is naffed!?

I shall ask when she comes to collect her "completed" laptop if the machine has been powered on in the past but im still at a loss - wtf is going on 

Thanks

[Rik]

Can you get any voltage readings from it, Sam. My first thought would be the internal fuse has blown.

[mrapoc]

I dont have a voltmeter of any sort as of yet  I know its a valuable tool but I just havent gotten round to it 

Its a cheapo psu too (as with all commercially built machines  ) making matters worse

So whats my next step if she says it was working before it came here? I can easily tell her to send it back if this is the first powerup  but it gets a bit complicated if she could potentially accuse me of breaking it (altho she is a family friend - who knows??)

I would then feel obliged to try and sort it myself, as why im trying my best  to diagnose it lol

[Rik]

You can't really break a PSU, Sam. They work or they don't - unless, of course, you have connected the mains directly to the mobo.

A meter should definitely be on your shopping list.

[Steve]

Surely if you cannot jump start the PSU its dead. I note the the bit about some PSUs needing mains supply prior to jump starting. The PSU fan should spin if it has one otherwise try and connect a case fan as a voltage test.

[mrapoc]

I should be gettin a voltmeter tomorrow @ maplins all being well.

Il have another go at jumping it...if not ill just call the helpline and RMA it.

Its been powered up twice prior to this and literally 2 months old. She was quite shocked but what can i do?

[vitriol]

As steve has already said connect a case fan to see if the psu can power it, one thing that might be worth a check is there is normally a little red switch somewhere on the back of the psu, it's a voltage selector allowing the user to select 240 (sometimes 230V) or 110V.

Check it is in the correct 240V position.  The reason I say this is a friend of mine installed a new graphics card and his system wouldn't power on.  He somehow deduced that flicking the switch to 110V was a good idea.  This isn't a good idea at all and in most cases will kill the PSU.

Check also the CMOS jumper is in the correct position, I've seen systems in the past not start because the jumper was in the wrong position or not on at all.  Check for foreign bodies laying on the motherboard also.

I suppose that you have removed non essential componants and tried powering up? i.e CD Roms, additional HDD's, floppy's etc...

Also one of the last PC's I looked at wouldn't start, spend loads of time trying to get it going, no joy at all.  In the end I took all of the componants out of the case and powered it up on the table.  Instant power up, I think that the motherboard was shorting against the case.

Hopefully some things for you to check over. 

You may also want to consider purchasing one of these, for £20 it's an essential purhcase for a PC Engineer.

[talos2]

You may also want to consider purchasing one of these, for £20 it's an essential purhcase for a PC Engineer.

Thats a useful bit of kit, much easier than a multimeter.

[Steve]

Yes  too, except I probably loose it before I needed to use it

[mrapoc]

looks a bit expensive when a voltmeter will do the same
(only more accurately?)

anyway im off to maplins today and will see what i can dig up

other than trying to jump start it or test it with voltmeter there aint nothing else i can do other than rma tbh 

[Rik]

I agree, Sam. Once you've established there's no output, RMA is the only way to go. (Though the point made about a short to case is a good one, I've seen that myself...)

[mrapoc]

where would i be checking for that?

id rather RMA it straight away than take it apart and risk voiding any warranty

no "normal" user would be expected to do that - plus im feeling damn lazy

[Rik]

It's a matter of close visual inspection, Sam, usually putting a torch on one side of the mobo and peering under from the other. If the unit is warrantied, though, then RMA is the way to go.

[vitriol]

RMA it and let the supplier worry about it.

[Dangerjunkie]

Is there an LED on the mobo for standby power? Does it come on when you plug the mains in? (you don't need to start the machine)

Cheers,
Paul.