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Thread ID: 84872 2007-11-21 09:51:00 Failing HP/Compaq mikebartnz (21) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
613718 2007-11-22 08:20:00 Can't see how a brand new PSU from HP (must be, for that price) could be the problem.

What do you mean by "dies" anyway? Turn off? Reboot? BSOD? total freeze?

Before you decide to take a hacksaw to it, make sure a standard PSU will actually work.. not just physically but electrically - this might be one of those HP's that use a custom PSU pinout, and you could blow the motherboard and PSU if you shove a normal one in there
If you read my original post properly you will notice that the PSU had ceased to be new. It was actually 2 to 3 years old when the problem reared it's ugly head again.
By dies I mean it is just instantly off and often can't be restarted without several attempts.
Thanks I will check the pinout. I will get hold of a junked ATX box and give it a whirl in that.
mikebartnz (21)
613719 2007-11-22 08:33:00 I think it would pay for you to read my original post properly.
I did read the post - several times and it was even mentioned
supposedly tried everything and theres the key word
"Supposedly"

By dies I mean it is just instantly off and often can't be restarted without several attempts. I can tell you right now - that could easily be a faulty power switch or connector on the Motherboard. NOTHING to do with a PSU.

Where you say its 2-3 years old thats also the expected life of a PC (maybe 3-4) - so it could also be a faulty mother board. I assume the owners of the PC were also told this by the shop. It was never mentioned in the original post the age of the PC.

Frankly I don't really care - Suggestions were asked for but its obvious that help is actually not required as someone whos an expert in these matters is looking at the fault.
wainuitech (129)
613720 2007-11-22 08:39:00 The answer is in the very first reply.

Bin it.

Much more productive then bickering with the children.




Muhahahahahahahahaha
Metla (12)
613721 2007-11-22 08:43:00 The answer is in the very first reply.

Bin it.

Much more productive then bickering with the children.




Muhahahahahahahahaha

:lol: it could be why the original owner sold it - they knew it was faulty or was failing - thats the risk you take when buying some second hand PC's.
wainuitech (129)
613722 2007-11-22 09:08:00 If you read my original post properly you will notice that the PSU had ceased to be new . It was actually 2 to 3 years old when the problem reared it's ugly head again .
By dies I mean it is just instantly off and often can't be restarted without several attempts .
Thanks I will check the pinout . I will get hold of a junked ATX box and give it a whirl in that .

from your first post:


run for a week, day or what ever before it just dies . They bought it second hand and they noticed this trait occassionally before the power supply died totaly . With a new $300 power supply all ran well for quite a while before this trait raised it's ugly head again .

Could have mentioned the several years, quite a while doesn't really imply anything, and from what you'd said before about days/weeks, I got the impression that this longer time was only a few weeks max



But to get back to the topic here, funny the PC should fail in the same way both times, this makes me think (but then I'm always one to critisise HP) bad PSU design? bad something in it that goes faulty after a few years? I've got PCs and PSU's a lot older than 3 years which all go fine . But then they're not HP

bad connection could cause the problem, and putting in a new PSU may create a good connection again, or it could be overheating of something (PSU)?

You say this PC is small form factor? the PSU is small, compared to normal ones, I guess . . after several years it's possible that dust buildup inside a small PSU with probably limited cooling could trigger a thermal shutdown, thus the PC won't turn on again instantly .

have you tried looking inside the PSU to see if there's dust in there? I'd crack it open and give it a good clean if it looks like it's full of crap, might be the problem (or could be restricting airflow, causing something else to overheat and shutdown)
Agent_24 (57)
613723 2007-11-22 09:13:00 if this images.tigerdirect.com is the PC in question, well then just looking at it, the cooling vent for the PSU is a joke in my opinion, who the heck designs these things? Agent_24 (57)
613724 2007-11-22 09:22:00 I did read the post - several times and it was even mentioned and theres the key word
"Supposedly"
I can tell you right now - that could easily be a faulty power switch or connector on the Motherboard. NOTHING to do with a PSU.

Where you say its 2-3 years old thats also the expected life of a PC (maybe 3-4) - so it could also be a faulty mother board. I assume the owners of the PC were also told this by the shop. It was never mentioned in the original post the age of the PC.

Frankly I don't really care - Suggestions were asked for but its obvious that help is actually not required as someone whos an expert in these matters is looking at the fault.
I think it would be better if you got that bee out of your bonnet.
mikebartnz (21)
613725 2007-11-22 09:34:00 Could have mentioned the several years, quite a while doesn't really imply anything, and from what you'd said before about days/weeks, I got the impression that this longer time was only a few weeks max

But to get back to the topic here, funny the PC should fail in the same way both times, this makes me think (but then I'm always one to critisise HP) bad PSU design? bad something in it that goes faulty after a few years? I've got PCs and PSU's a lot older than 3 years which all go fine. But then they're not HP

bad connection could cause the problem, and putting in a new PSU may create a good connection again, or it could be overheating of something (PSU)?

You say this PC is small form factor? the PSU is small, compared to normal ones, I guess.. after several years it's possible that dust buildup inside a small PSU with probably limited cooling could trigger a thermal shutdown, thus the PC won't turn on again instantly.

have you tried looking inside the PSU to see if there's dust in there? I'd crack it open and give it a good clean if it looks like it's full of crap, might be the problem (or could be restricting airflow, causing something else to overheat and shutdown)
When I first posted I did not know how long it had run without trouble until I had spoken to his missus.
That is the PC in the jpg link. The PSU is also vented along the side, it basically runs the length of the PC, and has another fan at the front. It doesn't appear to have much dust in it. I would put it down to just crappy design.
mikebartnz (21)
613726 2007-11-22 09:39:00 It's a design flaw.

D530 power supplies are prone to random failure when the power is connected, usually with an enormous bang, plenty of sparks to go around and a cloud of smoke.

They also die silently too, and turning off randomly is usually the initial symptom of this.

I buy them when they're three years old and about 1 in 25 will do this when connected to power. In fact, I just bought twenty-something of them, so I'm probably in for 1-2 scary bangs...

By the way, don't spend $300 on a power supply. The whole thing is WORTH $300 at best (more like $250 on TradeMe).
george12 (7)
613727 2007-11-22 09:47:00 I just found a heap of videos on youtube with those things exploding . . . this is just another strike against HP in the long line of trouble I have had and witnessed with their rubbish hardware . . :badpc:

I bet they struck a deal with solytech to produce those psus :yuck:
Agent_24 (57)
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