No Power at all

[jediwarrior]

Hi all,
I got a computer and was asked to repair it if I can. So here is the problem.
the owner was using the pc (HP Pavilion XT868) and said it suddenly just shut off. Unable to get it going, he ordered a new power supply (APX230 AC Input - 100-127v 4.0A), but nothing happened after he installed it.
He gave it to me, and I found nothing out of place except for the power switch which was not making contact, which I fixed, but when I plug it in, and press the power button, the processor fan spins for only a few seconds and stops. Nothing else seems to happen, not even the hard drive seems to start up.
Would anyone have any ideas as to what this problem might be?
I appreciate all the help you can give me. If you need any other info, I will do what I can to get it to you.
Thanks,
Jediwarrior

 

[BadBigBen]

Sounds like a stuck PWR Switch or the safety circuit of the power supply...

PWR Switch: check by unplugging the switch and bridging with the RESET or with short it with a screwdriver...

PSU: unplug from wall and hold the PWR SWITCH for more than a minute...

if the above don't help, try to CLR CMOS (or do this first), some mainboards do not like it when things change...

PS: from the part number the PSU may be too weak... 230w?

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[edfair]

Suspect that the power supply, when it went down, took something else out with it.

This has the symptoms of a crowbar shutdown. Happens when the supply is called on to provide more power than it has available.

Normal first step is to pull all the I/O device power connectors and see if it still happens. If not, then you start adding them back one at a time between power cycles.
Next step is to pull the I/O signal cables and try again.
If still failing you can pull the graphics card, if it has one. If still failing it is likely the processor shorted out.



Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[jediwarrior]

Hi all,
Problem solved. the owner installed the power supply himself, and not knowing what he was doing completely,he mistakenly plugged the video cable onto the motherboard. It is a 4 hole connector, and he put it on a 3 pin receptor.
I did as you stated to remove all the I/O cables, and that is when I noticed that one of the cables just didn't belong. It looked weird. so I unplugged it and it started up just fine.
Thank you for your inputs, that led me in the right direction to find the problem.

Jediwarrior

 

[BadBigBen]

LOL - PEBCAK strikes again...

glad he did not fry the mainboard and that all is fine again...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."