PC lights on but nobody home - Teh Forum

<body> <div id="header"> <span class="left"> <span class="back"><a href="lthread_list.php?webtag=DEFAULT"><span class="image mobile_back" title="Back"></span></a></span> <span class="image mobile_logo" title="Beehive Forum Logo"></span> </span> <ul> <li> <a class="reply_all" href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.0&return_msg=41538.7"> <span class="image mobile_reply_all"></span><span class="text">Reply to All</span> </a> </li> <li> <a class="navigation" href="#"> <span class="image mobile_navigation"></span><span class="text">Show messages</span> </a> </li> <li> <a class="main" href="#"><span class="image mobile_menu" title="Menu"></span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="menu main"> <ul> <li><a href="lthread_list.php?webtag=DEFAULT">Messages</a></li> <li><a href="lpm.php?webtag=DEFAULT">Inbox</a></li> <li><a href="lsearch.php?webtag=DEFAULT">Search</a></li> <li><a href="llogon.php?webtag=DEFAULT">Login</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="menu navigation"><a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.1">1–10</a><a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.11">11–20</a>…<a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.51">51–60</a></div> <div id="page_content"> <h3 class="thread_title"><a href="index.php?webtag=DEFAULT&amp;msg=41538.7">PC lights on but nobody home</a> </h3> <div id="messages" data-navigation="41538_7_60_10"> <a name="a41538_7"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_7"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: milko<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 11:31</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: william (WILLIAMA) <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 21 Jul 2015 12:26"></span></span> <span class="message_count">7 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.7">41538.7</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.6">41538.6</a></div> <div class="message_body"> I do have a multimeter! <br /><br /> I am going to do the 'taking out and reseating one a time' thing with the RAM this evening as well.</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.7&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.7"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_8"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_8"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: CHYRON (DSMITHHFX)<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 14:13</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: william (WILLIAMA) <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 21 Jul 2015 14:28"></span></span> <span class="message_count">8 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.8">41538.8</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.6">41538.6</a></div> <div class="message_body"> I kind of need to test my pc power outlet while the air conditioning is running on the same circuit to see if that's maybe been causing some of my problems, but I probably need a nortamericano to explain how to do that</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.8&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.8"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_9"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_9"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: william (WILLIAMA)<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 14:39</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: CHYRON (DSMITHHFX) <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 21 Jul 2015 14:47"></span></span> <span class="message_count">9 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.9">41538.9</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.7#a41538_8" target="_self">41538.8</a></div> <div class="message_body"> Never mind all that. What you really have to beware of is finding a fault with your kit, replacing some parts and then being left with some perfectly good bits and pieces. If that happens, a little voice starts saying <span style="font-size:10px;">'you could build a server with that. Go on, you know you want to' Look, you've got the CPU and memory - and that old case in the attic - all you need is a cheap motherboard and...' <span style="font-size:12px;">and before you know it you're £lots ($lots) out of pocket and somehow you have more bits left over than you started with.<br /><br /> As for the air conditioning thing: I imagine a multimeter with its probes stuck in a molex would show any spike or drop out associated with a switching event. You'd have to sit and watch it as the timer or thermostat or whatever is tripped.</span></span><br /> </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.9&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.9"> <span class="rating">+1/1</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_10"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_10"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: CHYRON (DSMITHHFX)<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 14:53</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: william (WILLIAMA) <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 21 Jul 2015 14:53"></span></span> <span class="message_count">10 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.10">41538.10</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.7#a41538_9" target="_self">41538.9</a></div> <div class="message_body"> And I've got the dusty old boxes of kit stacked around my midden to prove it!<br /><br /> At least I tossed a couple of old pc's a few months ago. Pretty sure I've still got a fucking huge old 8-bay server tower case stored in the back room. I'm actually using MrsD.'s old sff pc as a development server, also driving a scanner from an xp virtualbox on it.</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.10&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.10"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_11"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_11"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: milko<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 20:06</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: ALL<span class="message_count">11 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.11">41538.11</a></div> <div class="message_body"> Ok. Paperclip and multimeter on the go. It seems to only be giving 3.3V out of the 12V line. That's broke then is it? Only thing that makes me doubt it is that maybe it has some clever "keep volts low if there is no load" thing going on? It's quite a fancy PSU (BeQuiet P8 1200W that I got second hand and had running for a couple of years now) so I wouldn't be that surprised. It's just the rather precise 3.3 that gives me that thought. The 5V line is still 5V. <br /> I also tried pulling the RAM and the graphics card out, that didn't help. Still no life, and none of the board's diagnostic LEDs are coming up. Reset the CMOS too, no help.