7Max-GTE Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I'll bet you can't solve this one! Today I blew out a power supply. Antec 350w, about 7 years old. I plugged my computer in, my heatsink fan spun uncontrollably for 1 second, then I heard a popping sound and smelled smoke. I unplugged the computer as this happened. I removed my old power supply, and checked all the other wiring in the case for smell/burns. I took the PSU to geek squad (dont have a tester up here) and it tested bad. Bought a new Dynex 350w just so I could turn my computer on and order a new PSU online, and when I plugged it in, nothing spun. No fan spin with the power button, just a click from the PSU. I figured it was just a DOA PSU and brought it back, and bought a new 500w Antec. Got home, plugged it in to just the motherboard to see if it was the motherboard that was bad, and sure enough my computer tried to boot. I plugged everything else in - 4 fans, 1 4pin molex dvd drive, 3 sata hard drives, my PCI-E video card - and when I hit the power switch, the power supply just clicked, like the Dynex I returned. I unplugged everything except the essentials - left my video card, motherboard, and video card plugged in - and it booted. The only thing possibly related would be that my case is filled with dust, which I am fixing once I order a new PSU (not paying $90 in store when I can get one for half that online.) Can anyone tell me what the problem is? If my computer draws more than 500w and thats why nothing works when everything is plugged in, then why did I do fine for 5-7 years with the same exact setup? If it was the PSU that was bad, why does the new one not fix it? And the final question that I don't want to answer: Might the higher draw mean that my motherboard is on it's way out? The only technical problem I haven't had to diagnose in my life is dead motherboards...Always was something else that was the culprit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Did the fan short out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Max-GTE Posted May 7, 2010 Author Share Posted May 7, 2010 Not the heatsink fan. It still runs. I disconnected all my case fans and it still wouldn't run. Right now it is only running because I have 1 HD plugged in and nothing else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNanoReef Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I would check your cd/DVD rom, it may have a short in it. otherwise i would be willing to bet you have a short somewhere between the motherboard and the case. vacuum that thing out and try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Max-GTE Posted May 7, 2010 Author Share Posted May 7, 2010 Thanks, I'll get it cleaned out as soon as I can. No way I am spending $9 for a can of air at Best Buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Max-GTE Posted May 7, 2010 Author Share Posted May 7, 2010 Actually according to Newegg's power supply calculator, I should have something around 430w. How my computer ran at 350 it's whole life, I have no idea...Looks like I am ordering an Antec 430w EarthWatts PSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Max, if you're currently running a 500w PS, why order a new one? Isn't the 500w brand new? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Clean it for sure. Then add one component in at a time until it happens again to isolate which component is failing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Thanks' date=' I'll get it cleaned out as soon as I can. No way I am spending $9 for a can of air at Best Buy.[/quote'] I use a 1 1/2" paintbrush and small vacuum. The brush is for dust in hard to reach places. BTW, 430 watts calculated is just a minimum advised size. Nothing wrong with keeping the 500w instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Max-GTE Posted May 7, 2010 Author Share Posted May 7, 2010 $90 at Best Buy, $75 online shipped. I know it's sleazy to return the PSU, but I hate Best Buy that much. I just needed something to get me online to get a new one. If the 430w I ordered doesn't work, I will probably get new fans and replace the motherboard. It has been 5 years and I am due for a replacement. Also it looks like my 3 hard drives are the biggest draw. I think I will ditch my 2 old 74gig raptors that are raided and just re-partition my 500g. Yay more work :[ lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 $90 at Best Buy' date=' $75 online shipped. I know it's sleazy to return the PSU, but I hate Best Buy that much. I just needed something to get me online to get a new one. If the 430w I ordered doesn't work, I will probably get new fans and replace the motherboard. It has been 5 years and I am due for a replacement. Also it looks like my 3 hard drives are the biggest draw. I think I will ditch my 2 old 74gig raptors that are raided and just re-partition my 500g. Yay more work :[ lol[/quote'] If you were closer I could point you to stores to get 500w PSU's for under $70. Not sure what there is down there though. Are the raptors SATA or IDE? I would keep one and put the OS on it if they are SATA. I use smaller fast drives for the OS and most of the programs. I use large slower drives for data. If they are for media (large files) then I partition them with the largest sectors I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Max-GTE Posted May 7, 2010 Author Share Posted May 7, 2010 SATA. They aren't the fast raptors, only the 7k rpm ones. I partition out 20g for my OS and leave the rest for files so I can format monthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 What happens when you plug your flux capacitor into your camaro and have Obie one kanobi drive it 88mph? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algae Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I can't understand any of this conversation and I want to say something. If enough people ignore you, Jon, there might just be a valid reason? What happens when you plug your flux capacitor into your camaro and have Obie one kanobi drive it 88mph? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bswe22 Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Back to the 80's you go. Oh wait, Max wasn't born yet. He can't go back that far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algae Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 At least both of us know why geese fly in a misshapen V! Back to the 80's you go. Oh wait' date=' Max wasn't born yet. He can't go back that far.[/quote'] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Funny, he can't operate a skill saw and build a coffe table, but has a vocabulary and a mental ability that is larger than mine? Hmmm. I think I need sum more skoooling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moovinfast Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 As others said, its sounds like a short to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Max-GTE Posted May 8, 2010 Author Share Posted May 8, 2010 School is fail. I dropped out halfway through senior year. Although if anyone asks, I have a PhD in awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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