# Hardware fault - resolved

## MrSums

My computer just stopped working. At first the video froze - a couple of times and I checked the card - Nvidia Riva TNT2 - I thought the fan had given up the ghost and toasted the card, so I put a new one in and rebooted. All worked fine at first, but then it froze once again and when I rebooted - nothing. There wasw power to the motherboard, but nothing else.

Fearing I had finally toasted the motherboard, I got hold of another one, identical to mine. Reinstalled everything and powered up. Nothing - well power to the board identical to the first, but otherwise nothing.

When I power up, the "on/off" switch doesn't work - this is a soft switch, so does this indicate the cpu is toasted instead? Whilst I don't mind ending up with a completely new machine, doing it the hardway buying one component at a time doesn't appeal.

Any help in the right direction very much appreciated

Robert

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## blueworm

Take out the Power supply unit(PSU) and plug in to the mains AC power.

With a paperclip or a piece of wire make a bridge from the Dark Green cable on the 20 pin ATX connector to any of the Black wires on the same 20 pin ATX connector.

The PSU should power up you know this by firstly looking at the fan beacuse it should turn. You can then plug in your CDrom to any of the 4pin molex connectors. Try and eject the CDrom.

To do ant further tests you will need a multimeter, but at least this will get you started.

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## MrSums

Thanks. The PSU works fine, the case fan works and an led on the motherboard lights up. Also the CPU fan is working and so is the fan on the video card, so power I don't think is the issue. 

The motherboard doesn't seem to be an issue (assumed from the pov that the new mb is working identically to the old one) so perhaps the CPU is the only thing left.

Can this be checked in any meaningful way by a non-electrician? or is it as cheap to buy another?

Robert

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## blueworm

If you have tried with 2 differrent mobo's your CPU may be toast.

All you can do is try another one.

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## ewan.paton

can i just put a post here to ask anyone thinking to put pins into there power supply to be very carefull, i assume green to black is a signal switch but electrical shocks hurt and are best avoided, some people could make a mistake

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## G.N.A.

With knowledge comes power.

With power comes responsiblity.

Can't nerf the world!

GNA

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## Kurse

This looks to me like a typical Power Supply issue. Just because fans spin and LEDs light up doesnt mean your PSU is working fine. The motherboard requires a very specific and clean flow of power.

If indeed the PSU does test fine, the Voltage Regulator on your motherboard would be the next I would suspect. Since you have swapped boards, the common denominator is still the PSU.

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## MrSums

Thanks for this input - you had got it right all along - PSU issue even thought some sort of power was getting throught. Checked out the voltage and found only 3.5v where 5v was supposed to be - then all power disappeared.

Waiting for new PSU now .....

Mr Sums

ps. I did also return the CPU to AMD under their 3-year warranty. They found a fault and replaced it. Kudos to AMD

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## MrSums

Yup - PSU. Thanks

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