So the Power Supply may have made it cross country via 2 day Priority mail by Saturday. If so I will have a job before me I've never done: replacing a PSU in a very tight Slimline case. It is not the same model shown in the web video which requires removing the CPU (thank God!) and has a clear path in an out. Bbut I could use some tips and warnings about safe replacement and tying the cables in such a tight environment. I don't want to mess up my roommate's Dad's 2 year old PC.
Don't take any of this as being too simplistic. It may look daunting and a bunch of spaghetti, but it's not so hard.
Standing on some hard surface floor is better but barefoot on carpet will work.
Pull the power cable out of the old PSU, touch the metal case to disperse static, and start removing each connector one by one, any sequence is fine. There may be ties or something on some of them. You may have to disconnect other cables to make it easier, like SATA or IDE connectors. Use a marker if you want so you get them back to the same place.
The connectors all will have a latch to press in to release it, then wiggle and pull at the same time. Some like the main 20/24 pin will have more resistance. Hold the case, or if there's room, the board down against the direction of pull.
When all the cables are disconnected, gather them together with a rubber band or tie, to keep them out of the way, then remove the 4 screws that hold the PSU. I usually lay the case on it's side while doing this. IT may have a metal tab to push to release it and it will slide out, forward.
Compare the connector on the old and new PSU, the new one could have some extras on it, tie them loosely together for now. Each connector will fit in only one place on the motherboard, they made them "idiot proof", so to speak. I start with the one farthest away form the PSU and work my way to the closest, but any sequence you can do is fine.
There probably isn't very many PSU connectors to stick on:
20/24 pin main
4, 6, or 8-pin to the CPU
one to each HDD and optical drive
floppy if so equipped
GPU, if there is a dedicated card, which I doubt
Double check that everything is reconnected. Check it all once more. Now you can put the cable in the PSU, flip its switch if it has one, plug into the wall and see if it powers up and boots OK. If so shut down unplug it and you can go about tying cables back and together. Try not to get a real sharp bend in any of them.
Being careful and not dislodging some other connectors is important, especially in a mini-case.
Thanks, Gary. PO says the PSU and HD are out for delivery today so it may happen today.
After PSU starts and HD doesn't, I want to run Hitachi Drive Fitness test to confirm its condition. I also have Spinrite - do you think it's worth a spin or should I just replace the HD anyway if it tests bad, once I get the data off?
Any hunches about why it will not proceed past post? Boot sector infection or corruption is suggested. Is it strange that failing HD (per SMART) would be readable?
All I know about Spinrite is what Steve Gibson says, but it's worth a try?
I'd go ahead and save the data and replace the drive anyway since it is suspicious, if it can in fact be read. You can use a Linux CD to test that part.
You can have a corrupt boot sector or infection. The only other thing I can think of is a motherboard issue since the Geeks PSU wouldn't boot it either.
Just for curiosity you might remove and replace each PSU connector to see if anything changes. If something is not fully seated, there may be no electrical connection. Steve told me once he had a no display problem. He found the PCIe power connector need to be pushed in 1/64th".
You're already on a path, stick with it
Google search results found:
https://www.google.com/search?q=HP+A...Address&ie=&oe=
EC 303 indicates a failing drive, EC 305 is a dead drive.
DavidPK [HP expert] suggested that you might be able to recover data with a Ubantu boot and pointed to:
Use Ubuntu Live CD to Backup Files from Your Dead Windows Computer
That's all I can add, except good luck with the PC of your friend's dad,
Bill
Thanks Bill, we plan to, I had already suggested a Linux CD, if needed.
Greg, is this the video you found?
If so, that is the CPU cooler he removed, which I don't think was necessary. HE didn't even replace the thermal compound, definite no-no.
Here's the service manual: http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c03317456.pdf
from here: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/m...roduct=5157057
Yeah I spotted that Manual the other day and then it didn't show up again. It's about as detailed as one can get. Thanks, Bill.
I'm concerned about it being mobo and would actually like to check that while I can still refuse those $85 worth of packages since looks like they are being fumbled around by the PO. I assumed that if BIOS can post and HD SMART tests bad then it is HD but what exactly could be proof that its really the mobo? The Geek Squad had said I could check it in to have it all tested but I thought I had enough once they plugged in their PSU and it was back to posting and then failing to hand it over to the HD. What about that behavior says it might be the mobo?
Does anyone else ever have this happen: Priority packages are tracked Out For Delivery from USPS, but carrier doesn't have them even after searching truck for me. Supervisor says he thought he saw one being returned for bad address. Call into station and that's the HD, but no sign of PSU. Manager on duty says it may have gone out with wrong carrier and will check as they come back for possible Sat pick up at PO by 5. Frustrating.
Last week the same PO lost some RAM which Amazon replaced. It even had been scanned "Delivered." Probably put in wrong box.
Use Gary's suggestion and run a Live CD (Ubuntu is good). If the system boots Ubuntu and you get video, etc then that is a pretty good indicator the motherboard is OK. You can also test network, sound, and even that hard drive too.
Also would be good to know what happens if you disconnect the hard drive. You should get the "OS not found" or "no bootable device" message, but if it boots fine and you can use BIOS then it also indicates the MB is OK.
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