[goladith]

OK, here is my problem. Every once in while AKA almost every time i try to power on my system it doesn't turn on. The power LED with flash on and off slowly about ever 3 seconds but yet it doesn't turn on. It usaly works fine elsewhere but not at home. So far it has been turning on, taken me a while to get it, but it does. But not tonite i can't seem to get it. I tried reseting CMOS to no availe. Please any help would be great. and if you don't feel like looking at my computer specs they are

MSI K8N Neo Platinum 2
AMD FX-55
2gb Corsair PC3200 (4 sticks of 512)
560 watt Thermaltake Purepower PSU

I think thats all the info you need.

Edited by goladith, 19 July 2005 - 12:43 PM.

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Let me know if there is any other info you may need

[goladith]

Let me know if there is any other info you may need

[gtippery]

The power LED flashing every few seconds, especially if there's also a clicking or "zeep" noise at the same time, probably means the power supply is turning on, looking at the load, not liking what it sees, and turning back off. It might be unplugged from the motherboard, or perhaps there's a short somewhere, or the PS might be defective. Check the PS wiring first, then if you have access to another PS, next try replacing that.

If you can't use another PS, or if that fails to solve the problem, try removing all the cards (except RAM) and unplugging all the drives, and any external peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.) that may plug into the MB, either directly or via a jack on the case. Leave the speakers if there's no "beeper"-type speaker on the motherboard, otherwise remove them too.

[ Note -- Never plug or unplug things with the power on. You knew that, of course... ]

Now see if it will power up. It'll complain (POST error beeps) because there's no keyboard or monitor, or no video card if that's not on the MB. But the power LED should now be on steadily. If so, reinstall things one at a time, starting with the video and ending with the HD (so it won't get corrupted from the on/off cycles). The last thing you put in before it stops working again is likely the problem, unless the PS just isn't up to handling it all -- not particularly likely.

In the odd-seeming event that the keyboard or mouse cause the problem, the motherboard is probably defective. (I've seen this happen; the interface chip was blown.) These should all be current-limited by the motherboard, as are any other USB, PS/2, RS-232 (serial) or parallel-printer ports. Ditto for the speakers by the sound card, if it's separate from the MB.

If it didn't power up with the cards etc. out, the RAM is next. Remove it and try again. If it still won't power up, you've used up all the easy/cheap tests and you're going to have to do some serious troubleshooting, with replacement parts and/or instruments. In my experience, at this point the MB is most likely the problem, but PS's are cheaper to replace -- place your bet here .

Best thing at this point is to try harder to borrow a test PS or MB, or see if you can get them tested or replaced under warranty.

Good luck!

[goladith]

i mean i can't power it on. as soon as i put on the switch on the PSU the light starts blinking. bf i even touch button to turn the computer on. but what i currently think it is is un-clean power. i live in an old house and whatnot. the only problem i have with the replacing the PSU is that i was told it is a high quality one that i freaking spend $100 on. I would try a differnt PSU exept i don't have one with enough power to even boot the system. it starts up fine at lan parties usaly. the last one i was at was powered from generators and it ran beuttifly. with it i sometimes have problems at other peoples houses and and hotel lan's, but they aren't running of generators. but other then that the only thing i can think of the proboem being would be the mobo and there is no way i can borrow a mobo to try. since the only other local person i know that has a 939 pin system, is a friend of mine which of whom i built his computer, lol

[gtippery]

I didn't understand the "works fine elsewhere" in the first post. You'll probably get better help quicker if you'll compose and type your posts a bit more carefully. It's difficult to follow what you're saying. For instance, "bf i even touch button", or that you can't borrow a motherboard or PS because your friend has one? How does that follow?

Stream-of-consciousness writing has its place, but a tech forum isn't it.

If the computer works other places, then yeah, it's probably the power. If the wiring is old enough, it may not have a real ground, which will cause the computer to be flaky. And if the power dips and rises or spikes when e.g. the refrigerator compressor kicks in or out, you not only will get errors and resets, you may damage your computer. One thing to do is make sure there are no heavy-duty or motor-driven appliances on the same circuit breaker as the computer. Preferably, it should have a line all to itself. A good "continuous" UPS will clean up the power to some extent, but it can't compensate for a bad or missing ground -- the outlet will have to be rewired.

By the way, there's nothing in the CMOS that could cause the computer to fail to power on.

[goladith]

the outlet does not have a ground. i am useing a adapter to not use the ground. i know not a good idea but only 1 outlet in the house has a ground and my dad's computer is pluged in to that and it is on the other side of the house. My bedroom is on the same circuit as the kitchen. to tell you how it is, when i used to have a small radiator heater in my room, and i'd have it on, and somebody would use the microwave it would blow the breaker.

there is no chance of re-wireing cause that uses a lot of money we don't have right now. currently we have no liveing room circuit. the wireing is bad and that when ever anything is pluged in to it it doesn't work. it worked for a few minuets then stops. i do have my computer on a good powerstrip/surge protector.

although it maybe the mobo cause i don't remember it ever doing it on my last one that i sold to a friend of mine. but i am getting sick of it not booting. and BTW BF=before, sorry about that, force of habbit from MMORPG's. and about the psu and mobo thing i can't because noboby i know has a strong enough psu for my computer and also that is the only 939 mobo my friend has so i can't borrow that from him. we will be trying to get a 100 amp line to the house to help compensate. i am pretty sure we currently only have a 75 or 100 amp circuit currently and we need more. the only thing in the house with it's own is the electric stove.

