Old computer weird problem

[antoniu200]

Today I tried to power on my old computer that I didn' t use for 2 years. When I started it, the HDD usage was HUMUNGUS, the led was never stopping, but nothing on the monitor and it didn't boot 'cause I couldn't hear the booting sound and neither the HDD usage decreased, as I left it open for 2 minutes and the time needed for the computer to boot, when it was working, was like 20-30 seconds. What could be causing this??? The monitor is working, as I have it now plugged into the computer that I'm using to write this thread, the RAM is OK, as I couldn't hear anything from the motherboard, the video card is fine, as it heated up when I powered on the computer, and the motherboard... I don't know anything about it. The power supply is working fine, as I can hear its usual sounds, I hope. What to do? I want to see that computer running!!

[Geek-9pm]

Today I tried to power on my
old computer that I did n' t use for 2 years.

That explains it. After two years in a open environment the connectors oxidize and things will not work.
To store a computer for several months, you must seal it in a pastie bag, remove air, and replace with anhydrous nitrogen.
Everybody knows that. 

[Salmon Trout]

the RAM is OK, as I couldn't hear anything from the motherboard,

Hearing "nothing" (no beeps?) does not prove the RAM is working. The motherboard could be dead.

the video card is fine, as it heated up when I powered on the computer

Likewise, if the video card heats up that does not prove it is working.

The power supply is working fine, as I can hear its usual sounds

Those sounds prove nothing.

You could try dismantling the whole thing and cleaning all connectors but it may never work.

[antoniu200]

I'm an idiot... I posted the thread in the wrong category, not realted AT ALL with the problem or with the OS that is installed on that computer. I'm a big idiot

[antoniu200]

Umm... When I switched the power given to the boards from 230W to 115W I heard something and I saw some light. The power supply might be dead, right? I didn't try to power it back on, but I moved it back to 230W but no sign of life. The computer is dead..., right?

[DaveLembke]

Why did you bother with this line voltage selection switch?

If your outlet power is 230VAC and you switched it to 115VAC you likely killed the power supply. Usually the flash of light is the glass fuse inside the power supply blowing. Power supplies are not suppose to be opened and fixed as for they are meant to be throw aways. I could go into suggestions on how to fix the power supply, but due to risk of shock or death or burning home down if you make a mistake I cant share how to fix this power supply and suggest buying a new power supply set to the correct outlet voltage for your location. Info in bold could be dangerous enough in wrong hands in its suggestive nature.

*If the secondary didnt get cooked from over driven primary it might be able to be saved. There might also be a MOV that is shorted as well, however usually the MOV is blown when taking a spike beyond 230VAC such as from a power line surge. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varistor

Power Supplies are cheap.... so I suggest just tossing this one out and getting new!

[Geek-9pm]

antoniu200,
Please provide more information and you can get some help.
What is the model # of the computer?
Was the OS Vista or Windows 7?

If you had a 230/115 PSU. the implication is you live in an area that has 230 volts in the electrical plugs. Some parts of the world use both 115 and 230 volts in the rooms of a house.
Swathing from 230 to 115 wold burn out a fuse or melt a wire. You will have to repair or replace the PSU before going further.

If the PC is very old, it my not be cost-effective to repair it. Let me explain. A new PSU may cost out $80. Maybe less in some places.  That same model computer in working condition might have a value of $90 on the used market. If so, you might consider hying the working used PC and keeping the bad one for spare parts.
Just a thought.

[antoniu200]

In your country PSUs can be considered cheap. In Romania the money are called "lei", 4.5 lei=1€. That's crap. And the medium sallary in Romania is 2000 lei. From the WHOLE sallary you can't afford to buy a GT980 because it costs 4000lei, double the medium sallary. What a country... If you're thinking well, the PSUs in Romania are not too expensive. I might get one. And again, I'm an idiot and this time because I fried a PSU rofl:

[antoniu200]

Geek, as I said earlier, the category where I created the thread is not AT ALL related to computer, the OS being Windows XP. It's an old computer, I just wanted to see something, but if I can't, I'll just buy a new PSU and replace those parts with some of mine. I wanted to build my brother a PC, but before that, I wanted to let him see what gaming was in 2005, yep that computer is that old. Somebody here told me that the motherboard is dead. He was right, I suspected that too, but I hoped not to be the motherboard and my dad said it could be motherboard, convincing me that the motherboard died, but apparently, the reason was, as you said earlier, it oxidised.

[Geek-9pm]

So this should have been in Hardware. Anyway. you are in a hard place to get low cost PC components. Sorry about that.

For future reference:
http://www.computerhope.com/cleaning.htm
Cleaning the computer and its components.
Piratical information or restoring a PC exposed to dirt, dust and high humidity  by using  common materials and tools.

[antoniu200]

Too late. I already built it with my 2012 ASRock H61 that I talked in one of my previous threads, a Gigabyte GeForce Gt620 and Intel Pentium 2.9 GHz. For the HDD I'll use the same old PATA -IDE 80gigs WD and a SATA-IDE adaptor because the motherboard doesn't support PATA (IDE). The PSU, I found a good and not too expensive one, being rated at 80+. For RAM, I used my 6GB, from my actual computer, for me I'll get 8 GB 1866MHz, to fill the slots.

[patio]

Calm down.

[antoniu200]

I am calm. Why did you think I'm not?

[patio]

I was miming your advice to us in your last Topic...