BleepingComputer.com: Video or Power Supply? I Have No Clue!

Hello everyone, this is my first post here, so my apologies if this is in the wrong spot/or I miss something. Anyway...my problem began early this morning. I was playing on my computer (as I usually am at the early hours of the day) when my computer just suddenly shuts off. After multiple failed attempts at turning it back on, it finally comes back on, but then almost immediately shuts back down. I begin to snoop around my computer and take a look at the back of computer where the power supply vent is, and notice that when the computer is able to turn back on, the fan no longer spins and I smell what I think is something burning. I decided then to leave it off for a while and try again later...now, to my dismay, the computer will turn on (the fan still won't spin) but now I receive no video signal to my monitor. So my question to you is, is my power supply fried, partially fried, did my graphics card fry....something? I'm running a custom built machine with Vista and a 550W power supply. My apologies for the long post...but it was the only way I could think to give all the info I thought necessary. Thanks for your help!

Welcome to BC !

It sounds like the power supply has definatly failed.
Hopefully it didn't fry the motherboard in the process !

At this point you need another power supply to try in your computer.

This post has been edited by fairjoeblue: 23 May 2009 - 02:45 PM

Thank you for the quick reply. Luckily, I'm heading a few towns over later this evening, so I will check the Best Buy there for a new PSU. If this doesn't solve the problem, I'm going to assume that I need to replace the MoBo as well?

If you replace the power supply & it still displays nothing when you push the power button I would assume the motherboard was damaged in the PSU failure.

Before OI pronounced it dead I would have to give it one last chance.
If it has onboard video remove the card & try the onboard.
If it doesn't have onboard & you do not have another card to try either test the video card in another unit or have it tested.
If it works the motherboard is dead.

There is a way you can test your power supply. take it out of your computer, get a paper clip and in the middle of your 20-pin adapter there will be a green wire surrounded by 2 black wires plug the paper clip into the green wire and one of the black wires. Make sure you wrap the any protruding parts of the paperclip in electrical tape as to not start a fire or shock yourself. If the power supply is "good" it will turn on and the fan will spin as if it were inside your computer. Here is a guide. http://www.overclock.net/faqs/96712-how-ju...supply-psu.html It's a not very well instructed guide but it has pictures which you can combine with my instructions.

Assuming it was the graphics card, you should hear your computer turn on. Maybe your motherboard had diagnostic lights?

"If the power supply is "good" it will turn on and the fan will spin as if it were inside your computer"

Don't use that to judge whether or not a power supply is good.
A power supply that is bad to the point of immediatly frying motherboards can come on & still appear to work.

Do some googling & read how many emachine, HP,Compaq, etc., with Bestec power supplies "come on" but doesn't do anythying.

That paperclip to test a power supply is a novelty & VERY misleading.
Not only can a bad power supply come on but testing voltage at an idle just doesn't cut it.
A power supply is under the heaviest load during boot up.
In order to be tested properly a power supply needs to be tested under a load.

If you want to gamble on frying motherboards & components trust the paperclip trick.

People on this forum need to quit even recommending that misleading novelty.
Nobody should recommend parlor tricks that puts expensive components in a high risk catagory.

I suppose I did say that will tell you if they work or not. A broken/faulty power supply will turn on using the paperclip. The paperclip will on tell you if your power supply has a current or will turn on. It shouldnt be used to tell if a power supply works properly. I apologize for the misconception.

He'll know if it will atleast turn on. Power supply testing kits can be found for rather cheap http://shop.hdnw.com/product.aspx?id=935. If it's a Bestec then it will turn on by shorting it with a "parlor trick" and will fry your motherboard. Once your motherboard is fried if you were to try a different power supply the chances are high that the new power supply will also "fry".

This post has been edited by stryke297: 26 May 2009 - 05:30 PM

Sorry about being so terse.

Well...I got my new power supply in the mail today and installed it and it would seem, sadly, that I'm still having the same problems. The only difference is that now the power supply doesn't auto shut off anymore...just now I still don't receive a signal from the graphics card. I usually use and HDMI to DVI cable to run to my tv, but I also tried with a spare monitor that I had sitting around and it was the same result (green light on the front turns to amber.) So, my question now, is it the graphics card or the Mobo? If I have to buy more parts it's seeming like I might as well be buying a new computer lol. Thanks guys.