[goladith]

well i got it working. i didn't wanna do it bit i did, i pulled the mobo and everything. and i found out there was a short somewhere thats why it wasn't booting. i found the short the hard and dangous way, i felt it on the case when i finaly got the system to power on. but luckyly nothing was damaged. thanks for everybodys help

[gtippery]

well i got it working. i didn't wanna do it bit i did, i pulled the mobo and everything. and i found out there was a short somewhere thats why it wasn't booting. i found the short the hard and dangous way, i felt it on the case when i finaly got the system to power on. but luckyly nothing was damaged. thanks for everybodys help

I'm glad you've got it running again, but you still really ought to get the house wiring fixed. A surge supressor might save the computer from damage, but it won't keep it running on bad power. A good UPS might -- I'd try to get some sort of satisfaction guarantee.

It sounds like you "felt" a power-line short -- is that right? [There are no voltages on the MB high enough to feel, unless you were licking it ] If that's what you meant, I sure hope you've found and repaired the problem before the combination of the hot case and no ground proves lethal.

[goladith]

well, it is not turning on again........but i can't ever get a UPS, it draws too much power and it will probly constitly trip the breaker, or so i have heard. but it is on a good power strip, with a $100,000 warrenty on it. so. but yea, i'm trying to contact the person who sold me the mobo. get a little dialog going there. and have in come out for a few hours or something and maby have him take a look at it. or, tell him to give me my money backa nd take the board home with him.

Oh, and i was not licking it. but i touched the steel fram and felt it. it was all tingly. i am really gitting sick of the mobo. if that guy doesn't wanna give me the money back, i'll sell it off cheap to any of your guys with pay-pal for cheap if one of you might want it. But the odd thing is, the computer worked fine with my other mobo. Cause it also does it at certian lan parties too

[goladith]

well. i talked to the guty i got the mobo from he is trying to find the paper work. and i got a 2 year parts and labor and 1 year parts on the mobo, so. i should be able to even RMA for a replacement. Oh, also, is $45 for somebody to tell you whats wrong expansive? i'm not sure. I'm not even sure i wanna let a noter person work on my compuer to even see whats wrong, cause i know accdents happen

[goladith]

Gar, i am so sick of this crap. i really don't wann ahave to gut my system everytime i shut it down to be able to turn it back on! but by this weekend i'll problky have the reciept maby. i'll probly contact MSI support tomarrow. but any more seggesiotions from you guys would be great

[gtippery]

well, it is not turning on again........but i can't ever get a UPS, it draws too much power and it will probly constitly trip the breaker, or so i have heard. but it is on a good power strip, with a $100,000 warrenty on it. so. but yea, i'm trying to contact the person who sold me the mobo. get a little dialog going there. and have in come out for a few hours or something and maby have him take a look at it. or, tell him to give me my money backa nd take the board home with him.

A UPS will draw only a little more current than whatever it's running.

I'm pretty sure you will find that using the power strip without a ground will void that warranty. Where's a power spike going to go without a ground line to send it to?

Oh, and i was not licking it. but i touched the steel fram and felt it. it was all tingly. i am really gitting sick of the mobo. if that guy doesn't wanna give me the money back, i'll sell it off cheap to any of your guys with pay-pal for cheap if one of you might want it. But the odd thing is, the computer worked fine with my other mobo. Cause it also does it at certian lan parties too

It is not possible that the motherboard is causing the case to be electrically "hot". As I mentioned, there are NO high voltages on the motherboard.

If you just feel a sort of furry, buzzy feeling where you're touching it, and only when you're touching it very lightly or just running your finger across it, it may just be capacitive leakage from the AC line. If so, the current is very small and it's not dangerous; if you had a ground line you wouldn't notice it at all. (Did it ever occur when you're using it at a properly-wired location?) But there's no easy way to be sure that's all it is, short of having a ground reference to measure against and the proper instrument. I still suggest you have the house wiring and if necessary the computer's wiring checked and repaired for safety's sake.

I don't see any way the motherboard would be OK at your friend's house but be defective at yours -- how would it know the difference, if not the power? Do you perhaps remove the LAN card, if any, when you're at home?

If proper AC wiring is just impossible, you might consider changing to a laptop. Most of them don't require a grounded outlet. You can just check whether the AC cord has 2 prongs or 3; if 2, you're OK. (With 3, you can't tell. Sometimes the ground connection is there but isn't actually used.) Laptops as a rule also draw less power, especially considering there's no need for an external monitor. Maybe you could work a trade with someone, if your computer works OK for them. Or just keep the current machine for LAN parties, as inexpensive laptops aren't good at graphics-heavy gaming.

[goladith]

i am a heavy gamer at home, thats about all i do when i'm not at work is game game game, and getting a laptop is not an option ATM. getting Ozzfest tickets...and well, you know where that will go. The only time i don't have issues at LAN parties is when the place is bing powered by a generator and not standard AC line. Plus a equal trade for a laptop is so freaking underpowered compaired to my system....it just isn't gonna work for me.

And no, but i only felt it that one time that nite, but when i pulled all the stuff out, and i found what i thaught to be a short, and i hooked it all back up, it is fine. I guess i'm gonna see how far getting a new mobo will take me.

I am probly auctly gonna purchase a new case anyways, but keep the PSU. I am sick of lugging my 70lbs computer around. if anybody is intrested in a Thermaltake Xaser III V1000A case let me know, i will have to sell cheap cause of the fact that the power switch broke. I gotta power it on my manualy shorting out the power button. I got electrical tape over the ends though.

[goladith]

I have figured out the problem. Can't figure out hot to figure it out. The 20 pin connector on my mobo is messed up. it must me loose or something. I am working on trying to figre out what to do with it.