Comp won't start, power supply issue?

[FireInside]

hey all, looking for a little advice. Haven't had this issue before. The last two weeks my desktop computer hasn't been wanting to start up. If I switch the power supply switch off and on again it would fire up. Now today I can't get it to start period. Not really sure where to start as this is a new issue for me. It's around 10 years old but I have upgraded a while back to a core i5, 4 gab ram, Windows 7 with no issues. Maybe it's the power supply? The light on my mother board still lights up but it won't boot.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[wankerness]

Windows computer +10 years old = I can't believe it didn't die 5 years ago! It COULD be the power supply, it could just be the motherboard starting to fail, but trying to keep this thing wheezing along is going to be progressively more of a money sink.

 

[cwhitey2]

Windows computer +10 years old = I can't believe it didn't die 5 years ago! It COULD be the power supply, it could just be the motherboard starting to fail, but trying to keep this thing wheezing along is going to be progressively more of a money sink.

Hey buddy, my recording pc is a 10 year old emachines

 

[wankerness]

Hey buddy, my recording pc is a 10 year old emachines

If you can preserve the thing in a state where it works perfectly and never update anything and never have to go on the net or anything, yeah, there's no reason it would get progressively slower. Windows parts tend to be garbage and fail, though!

 

[cwhitey2]

If you can preserve the thing in a state where it works perfectly and never update anything and never have to go on the net or anything, yeah, there's no reason it would get progressively slower. Windows parts tend to be garbage and fail, though!

Its never had an internet connection or an update!

It has almost zero programs other than reaper. It can handle a heavy work load as far as # of tracks go too.

 

[FireInside]

Sure it's around 10 years old but I have upgraded things along the way. All I really use it for is Reaper, Axe Edit, and Guitar Pro. It works great for all of that. 99% of my internet surfing, bill paying, ect is on my iPad.

I tried then"paper clip" test today and it didn't run the fan so I am pretty sure it's the power supply at this point. Hoping I can fix it with a new one, not really wanting to get a new desktop and transfer everything over at the moment.

 

[Xaios]

Hoping I can fix it with a new one, not really wanting to get a new desktop and transfer everything over at the moment.

In general terms, this should be entirely possible. Power supplies really haven't changed much at all in the past 15 years, aside from enthusiast-grade supplies having modular cabling. The only caveat is that, if your computer is branded, it might use a PSU with proprietary, non-standard mounting and dimensions. This isn't much of a thing now, but 10 years ago it still was. The only way to know for certain would be for you to do some research.

 

[Beefmuffin]

If you can, I would try a new power supply as it's the cheaper and easiest option. However, with how it's acting, tho the PSU can certainly still be the culprit, it's more likely that your mother board is going out or you could have a loose connection somewhere. If you can and are comfortable, try unplugging all the cords attached to the mother board from the PSU, then take out the ram and graphics card and put them back in, then plug all the PSU cables back into the motherboard. See if it starts, if so there was a loose connection. If not, try a PSU (you can even take one out of another computer before buying a new one, just to test as long as the power rating is fine). Then last case scenario, get a new motherboard.

 

[FireInside]

Ordered a new power supply today. Fingers crossed it works.

 

[mike1033]

Have you checked the CMOS battery yet?

 

[Descent]

Sounds to me like the power supply.

You could try taking out, dusting and then reseating any memory modules (RAM modules), graphics cards and anything else you'd have in there. While at it, clean the CPU heatsink and apply new thermal paste (about $5 cost for paste).

Usually the issue you describe, the culprits usually are PSU, or RAM module, or GPU. Some older mobos start getting the cap leak so next might be the mobo going out. Considering that once it powers it stays constant I'd start with PSU. In some rare instances it might be the case or case wiring (power switch, etc. that connects to mobo).

 

[FireInside]

Installed the new power supply today, also a new CMOS battery just because I was in there...its back to running like a champ. Bought a beefier power supply this time around too. Glad it was a simple fix. Having the comp down for a week really put a damper on my song writing. Happy to be back at it! Thanks for the input everyone.