need help from some smarter then me...everyone lol

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ok I bought a system about 6 years ago, after close to a year it started crashing, then just would not turn on, the people I bought it from said MB was bad so they replaced it, within 2 moths same exact thing, MB again, replaced it, they put 4 new MB in eventually they said the PS was the issue, so they replaced that, so I eventually upgraded all the internals, MB,CPU,GC,RAM....But kept the PS, the new one, so once again it shuts off randomly and will not turn back on, unless I shut off the switch in back,for 10 seconds at least, if I dont flip the back switch it wont start at all, if I flip switch it starts but stops, if I keep trying it will come on, today it took like over 30 tries, sometimes it just takes one, I am guessing its the PS, could it be the front switch? Any suggestions, I am not online with that system just my phone so cant do a dxdiag......want to through it out a window, but have way to much invested, and its my only system that can run AH.....any clues?    ~Paul

[Buzzard7]

Son had the same problem with his box. I gave him an old PSU to see if that helped. He hasn't had a problem since he switched them out.

[ImADot]

It may be a symptom of a too small power supply.  All of your system components might be demanding more power than the power supply is rated to provide.

[Chalenge]

Power side issues can migrate from one component to another so sometimes its not good to carry forward components once a power issues has been identified. At this point you need someone that is really good with system diagnostics and I dont mean Geek squad. I would test the PSU with a good scope and make sure everything is clean to begin with. If you do that and it comes back clean I would do a clean install even on an old HD and see if I could get the system stable with minimum devices installed. Testing the case switch is pretty easy really because it either has infinite resistance or zero resistance depending on the position. If there is continuity in the position that should have infinite resistance then the switch is bad.

[Stogie]

Definate P/S problem.. toss it, it's not worth the trouble.  My .02

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thanx for the responces guys, I figured the PS, my wife has a system do ya think it would be safe to put her PS into mine just to see if its truly the issue?   I built hers, the PS isnt great I think like a 400 watt, so no good for mine, I have a 650, the graphics card im using is a low power draw, the MSI 4830 1 gig, but of course I got all the gear for aces high, so obviously I need to get a new PS, but that aint happnin any time soon:-(   again thanx guys~Paul

[gpwurzel]

Safe to go up (ie, bigger) definitely a bad idea to go smaller (trust me, dont do it)

Wurzel

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Wurz~ya im thinking just to test it.

[gpwurzel]

I'd suggest no fella - looking around online suggests you need a minimum of 450 watts, so a 400 wont have the umph to run it, and you risk damaging the rest of your system!

Wurzel

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cc that, will just deal with it till I can get a new one. Thanx <salute>

[Chalenge]

You should test the switch on your case anyway.

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I really dont have a way to do that chalenge......you think it may be that?      that would be friggin funny all this bullcrap over a shody switch lol      that would be my luck.

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heres a question, checking out my specs....I pretty much know that it is supposed to be 800mhz...but its listed in everist as running at 400mhz......is that a BIOS setting, cant recall seeing the settings in BIOS, DEF..Does not mean its not there......lol

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sorry cant edit my posts..... the memory is what I was refering to...in last post....

[Chalenge]

You can test the system to discover if the case switch is the problem fairly easily by removing the PowerSW wire from the motherboard. If everything else stays the same you can jumper the PowerSW terminals on the motherboard side with something like a screwdriver or even a paperclip. All it takes is a momentary contact and the system should start. If everything seems normal with the case switch removed (PowerSW not attached) then you know the case switch is the problem. Otherwise it could also be a short somewhere else on the system although I would have to say in very nearly 100% of the problems I have seen with shorts it has been a sharp edge of the case shorting (abraising) the power switch wire though I have heard reports there are other ways it could happen I have never run into one.

The voltage of this connection is extremely low (maybe 0.5V or less) but exposing that to the ground side is going to cause issues just like what you are having. Now if you discover it is the case switch then you can either mod the case or you will have to get another case. I would be tempted to get a "LAN party switch" and just run the system with the panel screws removed so I could open the case to hit the switch and then put the panel on. LAN party switches are used by gamers that user MODer bench frames that have the MB and PSU and whatever devices mounted to an aluminum frame but otherwise open for easy access. Usually a LAN party switch will have one or two inches of wire the PowerSW plastic attach block and a momentary switch. You could even solder one up yourself with parts from Radio Shack.