<br /> </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.11&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.11"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_12"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_12"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: koswix<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 20:26</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: milko <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 21 Jul 2015 20:54"></span></span> <span class="message_count">12 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.12">41538.12</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.7#a41538_11" target="_self">41538.11</a></div> <div class="message_body"> The psu sends a power_good signal to the motherboard once voltages are all in range, without that signal the motherboard won't boot up. If you really are getting only 3.3v on the 12v line then that would be an issue and prevent the pc from booting. <br /> <br /> Are you *definitely * checking the 12v pin? What about the disk drive power connectors, is it giving 3.3v there too? As you say, 3.3v is a very specificly wrong figure to get. </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.12&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.12"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_13"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_13"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: milko<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 20:57</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: koswix <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 22 Jul 2015 08:32"></span></span> <span class="message_count">13 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.13">41538.13</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.7#a41538_12" target="_self">41538.12</a></div> <div class="message_body"> My PSU is fully modular apart from the motherboard cable. So that's in there with the paperclip, and then I've plugged in a HDD cable to get the molex power socket. It's got yellow, 2x black, and red cables. With black from the multimeter into black on the molex, and red into red I get 5v as (I think) I should. Red into yellow I get 3.3v. There's no other cables (other than the one going to the wall!) connected at all.<br /> <br /> Is any of that me being a doofus? I am prepared to accept the possibility as I aren't very experienced with electrickery.<div class="edit_text">EDITED: 21 Jul 2015 20:58 by MILKO</div> </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.13&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.13"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_14"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_14"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: milko<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 21:01</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: milko <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 21 Jul 2015 21:01"></span></span> <span class="message_count">14 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.14">41538.14</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.7#a41538_13" target="_self">41538.13</a></div> <div class="message_body"> Oh hello. Different cable (same type) into different socket on the PSU and it reads 12.5V. Hffffffff.</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.14&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.14"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_15"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_15"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: ANT_THOMAS<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 21:08</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: milko <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 21 Jul 2015 21:25"></span></span> <span class="message_count">15 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.15">41538.15</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.7#a41538_14" target="_self">41538.14</a></div> <div class="message_body"> I read a few things yesterday saying that some PSUs do need a load, might be worth plugging in an optical drive and testing some more. Check what's coming out of the ATX connector since that's what is actually powering the motherboard. </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.15&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.15"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a41538_16"></a><div class="message" id="message_41538_16"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: milko<span class="message_time">21 Jul 2015 21:31</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: ANT_THOMAS <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 21 Jul 2015 22:14"></span></span> <span class="message_count">16 of 60</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.16">41538.16</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=41538.7#a41538_15" target="_self">41538.15</a></div> <div class="message_body"> Yeah, ATX is showing 3/5/12 as it should. Well, 12.5. Maybe one duff HDD molex cable was enough to cause this, plugging the other into the same bit works as well for the case fan. Weird. Time to put it all back together. </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=41538.16&return_msg=41538.7" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="41538.16"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="message_page_footer"> <ul> <li class="right_col"><form accept-charset="utf-8" method="get" action="lmessages.php" target="_self"><input type="hidden" name="webtag" id="webtag" class="bhinputtext" value="DEFAULT" dir="ltr" /><input type="hidden" name="msg" id="msg" class="bhinputtext" value="41538.17" dir="ltr" /><input type="submit" name="submit" id="keep_reading" value="Keep reading…" class="button" /></form></li> </ul> </div> </div> </body>