Another one bites the dust...

[WhoKnowsWho]

Is it just me or do these capacitors look blown to you? The computer, after 2 years of rock solid stability with XP Pro, started resetting by itself after starting up XP, thought I caught a bug or the new ATI drivers were bad. Well now, the computer won't even start, can't even get to the BIOS setup after unplugging everything, looks like the board died. Dang, and I was trying to not upgrade for a while...

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Hmmmm... Can't say whether the caps are blown. Usually the electrolyte would ooze around their leads, so I'd suspect not.

More likely a dirty connector, frayed ribbon cable, microscopic piece of metal, or other diagnostic nightmare...

Welcome to the Swell New World of planned obsolescence.

- NF

[Sindawe]

I can't say if they are blown or not.  However, this type of failure is not unknown with computers.  My employer has a three year old server that started to randomly reboot itself.  One minute chugging along fine, next its all gone and going into restart.  Since it was still under warranty, I was able to get it fixed, eventually.  Took replacing the entire system sans hard drives and case.

Look apon this event as an opportunity to start building the next machine, with a new high end motherboard.

[Guest]

Understand I'm and older returning Student taking IT...
I just took a Elec for PC class, and outside of class another classmate and I played with a system ...

We had "similar symptoms, and  the PG wire was not making a good connection off the DC power supply.  I know probably wrong and I'll never be that lucky or good ever again. *grin*

[WhoKnowsWho]

Well, if the caps aren't bad, I thought possibly, my power supply is bad, since that is also another side effect of a bad PS, random reboots, and when the computer is turned on, even though it doesn't boot, the CD-Drive should get powered up to be able to open the door...

But also, the funny electronic burning smell coming off the comp last time I turned it on could be from either the board or power supply. Bleh.

Well, looks like my wifes computer is going to be the crash test dummy later in the week, I'll test the PS in her computer and see what happens. And then see what I have to start buying after that.

So in my years of computer use, this could be the third bad PS I have gone through, or maybe the second blown motherboard, I've only had one graphics card burn out, one hard drive failure, and three ethernet cards (lightning storm all three computers at once) and two modems meet an early doom (what stress those modems faced, no clue). I would start getting worried if it was all at the same house on the same AC system!

[Azrael256]

I wouldn't be real surprised if it were the power supply, but bad power supplies don't usually give random reboots, that's usually an overheating northbridge, they cause it to just shut off altogether.  Also, an ATX power supply usually won't give you voltage to run the CDROM or anything else if the board controller is cooked. (I'm assuming that it's ATX from the look of the board)  ATX power supplies can be fooled into maintaining voltage even when the board has gone off, so then you'd have a running fan and power to other parts, but it generally won't start up like that.

There is no liquid electrolyte in that type of cap (actually, it's a dielectric).  They use something that feels to me like waxed paper wrapped up with the two "plates," which are actually metal strips.  Those look damaged, but they're not on the right circuit to be rebooting you randomly.  I can't tell for sure, but they look like the caps used to suppress noise on the audio lines.  The angle isn't right for me to actually identify them.

You can, if you're feeling daring, test out the power supply to see if it will come on.  Short pin 13 to pin 14.  Hold the connector with the locking tab upward.  The lower row runs 1-10 left to right.  The upper row runs 11-20 left to right.  I think you can also short 14 to 15.  If the power supply comes on, it's probably not the power supply.  You can use a paperclip to do it.  You have to maintain the short for it to stay on.  If that circuit on the motherboard is cooked...  well, you can see where it would flip out.

Edited to add:

You need a line conditioner for your power, and a suppressor for your network and telephone lines.  Lightning and other transient voltage don't just affect power.  That phone cable is generally rated for up to 600v.  A modem will generally cook off if the voltage exceeds about 150.  Don't ask how I know.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Did you see any smoke? That's a vital component. Smoke is what keeps these things working. If they leak any of the smoke out, it's a bad thing.

Regards,
Rabbit.

[brimic]

Yup, I had an older computer that leaked smoke a few months ago too, it nolonger works.

[WhoKnowsWho]

Well, I flipped the power supply around, and my computer still does not boot but her computer works with my power supply. Time to go shopping I suppose.

[charby]

Dead computer parts are fun to do ballistic tests with. Found out a WWB 230 FMJ .45acp will not penatrate a 40 GB IBM "Death" Star hard drive.  But repeated fire of 10 rounds will cause it to seperate into many pieces.

Charby