computer won't start

[moonbounce]

Anyone have any idea why my computer won't start after it has been shut off, doesn't matter if it has been off for 5 days or five minutes. The only way I can start it back up is to pull the plug from the back of the computer case and plug it back in. Some times I have to perform this process 5 to 8 times. Any help would be appreciated. This might force me to buy a new computer which is another whole raft of questions.

TIA Moonbounce.

 

[SCPD]

bad power cord, or power supply going bad?.. are you getting into the OS at all?. whats if/when it does boot up??, Also could be RAM chip going bad also?

 

[moonbounce]

I put a new power cord on, made no difference. Once the computer starts, it is fine just when it is shut off there is a problem. Also it has shut off on me buy itself when it was not in use, but it powered back up on it's own.
OS is windows xp pro. but it is on an old computer.

 

[poltergeisty]

The power button might be stuck. Open the case and check it out. Wear a static wrist strp!
Could also be an ACPI problem. Install any hardware lately?

 

[natrixgli]

Try disconnecting any USB devices and see if it starts as normal then. I had a cheap Acer box that wouldn't power up if I had my USB card reader plugged in.




-n8

 

[moonbounce]

No new hardware installed, I did disconnect my only usb connection no change. I don't think I want to take the power supply apart, I may never get it back together. I guess I will have to upgrade to something more current like a quad core.
Anyways thanks for taking the time to reply and thanks for you suggestions.

Moonbounce

 

[fineshot1]

Have you checked to make sure all of the cooling fans are running or are not plugged up with dust?

PC's will act strange when they get too hot inside.

 

[mike_s104]

Have you checked to make sure all of the cooling fans are running or are not plugged up with dust?

PC's will act strange when they get too hot inside.

I would blow out the dust (outside) with compressed air (compressor or canned air) or use a good vacuum like a shop-vac with some small adapters to get all the dust/dirt out.

There may be a fuse near the where the 120v/220v comes into the PS; check that. More than that, I would just replace it.

On some older Gateways, if there was a power outage or surge, they would not come on. If you unplugged it and flip the 120/220 switch to the other position, wait 10 sec and flip it back then plug it back up, the PC would come back on. You might need to break a sticker and use a small screw driver to flip the position.

If you can wait, order a power supply tester. I got this one: DealExtreme: $8.52 PC Computer ATX+HDD+SATA Power Supply Tester but it took a few weeks to get. Check Newegg.com for one like this: Newegg.com - Rosewill RPST-24-A-01 20/24 Pin Power Supply Tester - PC Tools .

I would think it would be the power supply like others suggested. No need to get a whole new computer for a $20-$50 part.

 

[SCPD]

I would blow out the dust (outside) with compressed air (compressor or canned air) or use a good vacuum like a shop-vac with some small adapters to get all the dust/dirt out.

It is really a bad idea to use a vac to clean out your computer due to static buildup and discharge. Especially if the attachment has nylon bristles. It is also a bad to take your electric air compressor and use it to blow dust from your computer, for the same reason, static discharge. The safest method is to use compressed air from a can, or transfer air from your compressor to an air-bubble, and it goes without saying to open the valve just slightly, not all the way open.

To clean electrical equipment with any plugged in electrical equipment is a short trip to disaster, as it does not take much static discharge to fry a sensitive piece of equipment such as a computer or radio in very short order.

I doubt this is going to help the OP with his situation, but I hope it helps someone in the future who has the bright idea to vacuum their computer out. Simply put, DON'T DO IT.

 

[mike_s104]

It is really a bad idea to use a vac to clean out your computer due to static buildup and discharge. Especially if the attachment has nylon bristles. It is also a bad to take your electric air compressor and use it to blow dust from your computer, for the same reason, static discharge. The safest method is to use compressed air from a can, or transfer air from your compressor to an air-bubble, and it goes without saying to open the valve just slightly, not all the way open.

To clean electrical equipment with any plugged in electrical equipment is a short trip to disaster, as it does not take much static discharge to fry a sensitive piece of equipment such as a computer or radio in very short order.

I doubt this is going to help the OP with his situation, but I hope it helps someone in the future who has the bright idea to vacuum their computer out. Simply put, DON'T DO IT.

OMG...I NEVER mentioned a brush of any type. I have worked with computers for over 20 years and have used a vacuum to clean out equipment from servers to PC to anything else. The little adapters I was mentioning was to reduce the size of the hose fitting from something like a 2" hose to a very small 1/2" size to get into the small areas.

You're probably correct about the static being generated from the motor in the vacuum. If you want to be very technically correct, you should mention using a static strap before diving inside the case.

 

[eorange]

It is also a bad to take your electric air compressor and use it to blow dust from your computer, for the same reason, static discharge.

The safest method is...transfer air from your compressor to an air-bubble

How is there any more or less danger of static discharge between these 2 methods?

Ditto with mike_s104, I've always used reducers (never brushes) along with a static discharge strap - which is THE MOST important thing - and I've never had a problem.

Back to the OP's problem - it does sound like overheating.

 

[brandon]

I had a similar problem a few years ago. It was a faulty power supply.
Swap it out with a new one and you should be golden.

 

[trimmerj]

Dell ? had the same problem on a dozen GX270's. Run of bad power supplies.

 

[moonbounce]

I am also thinking the power supply, right now it has been coming on like normal, I guess I will just have to wait and see and shop around.

 

[mike_s104]

I am also thinking the power supply, right now it has been coming on like normal, I guess I will just have to wait and see and shop around.

If you do end up replacing it and think in the future you might need to add more drives or anything else, you might want to get a PS with more wattage than you have now. If you've added any drives since you started having issues, it might be that the PS is too low for the drives/components you have installed.

 

[kb0nly]

I would replace the power supply before anything else. These days you can get a cheap ATX 400w supply for next to nothing. $20-$30 tops.

It may be working now, but beware, i had a similar case last year and then one day the owner came home and smelled smoke, the power supply cooked.

 

[moonbounce]

no worries anymore, it quit for good. New problem, I put my windows xp pro original disc onto an old tecra 8100. that computer had windows 98 everything went well BUT, there is always a but, What happens when I register xp pro, being as it was on another hard drive and is now on an old formatted hard drive, will it now be considered pirated?

 

[poltergeisty]

No, you have three time I believe this can be done.

FWIW, copy the WPA.dbl in that computer you just installed to so just in case you have to reinstall you don't have to activate again.

How To Transfer Windows XP Activation Information To Reinstall Without Reactivating The Product

Always called Pakistan and told them I made a "significant hardware change"... They don't know anything.

 

[moonbounce]

In my case, my hard drive crashed, so I can't reformat it. Strange when you buy something, it isn't actually yours. Thanks for the reply poltergeisy.

 

[shaft]

You could just build your own registry file with the product ID, digital product ID, and License info. Once you have that, any new machine you build, move the reg file to your desktop, double click it and let it write it to the registry and your done. No more worries about activation etc... This only works if you have an already legal copy of WinXP installed on a machine.