Computer crash
in [Hardware]
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From: JD on 18 Jun 2010 00:29 Hi Experts, Yesterday was a bad one for me. I added a plug from a second computer to a robust Trip Lite Super 10 strip and a computer that was already attached to that strip, and running, suddenly stopped working. I tried it in another socket but still no start. The power supply for this apparently-dead computer is a PC Power & Cooling Silencer 600w and very robust. I have a tester unit that supposedly checks power supplies when I remove the cable connection from the mother board and then attach the tester to that connection. It showed a green light indicating that the supply is ok. I replaced that PS with another one that also tested ok but it could not start the computer either. There is no light at all on the mother board. I suspect there may be a short in the Tripp Lite. Suggestions please. TIA
From: philo on 18 Jun 2010 05:49 On 06/17/2010 11:29 PM, JD wrote: > Hi Experts, > > Yesterday was a bad one for me. I added a plug from a second computer to > a robust Trip Lite Super 10 strip and a computer that was already > attached to that strip, and running, suddenly stopped working. I tried > it in another socket but still no start. The power supply for this > apparently-dead computer is a PC Power & Cooling Silencer 600w and very > robust. > > I have a tester unit that supposedly checks power supplies when I remove > the cable connection from the mother board and then attach the tester to > that connection. It showed a green light indicating that the supply is > ok. I replaced that PS with another one that also tested ok but it could > not start the computer either. There is no light at all on the mother > board. > > I suspect there may be a short in the Tripp Lite. > > Suggestions please. > > TIA then bypass it
From: VanguardLH on 18 Jun 2010 06:06 JD wrote: > Yesterday was a bad one for me. I added a plug from a second computer to > a robust Trip Lite Super 10 strip and a computer that was already > attached to that strip, and running, suddenly stopped working. I tried > it in another socket but still no start. The power supply for this > apparently-dead computer is a PC Power & Cooling Silencer 600w and very > robust. > > I have a tester unit that supposedly checks power supplies when I remove > the cable connection from the mother board and then attach the tester > to that connection. It showed a green light indicating that the supply > is ok. I replaced that PS with another one that also tested ok but it > could not start the computer either. There is no light at all on the > mother board. > > I suspect there may be a short in the Tripp Lite. And if you plug the problematic computer directly into a wall socket (with nothing else plugged in the other paired wall socket) does that computer work okay? Use a heavy-duty (15A) extension cord if you must if the computer power cord doesn't reach a wall socket because you were using the power strip's power cord to make up the distance. Surge protection works by sacrificing themself so eventually you'll have to replace it. Testers are often limited in what they check. Do you know that it tests both the +5V and +12V lines? How does it check the separate +5VSB (standby) line that only goes to the motherboard? Does the tester place, at least, a 10W load on the PSU to emulate some load on the PSU (to ensure the PSU will turn on)? With the power cord connected to computer and a *live* wall socket (and NOT through the power strip), the PSU should be generating the 5VSB line which is used by the on-board power circuit (for ATX hosts, power is soft-controlled, not hardwired to the front panel Power switch). Often there is an LED on the motherboard to indicate the 5VSB line is alive. However, since you never described the make and model of your motherboard, no one knows if you have an old host using the old AT-style power circuit (from power button to PSU) or the new ATX-style power circuit (power button to mobo and to the onboard power circuit using 5VSB). If you have some "tester" for the PSU, why don't you have somewhere a voltmeter (or digital meter) to check the computer end of the power cord to see if there is AC voltage available there? Obviously the power strip is not essential to the power feed to the computer so get it out of the path from wall to computer and retest. Presumably you already know whether or not the wall outlet has power by simply plugging in a table lamp.
