I've been having this problem for a while now but I just got a new mobo, cpu, case,memory. I just put everything together without hdd's floppy and cdrom attached yet and when I go to turn the computer on it won't start up and I can tell the cpu fan is having a lot of problems running and it's just keeps on skipping and it seems like it's dieing and it just barely runs and the I can smell smoke coming from the psu and it seems like it's failing. I used the same mobo before and I exchanged it and the cpu for new ones and with same psu i'm using now and the system wouldn't start but the fans would be running ok. My specs are athlon xp 1900, 512 kinston ddr ram, kind of cheap 400 w psu, geforce 3, ecs ks75a mobo, 60 and 80 gig hdd. Does this problem just sound like it's a failing psu and would getting a new one fix it? Could it have caused damage to anything else in my computer cause it was only on and doing this for 10 seconds? Also I'm not sure if I have my wires like power led and reset sw connected right could that be part of the problem?

I just got a new 300 watt psu and it still does the same thing and the fan will only spin for a second and the system will go dead, but everything is brand new and this is the same problem I was having before but the fan spinned a little longer. Could it be that my 300 and 400 watt psu's aren't powerfull enough for my system or does it sound like something else. Also does anyone have a link to how the wires like power sw and reset sw are supose to be connected?

I also just noticed that the psu fan dosen't run.

Please help me, I need to know if this problem can only be in the psu or mobo even though it's brand new because I need to know if I should buy a new psu. Could it be anything else I don't think it's the ram or any optional devices because I took those out and I really hope it's not the cpu because the warrenty is over but I just got a new one today and it said that they tested it in a working mobo, and it's obvious that there's some kind of power problem because the fans won't even run most of the time but I got them going a few times. Could a my failing psu or the 300 w that may not be powerfull enough cause problems in working in the cpu or mobo? I might have the power conectors wrong from the switch can that be the problem? I'm desperate right now cause I haven't had a working computer in a over a month but I just need to know where the problems could be and if what I should buy.

If you smelled smoke coming from the power supply then most likely it is dead.

I added a second psu and there was no smoke but the fans would only move for a second so it did the same thing except for the smoke.

Make sure the wall outlet is providing the correct voltage, and that everything between it and the PSM is ok(surge arrestor, cables, connectors, etc.).
Also, make sure the PSM's selector switch is set to 115 volts.

I read some reviews and it turns out the mobo is picky about the psu so i'm exchanging it for a new one. Should I go to a repair shop and get my cpu and memory tested because I only have like 5 more days on the warenty but they were new (and i won't get the new mobo for a week) and I don't have another computer to test it in, so could it and the memory have been damaged by this or should they be fine? If I should get them tested would it cost a lot?

Yes, get them tested...depending on the shop, could cost nothing to a few $$.