View Single Post
  #13   Report Post  
Posted to alt.computer,sci.electronics.repair,24hoursupport.helpdesk,alt.usenet.kooks,alt.os.windows-xp
§ñühw¤£f[_2_] §ñühw¤£f[_2_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 26
Default spontaneous PC power losses - HELP!

On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:41:16 +1000
"Kadaitcha Man" wrote:

wrote in message
...

I recently installed a DVD drive into my PC. (2 days ago.) Since then,
I get spontaneous power loss periodically - sometimes seconds after
booting, other times after hours of operation. I've tried replacing
the power supply, and I've tried removing all my hardware (other than
RAM), so I'm thinking it must be motherboard related.

Interestingly, trying to turn the machine back on does nothing.
HOWEVER...if I physically unplug the PC, and leave it off for a few
seconds, I then *can* reboot it. Looking inside the case, I notice a
green LED. When this goes out (after unplugging) it signals that I can
now successfully reboot. If I try to reboot before the light goes out
(about a 2 second wait) the reboot fails. I'm assuming the LED is
showing power remaining on the motherboard due to capacitors. I don't
know if that's a hint towards a solution?

Also, when I reboot, most (but not all) of the time the bios has been
reset as well.

Now the questions I've got a
1) Why? I've installed drives dozens of times, and never had anything
like this.
2) How do I fix it? Presumably a new motherboard will do the trick,
though I'd like to a) confirm that's the cause and b) fix the existing
MB, if at all possible. (Historically, every time I've tried to
replace a MB I've ended up having to replace the entire PC. Apparently
my skills don't lie in that direction!)

Is there any chance I can salvage this board? I have no idea if
replacing the onboard battery, flashing the bios, or any of these
arcane things will do anything to help, or if it's physically broken
and needs a part replaced?


A electrician friend tells me he thinks a
capacitor may have gone


LMAO


MAybe in the new drive?

but looking at the MB, none of them appear to
be swollen or leaking.

thanks a lot! any advice is appreciated!


After all that waffle and piffle, you never even once conidered removing the
****ing DVD drive. Right?

Sure. test it in a new unit.

Then mess around in the BIOS...then notice that OMG! My show is coming on!
Leave for few days and come back and everything works magically.
Blame evil haunted equipment.

--
http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com...Centipedes.jpg