Does a PC make POPcorn???

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

Well, i had about 1.5 hrs last night for a cs-fest, but about 10 minutes into it, my computer decided to start making POPcorn...lol

I heard a 'pop' and everything died :(. My LED's on the front of my box were still on but everything else was not.

I spoke to Andy, he thought it was the power supply and the LED's were still running off of the board's battery. I agree with him, but i wanted to know what you guys thought b4 sacrificing more money to the pc g0ds?

300w ps
xp2400
256 mb ram
40g h/d
dvd player
cd player
zip drive
gf2 mx400

[roXet]

what's it do when you try to turn it back on?

unplug the power supply from the mobo, leave it for a bit then plug it back in. That's a long shot, but that fixed mine when I thought I fried it when I let wires off my neon touch the bare metal of the case while the computer was running. =)

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

it does nothing, it doesn't click or whine, just nothing :(

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

look at your motherboard and see if you see any capacitors that just don't look right (shredded, bubbled caps, popped completely!). The only other thing I would say would be to open up the power supply and look inside it for burned spots or broken components.

[CajunTech]

Can pick up a 300watt power supply for under $30-$40. That system is worth it..

[LA_MERC_eX1|eS' ch1|d]

Might want to check each of your cards individually, just had a friends computer I fixed that the modem died and the computer wouldn't POST or do anything. Took out all the cards and put them back 1 at a time until I found the modem was dead. She's a chick who didn't know much about computers so I don't know if it popped or not, but a new modem fixed her right up.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

w00t!!! thanks for the help guys.....it was the power supply. I looked at the mobo and p/s for any visual defects and didn't see any, so i took a chance...i bought a 430W power supply from Fry's for 29.99 - $12 mail-in rebate..wohoo!!!

plugged everything in and voila!! back in business.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

w00t! Good news man...glad it worked out for you!

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

doh next time, start your analyze with your foot, then move on to a hammer! THEN try the power supply

[roXet]

nice deal on that psu.

[JUNKY]

Junky's personal PC tech tips....

You can test your Power Supply for operation by unplugging it from your motherboard -- take a paperclip, and bend it into a u shape. On that ATX connector that goes to your PS there is one green wire -- use the paperclip to jumper between the green and any of the black wires on your PS plug. Plug the Powersupply on, and if the Powersupply doesn't come on -- it's a paperweight.

[Badger]

paperclip + 120 volts = bad?

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

i learned at a very early age NOT TO STICK THINGS INTO ELECTRICAL SOCKETS! This may be a just way to check ps's but i'm just not comfortatble with it..lol Not since my last experiment when i tried licking the metal fence post in sub-zero weather because someone (just like you) said "don't worry, nothing bad will happen".

[LA_MERC_goose]

A paperclip and power from anything can not be good! :shotgun

[LA_MERC_MadMAX]

An easier way than junkys method would be to just spend 12 dollars and buy a PSU tester...