My computer won't turn on, urgent

should I....

  • get a new mobo

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • get a new set of cables

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • get a new computer all together

    Votes: 4 50.0%
  • kill clowns

    Votes: 3 37.5%

  • Total voters
    8
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okay, so I'm new here, hi hello and whatever.

alright. my computer has always had problems with turning on and whatnot, but usually if i just putzed with the power cable it would eventually turn on. then recently, the power went out while the computer was on. then the computer didn't turn on. if i plugged it in, the green like went on on the mobo, and other than that, the computer didn't do anything. if you pressed the button, jack**** happened. so i ordered a new power source, 512 more ram(dual channel) and a new hdd. so i plug it all in, and it turns on once, but nothing shows up on the monitor at all, the fans were going and all, but nothing on screen. then i turn it off, and now if I push the button nothing happens, except the led light on the front of the case turns on while i'm physically holding the power button down.

its a dell dimension 8300(i know i'm lazy, i didn't build it)
 
Hello and Welcome to Techspot!! :)

Probably it's a bad mobo, a bad PSU, IDK. Does it beep at all?
But since it's a Dell PC..........maybe you can build another cheap, way better computer.

I'm sure someone helpful may find a solution for you. :)

Regards :wave:
 
strange

okay so I read a little bit about this, and i got reminded of the diagnosis lights on the back of the case (labeled A,B,C,D) and when I turn the computer on, none of those lights turn on, which apparently, according to dell means "The Computer is off, or there is a pre-bios failure"


wtf do I do with a pre bios failure?

ty.

/brendan/
 
That seems like a PSU failure. What PSU do you have?

But you said that the fans spin. Am I correct?
 
Yeah...

Thing is I just bought a new power source, and just took it out of the box today. I looked it up online and most people agree that dell 8300's are fine with non OEM PSUs, with the exception of having to cut the metal on the back of the case, because OEM dell PSUs look like they are upside down, so the holes are switched in the case (holes for the wire/0-1 switch)


ty

/brendan/
 
Ah OK. I thought that the Dell 8300 used a special, non ATX compatible PSU.

What brand is the new PSU, how many watts, and amperage on the +12V rail? That info should be on the PSU's label ;)
 
Oh man.... We had an A Power PSU, and it blew up in less than 2 months.... Also, it can't have .8 amps, maybe you looked at -12V. Look at +12V ;)
 
Ok, that could be enough for the system. But be careful with it. Our A Power PSU, blew up, and it killed the mobo, and almost killed the processor. :mad:

Try resseting your BIOS. You need to open up your PC, look at the mobo, and find a coin-shaped battery. Remove it for at least 5 minutes, put it back in, and start your PC again.
Does it beep now?

Regards :wave:
 
i tried that.. kinda

I already tried that, but I'm a half noob, so I probably did it wrong. First off I unplugged it for like 15 seconds, not 5 minutes, and second off I unplugged the computer first, was that right? Should I wait for the green light on the mobo to go out before taking out the battery?
 
Yeah, wait for that green light to go out. If you're lucky enough, and have your Dell manual, check it, and reset your BIOS :)
 
I just checked your Dell's specs.
Is it using a: ?
P4 CPU @ 3.2 Ghz
1GB RAM
ATI 9800 PRO??

If so, maybe that 350W A-Power PSU can't handle the system properly...
 
its a P4 at 3.2, i just added 512mb to the lacking 256 ram it started with, and its a Geforce 4 fx(9600?) it only had a 250 or 300 watt PSU in it before, so I figured 350 would be better...
 
That card must be a Geforce FX 5600. That card is not a power hog, so you should be ok.

Have you checked what I said above? :)
 
and i just took the battery out for 5 minutes +, and it didn't do anything didfferent after I put it back in... just the fans going and not even a hard drive spinning.
 
Ahh, the 4 pin CPU power plug right. Hehe, it won't work without that :)

I guess I'm dumb too, I didn't remember about that little plug.

I'm glad that your solved your problem.

Regards :wave:
 
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