Blown PSU?

[Nehustan]

I finished writing something on my lappy last night, and needed to check something that is on my desktop. I move over to my desk and think...hmmm...its powered down. After I tried to boot it and changed kettle leads it sat dead as a doornail. So my question is is this likely to merely be a blown PSU (I leave it on 24/7), or could it be something more sinister i.e. a component on the motherboard. PSUs aren't cheap and neither are replacement motherboards. The PC is a Dell Dimension 5150 and has worked fine for 2 1/2 years, I'm just wondering whether its worth the expense of trying a new PSU (about £30) before I consider upgrading the machine?

 

[Fatbadge]

Do any of the disc drives open?

If nothing at the CD/DVD when you press the button on the front, head towards it being the PSU.

If youve got power at the CD/DVD drive (as in it will open) then I would take it to be the Motherboard.

Check internal fuses as well and the obvious one that the on/off switch on the back isnt in the off position (if it's got one). I had the occurence that it was switched off (the switch on the back).. I hadnt touched it, honest ossifer! Found out i'd nudged the tower unit which'd pushed back and a trapped wire turned the switch off.. took me bloody hours to figure that one out... after changing leads (too lazy to check the plug's fuse) and stripping half the pooter apart

 

[Nehustan]

Do any of the disc drives open?

If nothing at the CD/DVD when you press the button on the front, head towards it being the PSU.

If youve got power at the CD/DVD drive (as in it will open) then I would take it to be the Motherboard.

Check internal fuses as well and the obvious one that the on/off switch on the back isnt in the off position (if it's got one). I had the occurence that it was switched off (the switch on the back).. I hadnt touched it, honest ossifer! Found out i'd nudged the tower unit which'd pushed back and a trapped wire turned the switch off.. took me bloody hours to figure that one out... after changing leads (too lazy to check the plug's fuse) and stripping half the pooter apart

Nope nothing powers up which made me think it was the PSU too. I have just pulled the PSU out, I think it’s worth the £30 outlay to troubleshoot whether it’s the power. I'm quite happy with the PC to be honest, so don't really need an excuse to upgrade at the minute. Pay day this week so I'll just track down a PSU and see if that fixes the problem...fingers crossed.

 

[jaybee2786]

laptop psu will be knackerd reason cheap components in psu. dell are aware that there are problems with there psu for laptops because i had one and was still under warrenty i read them the start of the part number and once i told them like 1st four digets they said ok another will be in the post tomorrow the main reason they pack in is they use under rated components ie cheap and under rated caps/ smoothing caps dc goes out of regulation and pop it goes when you buy or get another one no doubt the same will happen again best bet is get some one in the know to upgrade components.

sorry thought you meant laptop psu.

If its your tower psu switch it on check see if led on motherboard lights up also switch it on leave for a min the turn odd at rear wait and see if the fan on the cpu kicks in for just a sec ie spins then stops if this does happen the psu has gone out of regulation and as the volts drop the hit correct setting just enought to start to spin cpu fan .

or SNIFF psu if stinking its knackerd

 

[Nehustan]

laptop psu will be knackerd reason cheap components in psu. dell are aware that there are problems with there psu for laptops because i had one and was still under warrenty i read them the start of the part number and once i told them like 1st four digets they said ok another will be in the post tomorrow the main reason they pack in is they use under rated components ie cheap and under rated caps/ smoothing caps dc goes out of regulation and pop it goes when you buy or get another one no doubt the same will happen again best bet is get some one in the know to upgrade components.

sorry thought you meant laptop psu.

If its your tower psu switch it on check see if led on motherboard lights up also switch it on leave for a min the turn odd at rear wait and see if the fan on the cpu kicks in for just a sec ie spins then stops if this does happen the psu has gone out of regulation and as the volts drop the hit correct setting just enought to start to spin cpu fan .

or SNIFF psu if stinking its knackerd

Good point about the fan as the power would go to that before hitting the motherboard with it being in the PSU itself, didn't think of that...nice parsimony there mate. The fan was dead, no movement, which suggests as you point out a dead PSU. I feel heartened that this may be that easy to solve

(edited to add just read again and there was no CPU fan activity either, the thing is dead in the water....)

 

[IT_Guy]

Just a point, if its a Dell PC then the power supply may be bespoke and a normal off the shelf model may not fit.

The last Dell power supply I had to buy cost £80.

 

[Nehustan]

Just a point, if its a Dell PC then the power supply may be bespoke and a normal off the shelf model may not fit.

The last Dell power supply I had to buy cost £80.

Yep I know but I think I have tracked one down for about £30, also emailed a few suppliers that stock dell kit probably from stripped down towers, hopefully cheaper

 

[Nehustan]

Well I tracked down a brand new Propriety PSU in the states, had it delivered within two days via DHL for a total of £40, bonus. Fitted the PSU, pushed the power up....still dead in the water so it seems some components must have blown on the MB, won't power up at all. Still I now have a Core 2 Duo Processor 2.20GHz, with 2048 Ram and a 320Gb HD being prepped for me by Dell for a reasonable price with Vista...at last I get to play Halo 2!!!!! They say every cloud has a silver lining