Power probs

Hey guys

Please help me...

I built a system for my mom about two or three years ago..... then yesterday it just upped and stopped working...

What happens is: You push the start button and the CPU fan spins once and stops... So we went an bought a new power supply but it is giving us the same problem....

I have spare motherboards and RAM... But does anyone know what the problem is?

Try resetting the CMOS battery on your motherboard.. the exact same thing happened to me, and resetting it fixed it..

Tews said:

Try resetting the CMOS battery on your motherboard.. the exact same thing happened to me, and resetting it fixed it..

How do i do that?
Is it not going to wipe the CMOS if i take the battery out?

There might be a jumper just near the battery, or take the battery out for 5sec.

Ok.. i have removed it... lets see what will happen when i put it back in just now

...

I didnt work.... but what i notcied with this PSU and the other one... it that has a buzz for the brief second that it is operational...

Sounds like you might possibly have a component in the system thats "shorted" which is pulling down one or more of the Power Supply outputs - If you have a voltmeter or an oscillioscope, try checking the +5 and +12V outputs........make sure their OK

Unplug all power connectors except for the main ATX and the ATX12V connectors to the motherboard. Also unplug all fans with the exception of the CPU fan (under no circumstances should you run the system with this disconnected). If your graphics card has power connector(s), leave it/them connected as well. Better still, if the motherboard has on-board graphics, temporarily remove the graphics card and use that instead.

Does the system now start up? Ignore the message about not being able to find the OS (which it won't, until the HDD is reconnected). If it does, reconnect each of the disconnected items one at a time and test again. Repeat until you find the culprit. Verify this by disconnecting it and testing again.

Dwarf said:

Unplug all power connectors except for the main ATX and the ATX12V connectors to the motherboard. Also unplug all fans with the exception of the CPU fan (under no circumstances should you run the system with this disconnected). If your graphics card has power connector(s), leave it/them connected as well. Better still, if the motherboard has on-board graphics, temporarily remove the graphics card and use that instead.

Does the system now start up? Ignore the message about not being able to find the OS (which it won't, until the HDD is reconnected). If it does, reconnect each of the disconnected items one at a time and test again. Repeat until you find the culprit. Verify this by disconnecting it and testing again.

Hey thanks man...
It turns out that something on the motherboard was shorting the PSU.... luckily i had a spare motherboard lying around so i just shoved it in and now it works fine...

The short only came about when the four pin connector was plugged in..