Only fan starts, NOTHING else!

[adoyzie]

Hi,
I'm completely new to PC troubleshooting and was hoping someone may be able to help.

Today I was working on something on MS Word when I dropped a piece a paper behind my tower. I reached behind the tower and my arm rubbed against some cables (USB, monitor, etc) and then all of a sudden everything just shut off, except for the fans. The monitor shut off, the lights from my keyboard and optical mouse went off, and even the CD drive wouldn't open.

Could this be a power supply issue? It's about three years old and within the past 6 months two suspicious things have happened. Once, my machine just shut off on its own when I wasn't even in the room. And another time my computer was acting funny and I smelled a faint burning smell (this happened before the spontaneous shut down).

I'm on a huge deadline with assignments and need to get this fixed ASAP. Should I just go and get another power supply and see if that should fix it?

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

[Whyzman]

Welcome tohttp://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif Forums!

I don't know if you are aware of it, but most new power supply units are equipped with a rocker switch. You might have brushed it while reaching for the errant paper and turned it off...

Oops, sorry, I just reread and see the fans are still running...

Reseat all connections on the back of the computer. Make sure that the power supply switch is indeed in the off position before doing this. After turning the rocker switch to the off position, press and hold the power switch on the front of the computer to drain all capacitors...

Then, proceed to reseat all connections on the back of the computer.

[adoyzie]

I don't know how to do this:
" After turning the rocker switch to the off position, press and hold the power switch on the front of the computer to drain all capacitors..."

I also just realized that not only are the fans powered on, on the motherboard and inside the PSU, but the motherboard also lights on! I have an EPox 8KHA motherboard and there is a port code LED that reads "FF" on it with a red dot light on. The power supply that I currently have is s Radiomax 350W.

Does it still sound like a PSU malfunction or is it more likely the motherboard?!!

So stressed...

[Whyzman]

I would check all the connections since it appears that is what started the problem.

Look on the power supply unit for a rocker switch and turn the PSU off. Then, press the "power on" button on the front of the case (the one you normally push to power up the computer) and hold it for a couple of seconds...If you can see the fans inside etc., you will probably see them spin slightly and then stop. You will also see that the LED on the motherboard is no longer lit up.

Then, make sure all rear connections are tight before turning the PSU back on and powering up again...

[adoyzie]

I can't locate any type of rocker switch on the body of the PSU. And I have checked all of the connections at the back and they all seem firm and in place...

[Whyzman]

It is just important that you do not plug and unplug the rear connections while there is power to the motherboard. Only USB are really designed to be "hot swappable," the others can possible short out and do damage to the motherboard.

If there's no rocker switch, then you would want to unplug the computer from the wall socket and then hold the power on button in for a few seconds. You don't want to be able to see the motherboard LED lit. Then, I would unplug and replug all the rear connections before replugging and attempting to power up...

[Whyzman]

I believe FF is a successful boot...at least from the BIOS perspective. If you have a volt meter you might want to checkout the PSU...

Otherwise, you might be able to swap out with a known working PSU...

My hunch, if the PSU didn't suffer damage, is that the motherboard indeed may have crashed and burned. :(

[adoyzie]

So... from all of my the symptoms I supplied could it be safe to say that it can be narrowed down to two possible problems?

PSU or Mobo?!

What are other possibilities for this type of failure?

THANKS SO MUCH!

[Whyzman]

Since your problems started at the point where you were disturbing the connections, the likelihood that you either shorted the PSU or the motherboard would be the two most obvious candidates.

Shorting out the PSU could result in losing the whole kit and caboodle, or, possibly just a rail... If you bumped your keyboard or mouse (especially if PS/2) there are strong chances that you could have fried the controller if it shorted...

[algodritmo]

It makes no beeps when you try to turn it on?

[adoyzie]

Both my keyboard and mouse have USB connections, and the I had a couple other USB ports plugged at the time too (scanner, which was turned off and tablet which was on), and the monitor.

Yes, I forgot to mention that there are NO BEEPS at all when I turn it on. Is that Mobo symptom?

Also, I am missing a screw on the Mobo too, at the upper corner nearest to the back of the machine where the cables are. So it has about half a centimeter movement when forced...


Just stressed the F out!
Sweet jesus, when it rains, it's just bucket fulls of animal entrails sometimes...

[Whyzman]

No beeps is not a good situation. You may need to strip your system back to barebones and see if you can make it through POST.

Disconnect everything...except the video card, RAM, keyboard and monitor...boot er up and see if you can make it through POST...

[capequahog]

unplug the power cord from the back of the PSU, leave it out for about ten secs and plug bk in, try to power on with pwr butt now

[adoyzie]

Turns out it wasn't the PSU cause I just bought a new one and it didn't work. Same sequence of non-events as before. Now we're assuming it's the Mobo.

Going to order one online and see how that'll go. Not happy with anything right now.

[Whyzman]

I suggest trying the barebones boot first...

[adoyzie]

I did try a barebones boot. Nothing. We also tried just the monitor with the power supply hooked to the motherboard. Nothing.

I think a new mobo is probably the answer.

Right?

[Whyzman]

Well, if this all happened as you say, from disturbing the rear cables, it sure would seem that your processor is still viable. My guess would be that somehow the MB went to that great motherboard oasis in the sky... ;(

[Whyzman]

You don't hear any beeps at all?

[adoyzie]

Not a single beep.

I get a post code of "FF" and a small red light. But not a single beep. Poor baby done passed on me, I s'pose.

[capequahog]

Sounds like the cable disturbance, how bad was it, may have moved, cracked, grounded something on the mobo, who knows, I'd try a spare one if possible, usually it isnt possible, but before replacing might as well try anything, good luck.

[jcnoernberg]

have you looked at the voltage switch? yeah i know its almost impossible to change by accident, but its worth looking at

if you're on 110 and switch it to 220, you'll get a computer that can't boot but looks like it is on,

if you're on 220 and switch to 110... you'll get smoke and sparks!

[adoyzie]

Yup, I've checked the voltage. It wasn't that.

Thanks for the input though!