On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 03:55:53 -0500, w_tom wrote:

Doors don't close. So they kept replacing doors. No one
noticed the foundation had collapsed. Does this sounds like
your computer problem?

Start at step one. We must first verify the foundation.
This requires an inexpensive and ubiquitous 3.5 digit
multimeter. No cheaper way around this solution. We must
determine which of three power supply system components is
dead OR determine the entire 'foundation' (power supply
system) is working. Again, we need that meter so that this is
verification is accomplished in but a few minutes (reading how
to do it takes many time longer than the actual measuring
task).

Information in these previous posts report where to measure
and what numbers to expect. In short, measure voltages on the
red, yellow, orange, and purple wires. Those voltages must be
within upper 3/4 limits of table. Purple wire voltage must be
there always - power on or off (which is why you must always
unplug a computer from wall before changing it). When
computer powers on, voltages then appear on red, yellow, and
orange wires - again in the upper 3/4 limits of those specs.

Any power supply can spin fans and hard disk, light LEDs,
and still be 100% defective. Without numbers, no one can say
whether power supply is good or bad. Previous discussion that
provides details on where to measure, what those limits are
(you must measure in upper 3/4 of those limits), and define
what is a good power supply:
"Computer doesnt start at all" in alt.comp.hardware on 10
Jan 2004 at
http://tinyurl.com/2t69q and
"I think my power supply is dead" in alt.comp.hardware on 5
Feb 2004 at
http://www.tinyurl.com/2musa

Even if you don't understand what those numbers report,
those numbers provide powerful facts so that others (with more
knowledge) can immediately provide help. Currently you
provide only enough facts to wildly speculate.

Once we have established the power supply system as
functional, only then can we move on to other suspects. Power
supply system (which is more than just a power supply) is the
foundation. First we must confirm the foundation is intact
before ever considering any other possible problem.


While that's true, and if I hadn't already put in a different power supply
(I replaced the one that was supposedly fried), I would buy the equipment
to test it. But, what are the odds that two different power supplies would
be bad? Two different power supplies, same result. Does that make it a
power supply problem?

Patty