Dead Computer - Power Supply or Motherboard?

Is there any simple test to eliminate one of those possibilities?

I have read that it is possible to check the power supply by temporarily
shorting two pins together, but I don't know which two pins, and I don't
know if that will work without any load on the power supply. I do have a
voltmeter, however.

Big
Mon Apr 21 15:36:25 PDT 2008

Bill in Co. wrote:
> Is there any simple test to eliminate one of those possibilities?
>
> I have read that it is possible to check the power supply by temporarily
> shorting two pins together, but I don't know which two pins, and I don't
> know if that will work without any load on the power supply. I do have a
> voltmeter, however.
>
>
My board is a few years old but I have a few test points on the board
for just that, putting a meter on and testing.
But you might be able to push the lead into the motherboard socket and
contact the connector while its still plugged it. This can be dangerous
of course. But if you do, just put the black on the case while testing
the connector. I've never heard the shorting pins story. You might
also try one of the drive power connectors. Its only 5v and 12v and not
all the voltages from the supply however.

There may be a fuse in the supply if you want to pull it out and open it
up. But if its blown, there may be bigger reasons and replacing it
might just be an exercise.

Cari
Mon Apr 21 18:03:54 PDT 2008

There are ATX PSU testers....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899705003&Tpk=psu%2btester

Makes finding out which is the dead bit so much easier!
--
Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
www.coribright.com/windows

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:esnXv2$oIHA.2256@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Is there any simple test to eliminate one of those possibilities?
>
> I have read that it is possible to check the power supply by temporarily
> shorting two pins together, but I don't know which two pins, and I don't
> know if that will work without any load on the power supply. I do have
> a voltmeter, however.
>

Farad'n
Mon Apr 21 18:57:00 PDT 2008

On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:18:51 -0600, "Bill in Co."
<not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote:

>Is there any simple test to eliminate one of those possibilities?
>
>I have read that it is possible to check the power supply by temporarily
>shorting two pins together, but I don't know which two pins, and I don't
>know if that will work without any load on the power supply. I do have a
>voltmeter, however.
>
Why ask HERE? This problem is purely hardware related and has
absolutely NOTHING to do with the OS.

Ask elsewhere

Bill
Mon Apr 21 19:21:18 PDT 2008

I need to be able to test the power supply alone as I'm afraid I've fried
the MB. I'm quite sure there is no power supply output now, but if the MB
is bad, that can cause that problem.

Big Al wrote:
> Bill in Co. wrote:
>> Is there any simple test to eliminate one of those possibilities?
>>
>> I have read that it is possible to check the power supply by temporarily
>> shorting two pins together, but I don't know which two pins, and I don't
>> know if that will work without any load on the power supply. I do have
>> a
>> voltmeter, however.
>>
>>
> My board is a few years old but I have a few test points on the board
> for just that, putting a meter on and testing.
> But you might be able to push the lead into the motherboard socket and
> contact the connector while its still plugged it. This can be dangerous
> of course. But if you do, just put the black on the case while testing
> the connector. I've never heard the shorting pins story. You might
> also try one of the drive power connectors. Its only 5v and 12v and not
> all the voltages from the supply however.
>
> There may be a fuse in the supply if you want to pull it out and open it
> up. But if its blown, there may be bigger reasons and replacing it
> might just be an exercise.

Bill
Mon Apr 21 19:25:44 PDT 2008

Well, I figure for the trouble of getting one of those, I might just as well
replace the MB and see if it works since the old MBs are pretty cheap now.
Thanks.

Cari (MS-MVP) wrote:
> There are ATX PSU testers....
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899705003&Tpk=psu%2btester
>
> Makes finding out which is the dead bit so much easier!
> --
> Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
> www.coribright.com/windows
>
> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:esnXv2$oIHA.2256@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Is there any simple test to eliminate one of those possibilities?
>>
>> I have read that it is possible to check the power supply by temporarily
>> shorting two pins together, but I don't know which two pins, and I don't
>> know if that will work without any load on the power supply. I do have
>> a voltmeter, however.

Bill
Mon Apr 21 21:02:32 PDT 2008

OK. Thanks to all. Found a wiring diagram, tested the power supply and
it's ok. So it's the MB, and I've got one coming.

Bill in Co. wrote:
> Well, I figure for the trouble of getting one of those, I might just as
> well
> replace the MB and see if it works since the old MBs are pretty cheap now.
> Thanks.
>
> Cari (MS-MVP) wrote:
>> There are ATX PSU testers....
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899705003&Tpk=psu%2btester
>>
>> Makes finding out which is the dead bit so much easier!
>> --
>> Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
>> www.coribright.com/windows
>>
>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message
>> news:esnXv2$oIHA.2256@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>> Is there any simple test to eliminate one of those possibilities?
>>>
>>> I have read that it is possible to check the power supply by temporarily
>>> shorting two pins together, but I don't know which two pins, and I don't
>>> know if that will work without any load on the power supply. I do
>>> have
>>> a voltmeter, however.

M
Tue Apr 22 03:21:50 PDT 2008


"Farad'n" <none@none.net> wrote in message
news:gehq04trmd9ltipq914acei05ievbucmjt@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:18:51 -0600, "Bill in Co."
> <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>Is there any simple test to eliminate one of those possibilities?
>>
>>I have read that it is possible to check the power supply by temporarily
>>shorting two pins together, but I don't know which two pins, and I don't
>>know if that will work without any load on the power supply. I do have
>>a
>>voltmeter, however.
>>
> Why ask HERE? This problem is purely hardware related and has
> absolutely NOTHING to do with the OS.
>
> Ask elsewhere
>

Farad'n is our resident 13 year old mentally ill fuckwit. Every newsgroup
has at least one.

Ignore him. Better still: kill file him (but this will only work until he
changes his posting name - every fuckwit does this to ensure that his
dillusional obsessions have as wide an audience as possible).