PC not starting

[Creature]

Bit of a weird one this, but whenever I try to boot up my pc, nothing happens. A couple of times there is the faint whirr of the fans about to start up, but they die after less than a second. The green light on the motherboard stays on though =/

It was fine last night, and has been fine for the last few years.

Any ideas?

[Psymonkee]

Do the fans turn at all?

If so it might be something shorting - bit random if it was working fine mind....

[Mark]

I assume you've unplugged it for a few minutes? If not, good idea to do so.

If that doesn't work, and you're reasonably steady-handed (you should be - you're a young'un), grab a short length of wire (or a paperclip), unplug the big PSU connector from the motherboard and attempt to 'jumpstart' the PSU (sadly I can't remember the correct pins to do this but Google or another BD'er should be able to answer that). If the jumpstart works, don't be tempted to shove the connector back in the motherboard as it's the motherboard that's at fault (either something shorting or an actual fault). If it doesn't, it's the PSU.

When you pull the PSU plug, look for any scorch marks around the connector as well, as that'll tell you if something nearby has gone bang.

[Creature]

Do the fans turn at all?

If so it might be something shorting - bit random if it was working fine mind....Briefly, but no more than a second.

I assume you've unplugged it for a few minutes? If not, good idea to do so.

If that doesn't work, and you're reasonably steady-handed (you should be - you're a young'un), grab a short length of wire (or a paperclip), unplug the big PSU connector from the motherboard and attempt to 'jumpstart' the PSU (sadly I can't remember the correct pins to do this but Google or another BD'er should be able to answer that). If the jumpstart works, don't be tempted to shove the connector back in the motherboard as it's the motherboard that's at fault (either something shorting or an actual fault). If it doesn't, it's the PSU.

When you pull the PSU plug, look for any scorch marks around the connector as well, as that'll tell you if something nearby has gone bang.I'm not steady handed at all, and usless with pc's, so that's out the window :p

Just leaving it unplugged now, so we'll see what that does.

[Mark]

LOL ;D

I shorted a PSU out once while it was jumpstarted. I don't intend doing that again. ;D

[Creature]

Working \o/

Cheers Mark :)

[Streeteh]

This happened to me once, turned out the PSU was dead.

[EDIT] Meh, clearly ignore me

[Creature]

It's doing it again :(

Tried the same as before, but no luck. It appears that it's actually turning on, as the mobo light stays on, and holiding down the power button is the only way to turn it off.

I'm now really confused about it, it worked fine all day yesterday after I got it turned on.

[Mark]

Sounds like it might be a dead/dying PSU and/or motherboard. Time to get handy with the innards of a PC. :(

[Creature]

Nah, i'll just call on good old Steeps, he's far better at this sort of thing than me.

[Dr. Z]

Sounds like PSU to me :) Thats typical behaviour of a failing PSU. I'd avoid powering it on at all with that PSU, just in case something nasty happens.

Good luck with it!