Computer won't restart if turn off!

[James Takac]

On Thursday 20 September 2007 03:10:52 Ashley Benton wrote:
> Hi,
> I actually completely changed the power supply twice (open the computer,
> remove the old one and put and plug a new one) in the last month. The first
> time when I try to install a second hard drive. After I installed the hard
> drive in the computer I had to change the power supply because it didn't
> work anymore. I was unable to configure the hard drive with Windows and
> took it off, then partitioned my Windows hard drive. A few days later or
> maybe a little more than one week I couldn't turn on the computer anymore.
> I changed the hard drive and reinstalled only Ubuntu. Then I moved my
> computer. There was blue light in the back and I had to completely change
> the power supply again. The person who had changed it the first time told
> me that from the series of three he had installed it was the second that
> broke.
> Would I see it if the capacitors on the motherboard were leaking? When I
> open the computer I don't see anything wrong or maybe I'm not seeing
> anything because I didn't saw it before, but it seems to be the same than
> my son's computer except not installed the same way.
> Can I wait before to see a computer guru or will it become worse if I wait
> a few months? Not speaking about it can stop to turn on completely or shut
> off by itself, just the problem it apparently have and a risk to make more
> damage to the mother board or anything else. Do you have any idea why it
> turned back on when I changed the hard drive?
> Thank you
> Megan
>
> On 9/19/07, Doug Rintoul <courtjestr at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Marc Rios wrote:
> > > What you says seems to be hardware problem... try to check it with
> > > memtest86...
> >
> > I doubt that Megan's problem is with memory. It is possibly the power
> > supply in the computer or more likely some capacitors on the motherboard
> > are defective. I have seen these symptoms many times when the capacitors
> > on the motherboard break down and start leaking.
> >
> > Megan, when you said you needed to change the power supply, did you mean
> > that you plugged it into a different socket or that you removed the
> > power supply from the computer and put in a new one? At any rate, I
> > think you are going to need a hardware guru look at your system. These
> > symptoms would not be caused by a virus or any software problem.
> >
> > Doug.
> >
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Hi Megan

I've noticed with a few systems that the behaviour re shutting down and 
powering up changes after some of the updates. To see if this is the prob, 
boot a live cd and see if it does the same. If from the live cd your system 
shuts down and powers up as expected then something in the updates.

As for turning on by itself. Didi you change any bios options? Did you per 
chance add a peice of new hardware. I've done this once with another system 
and added a combo usb - card reader - firewire - sata port. When the sata was 
connected the system would remain on and never power down. I disconnected the 
sata port and everything returned to normal. So it's also possible to be a 
fault with new hardware.

If you're blowing powersupplies on a regular basis I'd suspect a short of some 
description. First thing I'd check is how the motherboard is supported in the 
case. If some of the supports under the motherboard are metal, then maybe at 
least one is shorting between the board and the case. If this turns out to be 
the prob, you can insulate them by at the very least creating some 
paper/cardboard washers to place between the supports and the board.

Otherwise if a faulty peice of hardware, you can try removing all the hardware 
and putting them back one by one and powering up the motherboard as each one 
is added and seeing which one causes the behaviour

James

-- 
I salute myself which is the consciousness free of the subject-object 
division, which acts appropriately without division and which is the light 
which is reflected in all appearances. I am that consciousness in which the 
craving for experience has ceased. I am limitless like space; I am untouched 
by happiness, unhappiness and the like. Let them therefore do what they like 
to me, for I am non-different from them. Movement of energy in one substance 
is neither loss nor gain.  

Vasishtha