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Thread ID: 126369 2012-08-23 08:02:00 Wanted a tame IT person in Auckland to replace the last one who disappeared to Taupo WalOne (4202) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1296481 2012-08-23 10:04:00 Then a half hour in, there were a couple of loud "pops" and the tower shut down. Subsequent attempts to fire it up proved negative - there just isn't any power getting into it.

(Come back, Speedy Gonzales .... )

Classic symptom of blown capacitors. They don't always leak so you get the same effect as burst transistors without the smoke, eh?

Bluenose.
bluenose (14548)
1296482 2012-08-23 10:32:00 Thanks, Bluenose. Unfortunately I have no idea as to how a capacitor, intact or otherwise, looks. I'm trying to talk Speedy into letting me send the tower to him.

Work in progress ...
WalOne (4202)
1296483 2012-08-23 11:10:00 OK WalOne. If you're not sure what goes on in power supplies best get someone who does know to have a look at it. Those things can give a nasty bite. Whatever you do "DON'T GO POKING AROUND" in them. Surely there is someone local who might help. I'm at the wrong end of the island. Good luck.

Bluenose.
bluenose (14548)
1296484 2012-08-23 11:49:00 If the thing won't even power on, it was probably silicon in the PSU blowing up.

If the smoothing capacitors on the secondary side blew, the thing would still likely run, just not very well, or shutdown quickly. But it would at least try to start.

Or, something on the motherboard etc blew, creating a dead short and the PSU won't start because of it.


Get the psu out and have a good look around. imgur.com (note the white stuff on the side of the capacitor 4.bp.blogspot.com), if that's everywhere/all through the PSU consider it dead. Or if any of the caps look like this: static2.davidkennardphotography.com then it's also dead.

:illogical

Your first two photos only show white glue \ epoxy which is used extensively in PSUs. Only the capacitor in the last picture has actually blown open (vented)

(Which by the way is a Sacon FZ - one of the worst brands and series of capacitor on the planet!)
Agent_24 (57)
1296485 2012-08-23 23:25:00 Yes the motherboard could be shot and the PSU could be fine. I was reading about that in some tomes on PC recovery. ChazTheGeek (16619)
1296486 2012-08-24 00:30:00 It seems to be a power issue, but I'm totally lost if I were to open the case.

What is a "tame" tech???

To open the case, you undo a couple of screws, slide the top or side back. Pretty easy.
Sometimes those screws are not at the back, but hidden by the front panel, this normally just pops off if this is the case.

Then you replace the PSU with a decent quality one.
pctek (84)
1296487 2012-08-24 01:10:00 What is a "tame" tech???


Just a figure of speech referring to a professional person who has your trust built up over a period of time and has given excellent results. I'm sure most people in this forum have those qualities.

Thanks for the comment re the PSU, that seems to be the way to go.
WalOne (4202)
1296488 2012-08-24 03:07:00 I'm sure most people in this forum have those qualities.

Hahaha are you sure you're referring to PressF1 there?!?! ;)
Chilling_Silence (9)
1296489 2012-08-24 03:56:00 Just a figure of speech .
Was picturing non-tame tech, snarling and biting as it runs around the floor on all fours...
pctek (84)
1296490 2012-08-24 04:00:00 Hahaha are you sure you're referring to PressF1 there?!?! ;)
Pressf1 yes. Chat..... :D
Nick G (16709)
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