let's diagnose my hardware problem

[milomak]

the pc won't start (there's the problem right there isn't it)

so the light on the motherboard is green
the ethernet port with the cable in it is lit

has the processor purpose decided it's had enough of this life?

 

[CamiKaze]

Nope.

unplug everything and piece your PC back together again.
Are you experiencing this after an outage?

You might want to remove your Ethernet cable and power plug. Once unplugged, flush your power caps by pressing the power button a couple of times. Re-seat your RAM back into its slots then try again. If this fails, piece your PC back together again.

 

[d0b33]

re-fit the memory modules

 

[pcdoc]

re-fit the memory modules

Also try a new power supply unit, power surge may have damaged it.

 

[D3athD00r]

When you press the power button it switches on but the screen is blank right? If so there are only 3 possibilities in this order.

RAM- reseat 1 chip at a time and swop ram bus with each module
CPU- reseat CPU.
GPU- Check GPU fans are turning. If not, reseat and test again. If it still doesn't work check your GPU connectors to PSU(if moduler)

 

[Rickster]

Power switch

 

[D3athD00r]

Also try a new power supply unit, power surge may have damaged it.

It depends on how you read the OP's 1st sentence which is a mystery in itself. A PSU either works or it's dead.

 

[D3athD00r]

Power switch

If that's true, we need to know what mobo he has, but his phone can only type 144 characters, hence the sparse info.


Nice mobo's have visual boot diagnostic codes either with an lcd screen or boot sequence lights.

 

[milomak]

when i press the power button there is no activity. it is as if the power cable is removed.

 

[PhireSide]

Could the power switch be faulty?

OP, try and trace the power button wire pair to the connector on the motherboard. Pull out the connector (remember where it plugs in) and you should see two pins. Carefully short these out with a paperclip or similar metal object and see if there is life?

 

[sajunky]

when i press the power button there is no activity. it is as if the power cable is removed.

Green light on m/b probably comes from 5VSB (next to RAM sockets). Try another PSU, if you don't have one, you can do the following checks:

1. Disconnect PSU from m/b. If you short green wire to the ground (black wire), it will force power supply to start. Meassure voltage on all PSU rails. If voltage is right (roughly - without the load it can be out of specs), it is not PSU.

2. Disconnect all peripherals from the m/b, re-connect PSU. Now you can meassure voltages as in #1. If PSU shuts down under load, make another check.

3. Unplug power cord, then remove raphics card, then replug and try again.

4. Repeat as in #3, but now also remove RAM. Without RAM computer is not going to start, but at least you should hear beep from the speaker indicating starting CPU.