Computer won't start after power outage

[DJ-CHRIS]

My guess would be that the Power Supply took a major hit after that power outage. The damage didn't happen when the power went out, it happened when the power went back on. Surge Protectors are helpful in that type of situation. They can minimize the amount of amperage that is dumped back into the PSU when the power returns.

Even a damaged PSU can provide a small amount of voltage to power the Motherboard light. But not nearly enough to start the boot process and power all components.

I bet if you swap out your power supply with a new one, you're problem will be solved.

There is really only one company that you can get a PSU for a Dell 4600. www.pcpowerandcooling.com

It's not an issue of the power supply not having enough juice, most likely a PWR_GOOD signal not being their due to dammage from the electrical problems?

See if google can help you test a PWR_GOOD signal, if not I can. Everything is reversed on dell's...

BTW: Got a multimeter / voltmeter to check this PC?

 

[EricB]

Yesterday there was a power outage for maybe an hour or so. After that, my parents' computer wouldn't turn on. Absolutely nothing would happen if you pressed the power button. It's a Dell Dimension 4600. I tried plugging the power cord into different outlets on the wall and such, but to no avail. I took the cover off, and when it's plugged in the little lights on the motherboard are on, so it must be getting some power, right? Is it possible that the power outage fried the power supply?

Anybody else had any problems after power outages? This is a tad urgent.

Thanks (in advance) for the help!

bad psu.

I lost 3 or 4 of them due to power outages over the years. we use to get them a lot. we get them (outages) 3-4 times a week for the past 6 years in the summer time. I cussed the electric co. out and file a claim to get money, because the last surge took a computer psu, an A/C and a big screen tv on the 4th of july . they haven't reimburse me yet, but they seem to fix the problem. we only had 1 surge since

let tell you a thing about surge protecters, they will work only once (catching that surge, that is) and it won't let you know that it caught it and they will have you thinking that you are still protected from future surges

All of my stuff was on surge protectors. I had just read a surge protector article about a week, before this happen to me about the above. I had thought that I was cool because, I had a real expensive surge protector my big screen, but it was 5 years old (all of the protection was dead).

they had new ones now,that have a light that go out to notify you if you are no longer protect

BTW: Got a multimeter / voltmeter to check this PC?

this is a good way to to test it. usually after surges only part of the psu will go out. some part will still work. but you still need to replace it.

this store has a PSU tester for 12.00, but I can't find a link for them, but I know that are in the store, because I've bought them

http://www.dotdotpc.com/

 

[BVR]

Just get a PSU tester and you'll know definetly where to go from there. You can even test your PSU with a paperclip if you are short of $5. Try changing power cable (probaly won't help, but won't hurt either), & try plugging in your PC into the wall socket directly without a surge protector.

 

[static244]

This happened to me not too long ago.

Look on the back of your power supply, if theres a little pink switch, flip it to the middle then back. It worked for me. Hope this helps.

 

[RicoDirenzo]

Did you try and swap out the PSU with a friends puter like you suggested?? If you did, you didn't tell us what happened if you did. What happened? If it still did not boot......big problems!!! You probably had a power spike and if the puter was on....ouch. Most surge protectors, unless the high end ones are being used, are as worthless as "tits on a wart hog" in terms of actual surge protection. No matter what the manufacturer says...they are just power strips!!! Read on: http://www.magnet4web.com/content/c...-protector-a-simple-mechanism-description.php

 

[EricB]

Did you try and swap out the PSU with a friends puter like you suggested?? If you did, you didn't tell us what happened if you did. What happened? If it still did not boot......big problems!!! You probably had a power spike and if the puter was on....ouch. Most surge protectors, unless the high end ones are being used, are as worthless as "tits on a wart hog" in terms of actual surge protection. No matter what the manufacturer says...they are just power strips!!! Read on: http://www.magnet4web.com/content/c...-protector-a-simple-mechanism-description.php

I had a high end one on my big screen. After reading that article and my tv going out a little while later, I took mine apart. sure enough. the poly switches (I had triple protection) stopped working and wouldn't kick in. I'm pretty sure they had protected my computer in the past.

I use the best APC surge protectors now (the $40.00 ones. they are triple protect too with a higher joule rating than my highended one). they are not high end but, they have a liight to let you know when you are no longer protected and it is time to replace them. my high end one didn't include that.

but five years ago, engineers didn't realize that only really protect you once

they costs 40 buck at microcenter, 60-70 everywhere else

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0159087


RevCor632 you have a dead PSU. you just better hope that, that is the only part that went bad. sometimes they like to take thing down with them, like mobo's and hard drives

 

[BIRISH]

I know if I have power hits alot, if I try to turn on my comp it wont turn on either. I actually have to remove the power cord from the PSU, let it sit for a min, then plug it back in and it works fine.

 

[EricB]

I know if I have power hits alot, if I try to turn on my comp it wont turn on either. I actually have to remove the power cord from the PSU, let it sit for a min, then plug it back in and it works fine.

thet only works on expesive PSU's. I bought one that will do that

 

[matthab]

i dont know if this has been sudgested is try resseting the coms on mine its below the sata plugs its a little button. But when mine failed to turn on that little button brought it to life.

and also try unplugging the pc from the wall and hold the power button down (if that fails try tapping it)

moral of the story buy a sorge protector or a un interupter power surply they will save you money!!

 

[EricB]

i dont know if this has been sudgested is try resseting the coms on mine its below the sata plugs its a little button. But when mine failed to turn on that little button brought it to life.

and also try unplugging the pc from the wall and hold the power button down (if that fails try tapping it)

moral of the story buy a sorge protector or a un interupter power surply they will save you money!!

the morel of the story is his psu is bad. he doesn't want o accept that.