*moved to marvin*

AT or ATX PSU?
If its ATX, did you try to remove the PSU from the PC, short the green and a black wire in the main 20/24-pin connector with a paper clip and see if it turns on?

alexanrs wrote:

AT or ATX PSU?
If its ATX, did you try to remove the PSU from the PC, short the green and a black wire in the main 20/24-pin connector with a paper clip and see if it turns on?

It is an ATX PSU, I didn't know you could do that, so i just stick the paperclip in black and green to turn it on?

Disconect the PSU from everything, stick a paper clip in there and connect it to the mains (and be sure its switch - if it has one - is turned on). It should turn on that way.

alexanrs wrote:

Disconect the PSU from everything, stick a paper clip in there and connect it to the mains (and be sure its switch - if it has one - is turned on). It should turn on that way.

I'll try that tomorrow morning and let you know what happens

Sorry for the late reply

I did the paperclip test - a green and a black wire right?

PSU did nothing, no fan spinning or anything

So it's dead?

Some PSUs need a minimum load to start, so try connecting some optical drives, floppy drives and old unimportant (or broken) HDDs... but nearly all PSUs I've ever handled will start with no load at all, so its most likely dead.

Duffman wrote:

I have an Old PC that was working fine, I had switched off the PSU at the back so I could move the PC, now it won't turn on. […]
Show full quote

I have an Old PC that was working fine, I had switched off the PSU at the back so I could move the PC, now it won't turn on.

I've checked that none of the connections have come loose and are seated correctly
Should I assume that the PSU is dead?

I don't have a spare PSU lying around,
should I buy a cheap new one to test like this one?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CoolerPower-GX550W … OYAAOxydlFSsP-P

If a new PSU doesn't fix it, is there anything else I can do?

What are the specs of your rig? (mobo, CPU, current PSU, RAM, other peripherals)

I'd say first try a new PSU, but I can't give you advice about which PSU would match your rig best if I don't know what the new PSU is to be matched to 😜

edit: You mentioned it happened after you moved your rig. Have you checked your power cable? Outlet? And is your outlet grounded?
And if nothing seems to work, then you're gonna have to troubleshoot (disconnect as much as you can, try out new hardware one by one till you find the problem). Moving the system can also cause the CPU HSF to move a bit and give problems. Same goes for all cabling.
You could try removing and re-inserting all cables in your system and re-installing the CPU (apply new TIM, don't use the old TIM)

alexanrs wrote:

Some PSUs need a minimum load to start, so try connecting some optical drives, floppy drives and old unimportant (or broken) HDDs... but nearly all PSUs I've ever handled will start with no load at all, so its most likely dead.

I'd personally not recommend attaching defective hardware, but I agree with attaching some items to the PSU to artificially increase the power demand. Personally I've used mostly CDROM drives (including an audio CDROM which had the front audio connectors, along with some cheap PC speakers) and fans. I used fans as with every test, I'd test a couple older fans to check their condition (loudness and if they would still run. Also tested them @7v and 5v and if they won't run at those voltages, they could very well be on the way out).

When I say broken HDDs I mean HDDs with bad blocks that you don't mind burning if the PSU decides to go nuts.

Tetrium wrote:

What are the specs of your rig? (mobo, CPU, current PSU, RAM, other peripherals)

I'd say first try a new PSU, but I can't give you advice about which PSU would match your rig best if I don't know what the new PSU is to be matched to 😜

MB: ASUS P2L97-DS Dual CPU
CPU: dual Intel Pentium 3 - 550 Mhz - 100Mhz BUS
RAM: 384 MB
Video: 3DFX Voodoo 2 - 12Mb VRAM + ATI Xpert 2000 PRO 32Mb
Sound: Creative Sound Blaster AWE64 CT4520
HDD: 40 GB ATA 100
CD-ROM: ASUS 52X
PSU: Chieftec 370W - dead?

I was thinking of getting a new PSU

I've heard that with older machines like this one that I should look for extra power on the 3.3v and 5v rails, is this correct?

Cooler Power GX550W eXtreme power PSU ATX Ver2.2
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/161855367517?_trks … K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

edit: You mentioned it happened after you moved your rig. Have you checked your power cable? Outlet? And is your outlet grounded […]
Show full quote

edit: You mentioned it happened after you moved your rig. Have you checked your power cable? Outlet? And is your outlet grounded?
And if nothing seems to work, then you're gonna have to troubleshoot (disconnect as much as you can, try out new hardware one by one till you find the problem). Moving the system can also cause the CPU HSF to move a bit and give problems. Same goes for all cabling.
You could try removing and re-inserting all cables in your system and re-installing the CPU (apply new TIM, don't use the old TIM)

I've tried a different outlet and cable, but it hasn't made a difference thus far

At this point, I'm going to guess it's the PSU first, nothing happens at all when I push the power button, doesn't even turn on for a second or two, just nothing

alexanrs wrote:

Some PSUs need a minimum load to start, so try connecting some optical drives, floppy drives and old unimportant (or broken) HDDs... but nearly all PSUs I've ever handled will start with no load at all, so its most likely dead.

I'd personally not recommend attaching defective hardware, but I agree with attaching some items to the PSU to artificially increase the power demand. Personally I've used mostly CDROM drives (including an audio CDROM which had the front audio connectors, along with some cheap PC speakers) and fans. I used fans as with every test, I'd test a couple older fans to check their condition (loudness and if they would still run. Also tested them @7v and 5v and if they won't run at those voltages, they could very well be on the way out).[/quote]

I think I should source a new PSU that I know is working and start from there.

