dead or alive?

[writernmt]

My daughter went to turn the pc on and it would start to crank and then shut off.  I confirmed this with a couple tries and it would just start as usual but only for ten to fifteen seconds then shut off completely.  I opened the case and major dust, of course.  It smelled a little hot but not extremely so, and I have a good sniffer.  I let it set for a while and tried again but the results were the same.  I unplugged tried various forms of unplugging different componants and nothing had any affect.  I tried another power supply with no change.

I even unplugged the wires that go to the indicator lights and didn't pay enough attention because now the "On" light which is on the "on" button stays on no matter what.  this at least tells me that there is power going through the machine.  There is a chance that I popped a jumper switch off of the same area where the led's plug into but I'm not sure.  Yeah laugh all you want I'm a hack and I know it.  The machine is an E-machine.  I am not with it right know to know all the rest of the parameters.

Now nothing happens at any time.  Just the led indicator that says it's "on" is well, on.  The power button does nothing.

Any ideas?

[fffreak]

Well, I would assume that it is is over heating. What kind of processor is in the computer? Are all of the fans working correctly? I would get that dust cleaned off ASAP also.

 8-)fffreak

[mcf747]

do you see any obvious signs of het damage ie. warping, discoloration, burn marks

[homer]

a quick way to trouble shoot the computer, to see if it is overheating or not, is to remove the case and place a fan at the front of it facing the back of the computer. (make sure it is a decent-sized fan, not one  of those tiny 3" fans.) turn the fan on and turn your comp on. removing the case and having the fan blowing in cool air will assist in ventilating the computer. the computer should stay on for a longer period of time if over-heating is the issue. while the case is off and the comp is on, check to make sure all fans are spinning.

[writernmt]

When I opened it to begin with I blew it out...There is basically no response to the power button now.  The little green light is on but no one is home.

[writernmt]

BTW I see no signs of heat damage.

[patio]

Sounds like the power supply has bit the dust...if you can borrow a known good one and swap it in there temporarily to confirm this.
Don't buy a cheap one...you'll be back in the same predicament shortly.

patio.  8-)