Why wont my desktop turn on

[maddmatt02]

alright, I got an old desktop, ASUS CUSL2/PIII 733

I got it in about 98, but the only parts that are from then are the mobo/cpu/video(riva tnt2 M64)/sound(sound blaster live)

a couple years ago, I got a new case with a 450W PS(cheaper one) new DVD drive, new 60 gig HDD, more ram, new cd burner.

it has been working fine until a few months ago. I dont use it very often at all, and when Id go to start it up it would light and the fans would come on for a half a second or so. (my case has lights around the side with a clear window). I see the cpu fan, PS fan and case fan all spin up for a splt second as well as the lights for a secondd, then nothing, and I cant do it again, I have to wait a while an it will do it again. eventually it starts up and runs like normal, and if I use it the next day most likely it will be fine, but if I let it sit a couple days or longer it does it again. and right now I cant get it to start at all. and I noticed if I hold the power button for over 5 seconds, let go and press it again, the fans and lights go for a split second, hold it again for 5 seconds and release and press it again and the lights will come on again. if I hold it for less than 5 seconds then it wont do it. I got a new cmos battery and it didnt do nothing I unhooked all drives except the floppy and it still did it. the led on the mobo is on telling me that the psu is on. it is flipped to its 115v selection.
what do you think the problem could be?

 

[zipperman]

Check here

Right click the Taskbar.
And Toolbars options

 

[maddmatt02]

the longer i hold it then the longer the lights/fans stay on. and I just realized that actually the psu fan doesn spin, but theres 2 leds in the fan that do come on. also realized that the fan in the psu doesnt spin freely. I took it out, blew it out and put some cleaner in the fan motor and spun it up with the air compressor and got it to spin a bit more freely, but it still doesnt spin up when i press the power button. didnt work, so I took the case side fan and swapped it into the psu and now the fan in the psu spins up with everything else for that split second, but still no go.

I am going to give this computer to my grandparents if i get it working because they have this old amd K6-2 550 that runs pc100 ram and i upgraded it for them a while ago but it is just so slow still, cant even watch videos online, when you open in a new window you gotta wait for it, and my computer and basically do anything they will do and more, and no the online video problem isnt their connection, thay have 3Mbps cable and I only have 1Mbps satellite and sometimes slower and it still streams fine on mine, it must just be their cpu is too weak to play video.... it plays on their computer the same as it plays on my laptop tying to read a video straight off a cheap sd card.

 

[maddmatt02]

Right click the Taskbar.
And Toolbars options

???????????????????????????????

 

[zipperman]

You gave a bad title

???????????????????????????????

You should have asked "Why doesn't my OS boot to desktop"
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:haha:

 

[Tongan]

I had the same problem not long ago.
Just like you, my PC would power-up for a split second...then nothing. This was happening quite regularly on my brand new rig! (650W PSU)

Then one day my GPU got fried.
Since that day, my PC has booted up fine every time.

Strange I know, but you might want to check your GFX card is seated correctly or something?
Other than that, I'd say it's your 450W PSU.

 

[maddmatt02]

ive been searching this problem, and so far I have also tried shorting the pins on the mobo for the power switch and it does same thing. keep them shorted for over 5 seconds and the next time you short them the lights/fans go for a half second.

Ive removed all the cables for additional com and usb ports, removed all pci cards, agp card, memory, ide cables, and power from ever device except the mobo, no kb/mouse or anything plugged it, and still same result.

power supply?

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

Either your PSU or your motherboard is dead. I think it's probably the PSU. Replace that first. If it doesn't help, you know where the problem lies.

 

[maddmatt02]

You should have asked "Why doesn't my OS boot to desktop"
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:haha:

so you answered my question without reading?

I think my title is fine, its my desktop, not my laptop, and it wont turn on... lol

and to the guy asking about the gfx card, just removed it and went back to the onboard video and it still didnt work. so must be the power supply. might still have the old one. I know I had one from an old PII computer but used it when building a cheap one for my uncle.

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

I advise not using an older PSU if it's more than a year old, you may actually kill a component or two if it hasn't happened already. Use a PSU that's not that old from another system if you can.

 

[maddmatt02]

well, I got a cheap psu tester, as well as a psu coming. but it is also a cheap one, but I dont care because say it doesnt last long compared to others, I barely turn this thing on anymore, and this current cheap one lasted through a time where it was used everyday. plus my grandparents arent taking it anymore, theyd rather buy a new inexpensive desktop.