My guess is a short and the PSU safety protection is kicking in. Could be that the motherboard moved and is now incontact with the case in a way it shouldn't. This could've happened when you moved the PC.

vetz wrote:

My guess is a short and the PSU safety protection is kicking in. Could be that the motherboard moved and is now incontact with the case in a way it shouldn't. This could've happened when you moved the PC.

Yeah, by his PSU isn't starting by itself when shorting the PSU_ON and a ground wire. If something is shorting, it might very well be inside the PSU.

Anyway... This is a P2. It doesn't suck a lot of power. It should be ok with a PSU with 20A on the 5V line (you can always do the math and check).

A random lost screw or one that was loose and worked out can end up almost anywhere during a move (inside PSU, between mobo and pan, between drive and case).
PSU may have been killed by a dead-short somewhere other than the PSU just as easily as inside it.
If the short is not in the PSU then a new PSU would be killed too.
Should probably disassemble and search everywhere before putting power to it again.
.

alexanrs wrote:

When I say broken HDDs I mean HDDs with bad blocks that you don't mind burning if the PSU decides to go nuts.

Ah ok 🤣! Sorry, I should've known this 😊
True.

As long as it's expendable 😜

could it not turning on at all also be a sign the mobo is dead too?

or is there no way to know until i hook up a known working PSU to it?

Duffman wrote:

MB: ASUS P2L97-DS Dual CPU CPU: dual Intel Pentium 3 - 550 Mhz - 100Mhz BUS RAM: 384 MB Video: 3DFX Voodoo 2 - 12Mb VRAM + ATI […]
Show full quote

MB: ASUS P2L97-DS Dual CPU
CPU: dual Intel Pentium 3 - 550 Mhz - 100Mhz BUS
RAM: 384 MB
Video: 3DFX Voodoo 2 - 12Mb VRAM + ATI Xpert 2000 PRO 32Mb
Sound: Creative Sound Blaster AWE64 CT4520
HDD: 40 GB ATA 100
CD-ROM: ASUS 52X
PSU: Chieftec 370W - dead?

I was thinking of getting a new PSU

I've heard that with older machines like this one that I should look for extra power on the 3.3v and 5v rails, is this correct?

Cooler Power GX550W eXtreme power PSU ATX Ver2.2
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/161855367517?_trks … K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

About your ebay PSU: It's a Cooler Power PSU? That sounds kinda like a cheap ripoff of Cooler Master. Does anyone else here know what kind of PSU this is? Is it maybe some new production run name?

Have you tried reseating everything? (all cables inside your computer, one of them may have unlodged itself while you were relocating it)
The PSU and/or a short somewhere else seem to be prime suspects by now.

Yes, this is correct. Especially if you use 2 5v CPUs

Duffman wrote:

I've tried a different outlet and cable, but it hasn't made a difference thus far […]
Show full quote

edit: You mentioned it happened after you moved your rig. Have you checked your power cable? Outlet? And is your outlet grounded […]
Show full quote

edit: You mentioned it happened after you moved your rig. Have you checked your power cable? Outlet? And is your outlet grounded?
And if nothing seems to work, then you're gonna have to troubleshoot (disconnect as much as you can, try out new hardware one by one till you find the problem). Moving the system can also cause the CPU HSF to move a bit and give problems. Same goes for all cabling.
You could try removing and re-inserting all cables in your system and re-installing the CPU (apply new TIM, don't use the old TIM)

I've tried a different outlet and cable, but it hasn't made a difference thus far

At this point, I'm going to guess it's the PSU first, nothing happens at all when I push the power button, doesn't even turn on for a second or two, just nothing

I'd personally not recommend attaching defective hardware, but I agree with attaching some items to the PSU to artificially increase the power demand. Personally I've used mostly CDROM drives (including an audio CDROM which had the front audio connectors, along with some cheap PC speakers) and fans. I used fans as with every test, I'd test a couple older fans to check their condition (loudness and if they would still run. Also tested them @7v and 5v and if they won't run at those voltages, they could very well be on the way out).

I think I should source a new PSU that I know is working and start from there.

Do you have any older but know to be working PSUs available? Perhaps know someone who might have a good 5v PSU for you to borrow for a while?

One problem is that many of these older PSUs with good 5v rails are very old by now and often need maintenance that requires both knowledge and skill with a soldering iron.

I'll take all this hardware out and put it in a new chassis I'm not using at the moment

yeah I thought I wouldn't risk a chinese knockoff of coolermaster PSU if I want old hardware like this to survive

I went with FSP Instead, I know at least FSP are good
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FSP-HEXA-500-Power … t-/230907738529

just bought it
although if it still won't turn on with this new PSU then I've just spent AU$80 for nothing, that'll teach me to impulse buy

Duffman wrote:

could it not turning on at all also be a sign the mobo is dead too?

or is there no way to know until i hook up a known working PSU to it?

I once saw a system go dead because a big fat cockroach got itself stuck between the solder side of the mobo and the mobo pan.
It was enough to short the whole system out.
After they cleaned the bug out it still worked fine, but if the short had physically been somewhere else that could have killed the motherboard.
.
I guess my point is sometimes weird sh*t happens and you just have to look around.
.

Duffman wrote:

I'll take all this hardware out and put it in a new chassis I'm not using at the moment […]
Show full quote

I'll take all this hardware out and put it in a new chassis I'm not using at the moment

yeah I thought I wouldn't risk a chinese knockoff of coolermaster PSU if I want old hardware like this to survive

I went with FSP Instead, I know at least FSP are good
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FSP-HEXA-500-Power … t-/230907738529

just bought it
although if it still won't turn on with this new PSU then I've just spent AU$80 for nothing, that'll teach me to impulse buy

Those use a lot of CapXon caps so at some point you will probably need to recap it.
Otherwise it looks like a good PSU.
.