***Computer Gurus...I Need Help***

[cabinetman]

Wake up this AM and the computer won't turn on. I have checked the power to the tower and it's on. The monitor is plugged into the tower, and it works. The little green pilot light on the back isn't glowing. When I unplug the power cord out from the back and plug it in the little green pilot light goes on for a split second and then goes out, as the plug is inserted. What now??? Help please.

Details: It's a HP Pavilion 7960 that when bought new came with ME. It was upgraded to XP and a 120 GB HD. The conversion was done over a year ago with complete success and no loss of anything. Never had a problem until this AM...&%$#*@&^%!! (that's computer talk for swearing).
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[smorris]

Sounds like it might have lost the power supply. You can pick up one for less than $30 to plug in and see if that is the problem, simple fix if it is the PS.

[Uncle Cracker]

Ditto on the power supply suggestion, although there might be a shorted component (such as the motherboard) that is tripping the overload in the power supply, so this may not be your only problem.

Just curious... How did you post this thread??

[crokett]

I'd start with the power supply.

[cabinetman]

Sounds like it might have lost the power supply. You can pick up one for less than $30 to plug in and see if that is the problem, simple fix if it is the PS.

I was wrong. The monitor is not plugged into the tower. I was looking at the data cable. So It looks like there's no power. I got the side panel off, and what does the power supply look like and where is it?
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[radhak]

Couple of diagnostics steps :

a) First, does the computer make any noise at all - hard-disk noise, fan?
(just checking if there's a problem with the connection from the tower to the monitor)

b) hold your hand behind the power supply fan located at the rear of the case. If the power supply is working, you should feel air from within the case blowing against your hand. If not, you may need to replace the power supply.

note - 'power supply' here means a small box inside the tower.

For a nice video on how to do this simple fix, check this out.

c) is there any beeping noise when you turn it on? sometimes, the beeps can give you an indication of what's wrong.

d) when you power on the machine daily, do you use any button on the tower itself? it's possible that the button/switch is loose or non-functioning
(many people simply turn off the power at the wall or literally pull the plug from it)

[cabinetman]

Ditto on the power supply suggestion, although there might be a shorted component (such as the motherboard) that is tripping the overload in the power supply, so this may not be your only problem.

Just curious... How did you post this thread??

Used LOML's when she's not looking.

[Uncle Cracker]

It's usually a big metal box with a fan on it. It will be the component that the 110V cord plugs into,

[pierhogunn]

the power supply is a grey metal box that is inside the case of your PC, look where your power cords plug into the back of the case and that is usually where your power supply is, power cord goes in one side, and whole bunch of brightly colored wires come out the other

usually power supplies are attached to the case via screws that attach to the back metal plate of the PC case where the power cord attaches to the system

[radhak]

And yes, I forgot - you might want to check with the power socket on the wall itself - check if it's functioning by plugging a lamp onto it .

[cabinetman]

Couple of diagnostics steps :

a) First, does the computer make any noise at all - hard-disk noise, fan?
(just checking if there's a problem with the connection from the tower to the monitor)

b) hold your hand behind the power supply fan located at the rear of the case. If the power supply is working, you should feel air from within the case blowing against your hand. If not, you may need to replace the power supply.

note - 'power supply' here means a small box inside the tower.

For a nice video on how to do this simple fix, check this out.

c) is there any beeping noise when you turn it on? sometimes, the beeps can give you an indication of what's wrong.

d) when you power on the machine daily, do you use any button on the tower itself? it's possible that the button/switch is loose or non-functioning
(many people simply turn off the power at the wall or literally pull the plug from it)

Thanks for the video for replacement, looks simple enough even for me. Can I just go to Circuit City or Best Buy with PC model number and get another power supply? Are they pretty much all alike? Should I take the old one with me?
.

[radhak]

Thanks for the video for replacement, looks simple enough even for me. Can I just go to Circuit City or Best Buy with PC model number and get another power supply? Are they pretty much all alike? Should I take the old one with me?
.

Yes, CompUSA/BestBuy should have it, not very sure of Circuit City, still possible.

More than likely any power-supply should work (HP computers are pretty standard), and your HP model # is all you might need. The only things you need know is how many watts your current one has, and buy the same or slightly more.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Yes, CompUSA/BestBuy should have it, not very sure of Circuit City, still possible.

More than likely any power-supply should work (HP computers are pretty standard), and your HP model # is all you might need. The only things you need know is how many watts your current one has, and buy the same or slightly more.

CC does have few in stock.

[cgallery]

Yes, CompUSA/BestBuy should have it, not very sure of Circuit City, still possible.

More than likely any power-supply should work (HP computers are pretty standard), and your HP model # is all you might need. The only things you need know is how many watts your current one has, and buy the same or slightly more.

Many (most?) consumer HP's use power supplies aren't standard ATX size. You may need a CFX or SFX supply. You may want to take your old power supply with you to match it up.

Also, if you can find a PC repair shop near you, you can take your power supply to them to have it tested (probably for free). And if it isn't a standard ATX size, the repair shop will more likely have one that will fit.

[cabinetman]

When I got the side off, I was surprised at how much dust was inside...loaded. So, I'm gonna take it out back and blow it out. Hope that's OK to do. I can't see any vac attachments fitting in there. LOML has one of those tiny computer vac's with all the little attachments, but the problem it hardly sucks at all. So if it's OK to blast it (gently of course) say yea or nay.

Also as I was poking around inside I noticed a small plug that has two black wires and one green wire (thin, like 22 ga.). The plug is white and has three female holes lined up. It looks like it plugs into a board right behind where the data tape is secured, sort of center of the tower. Plug is about the size of a phone modular one but not a phone plug. Anyway it wasn't plugged in. Is everything in there supposed to be plugged into something?