Several years ago I had a PC die on me. I had just put in a new graphics card (I think a Voodoo of some sort) and for a while it ran okay. Then the power light started blinking on me, and at last one morning it came on, then slowly faded away and all went dead. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could have killed it? See, I was thinking of using it to learn about building computers so I can build a new one, and if it would only be a matter of getting a new something for it so it would run again I'd be willing to invest a $100 or so. If I open it up, what should I look for? It didn't seem like the hard drive went - would it be the power supply wasn't enough to run the graphics card and a more powerful one would get it up and running? Or maybe did the CPU melt? Would the motherboard be okay? Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated!
Is it really dead or not???
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madmonk888
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what happens when you press the power button ? does it turn on ? any noises.. any lights ? open the case.. and look for mobo lights.. most motherboards if not all have a led to show that theyre getting juice... if it does have a led and its not turning on .. then you need a new power supply ..thats what im thinking.. doubt HDD is dead... and the only way CPU would have fried is if you would have overheated it .. only thing i can think of is motherboard of powersupply ... try a new powersupply because if no lights turn on, that seems to be the problem.
Thanks for your reply. I have not actually turned this computer on in about five years, so I can't quite remember what it does. I'm thinking maybe I'll kill two birds with one stone when I go to build my new computer; I'll get a case that comes with a PSU, get a better one for the new computer, and try out the case on in the old computer! Can't hurt to try.
Interesting update. I pulled the computer out of the attic today and opened it up to see everything. Found out all was not as I had expected - rather small in there, so I took out the PSU and disconnected it from the motherboard. Found that the CPU (a Celeron) isn't even on the motherboard - it's on a card attached to it, with just a big heatsink over it, no fan. Baffled as to what to do next, I reconnected the psu and put it back in, plugged it in and turned it on. The PSU's fan didn't start up (the only fan in there, btw) but the two lights on the front - one for the HDD, I don't know about the other started to blink, one orange and one green, and there was a sort of ticking noise. I didn't have it hooked up to a monitor - I really didn't expect it to turn on - so I just let it go for awhile. It didn't respond to me holding down the power button to force it off so I just unplugged it again, buttoned it up and put it away. So maybe it's not dead after all. I have a monitor arriving soon... if it turns on and something actually comes up on the screen, anyone have any ideas what could be done with it?
sPlAtOiD
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If you want to start working on computers it would be gr8 to tinker with .You ca start collecting some outher peoples junk and have a hey day.Ive got 4 or 5 puters laying around and monitors all over the garage.They all work.I have more fun playing with stuff.Just built my mom a older puter out of the stuff in my garage.Its not a screemer but for her to get on the internet and play some card games its gr8.It kinda sounds like the power supply to me but check all the plugs first.Unplug everything and reseat it all and try it out.You do know about static electricity right? make sure you ground yourself on the mettle on the side of the case befor you work inside of the puter so you dont fry any parts out.
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