It's Died!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jetset · Post by **Jetset** » 28 Jan 2007, 19:19

I never thought this would happen, but it seems my machine has died. A few weeks ago it wouldn't boot up and kept making a clicking sound. Sometimes it would get to the blue screen and then switch the monitor off. Tonight I went to switch it on and it wouldn't even power up.

Any suggestions?

sknepper · Post by **sknepper** » 28 Jan 2007, 20:45

Was it a virus, mate?

Jetset · Post by **Jetset** » 28 Jan 2007, 20:48

Don't think so, nothing detected. Thought it might be a problem with the power unit. But I just don't know.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 28 Jan 2007, 21:24

Sorry to hear that Jetty :sad:

Mobo fan failure?

That can make noises and then stop the machine booting when it fails completely.

Take a look and see if any fans are jammed/clogged...bearing gone.

CB will no doubt have an idea....but in the meantime.

Garry

cstorey · Post by **cstorey** » 29 Jan 2007, 08:47

Jetset - you need to open the case and check with a voltmeter that you are getting output voltage from the power unit to the mobo. Depending on your system, it should be somewhere between 3 and 12 volts. If you are, then your power supply is probably ok, but the favourite candidate for this is the power supply, which have a finite life, which is even more limited if a high load system is placed on a limited power supply as often happens when people progressively upgrade without upgrading the power supply

jonesey2k · Post by **jonesey2k** » 29 Jan 2007, 12:19

The voltage rails are 3.3, 5 and 12v. Should be within 3% for a decent psu and never more then 10% out.

If it was a problem with the motherboard or cpu, then all of the fans would normally spool up but it wouldnt post or beep or do anything.

If nothing happens then I reckon its a psu problem or the power switch.

ivanT3 · Post by **ivanT3** » 29 Jan 2007, 18:26

I thought it may be worth adding that when/If you replace your PSU, use the best one you can afford and if you think you need 400 Watts, get 550. These supplies are sometime quite cheap in build quality and it's worth a few extra bucks for a good one.

Ivan,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Jetset · Post by **Jetset** » 30 Jan 2007, 23:02

Thanks chaps, I will look into it.

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 31 Jan 2007, 23:23

Jetty,

A failing hard drive is often preceeded by clicks from the drive...Katy Pluta, who taught me to build computers has several times replaced drives the moment they click. However, I fear it may be too late for that now

jonesey2k · Post by **jonesey2k** » 01 Feb 2007, 02:09

Depends on the make of the drive, some drives click, or rather clunk when they have been idle a for a long while and the head parks.
Allthough if your HDD clicks rapidly and its an IBM Deskstar then its time to replace it... it didnt earn the nickname deathstar for nothing

A hdd failure wouldnt stop the motherboard from posting though.