From: Paul on 18 Jun 2010 06:04 JD wrote: > Hi Experts, > > Yesterday was a bad one for me. I added a plug from a second computer to > a robust Trip Lite Super 10 strip and a computer that was already > attached to that strip, and running, suddenly stopped working. I tried > it in another socket but still no start. The power supply for this > apparently-dead computer is a PC Power & Cooling Silencer 600w and very > robust. > > I have a tester unit that supposedly checks power supplies when I remove > the cable connection from the mother board and then attach the tester > to that connection. It showed a green light indicating that the supply > is ok. I replaced that PS with another one that also tested ok but it > could not start the computer either. There is no light at all on the > mother board. > > I suspect there may be a short in the Tripp Lite. > > Suggestions please. > > TIA An outlet tester, is one way to quantify what is happening on an outlet like on your Tripplite. These are good, when you suspect a previous home owner tried their hand at outlet wiring. The label has a list of test results to compare to. http://www.delstat.com/images/Outlet_Tester.jpg The Tripplite may have a "breaker button" on the strip, which opens if there is an overload. You have to push the button or the like, to reset it. And plugging the power supply right into the wall, is another test case to try, as Philo suggested. Take the Tripplite right out of the picture. Some motherboards, like Asus brand, have a green LED on the motherboard that is connected to +5VSB. The power supply consists of two sections, the +5VSB supply, and the "main rails" supply. You can verify that +5VSB is flowing, by seeing the green LED glowing. The computer cannot switch on via the front button, unless the +5VSB is working. So no matter how you do it, the availability of +5VSB from the supply to the motherboard, is a precondition for success. If the motherboard is some other brand, you may need a multimeter to probe the +5VSB wire on the power supply main cable. In some cases, it can even be the silly button on the front of the computer case, that is broken. Those switches can be pretty cheap. The switch function is "momentary contact", and it is up to motherboard logic to latch the pulse from the switch. If the switch is completely open circuit, there'll be no pulse when you press it. Paul
From: JD on 18 Jun 2010 04:59
Paul wrote: > JD wrote: >> Hi Experts, >> >> Yesterday was a bad one for me. I added a plug from a second computer >> to a robust Trip Lite Super 10 strip and a computer that was already >> attached to that strip, and running, suddenly stopped working. I tried >> it in another socket but still no start. The power supply for this >> apparently-dead computer is a PC Power & Cooling Silencer 600w and >> very robust. >> >> I have a tester unit that supposedly checks power supplies when I >> remove the cable connection from the mother board and then attach the >> tester to that connection. It showed a green light indicating that the >> supply is ok. I replaced that PS with another one that also tested ok >> but it could not start the computer either. There is no light at all >> on the mother board. >> >> I suspect there may be a short in the Tripp Lite. >> >> Suggestions please. >> >> TIA > > An outlet tester, is one way to quantify what is happening on an > outlet like on your Tripplite. These are good, when you suspect a > previous home owner tried their hand at outlet wiring. The label > has a list of test results to compare to. > > http://www.delstat.com/images/Outlet_Tester.jpg > > The Tripplite may have a "breaker button" on the strip, which > opens if there is an overload. You have to push the button or the like, > to reset it. > > And plugging the power supply right into the wall, > is another test case to try, as Philo suggested. > Take the Tripplite right out of the picture. > > Some motherboards, like Asus brand, have a green LED on the > motherboard that is connected to +5VSB. The power supply > consists of two sections, the +5VSB supply, and the "main > rails" supply. You can verify that +5VSB is flowing, by > seeing the green LED glowing. The computer cannot switch > on via the front button, unless the +5VSB is working. So no > matter how you do it, the availability of +5VSB from the > supply to the motherboard, is a precondition for success. > If the motherboard is some other brand, you may need a > multimeter to probe the +5VSB wire on the power supply > main cable. In some cases, it can even be the silly > button on the front of the computer case, that is broken. > Those switches can be pretty cheap. The switch function > is "momentary contact", and it is up to motherboard > logic to latch the pulse from the switch. If the switch > is completely open circuit, there'll be no pulse when > you press it. > > Paul Thank you Philo, VanguardLH and Paul. I am on the run at present and this is a short response. First, the strip is ok. I checked all the sockets with a lamp and all are continuous at least. I am using another (older) computer and other components in the strip at present and all are working fine. I did pull the power cable of the seemingly dead computer out of the strip and used it in a wall socket - still dead. The motherboard is an Intel D845GEBV2. Ironically the older backup computer, that I am now using, dates back to the 1990s and the motherboard is an Intel AL440LX. This is the most reliable computer I have ever had. I assembled it from parts that I bought. I find it remarkably fast and very quiet - a pleasure to use. More info soon, I hope. Thanks again all and have a great weekend :-) |