psu failure?

[Praxis1452]

Well since this might involve the power supply this would be the best place. :D

Basically my dad's computer broke down. Or mine since I use it sometimes as well. The CD-ROM drives won't open and the hard disk won't spinup. I feel the heat from the cpu and the graphics card and all the fans spinup. Isn't the CD-ROM drive supposed to open without the motherboard as that's the only other culprit. I thought it was the motherboard but am not as sure now. The power supply is some generic 450W. I checked the caps in the PSU and they're all perfect. It's got 20 amps on the 12v rail 40 on the 5v. It's powering a P4 at 3.45ghz and then an X1600 pro along with 1.5gigs of ram and 1 hard disk 2 cd drives and a P4S800-MX. My dad just shut the computer off and then when I turned it back on it wouldn't even post.

[jonnyGURU]

Isn't the CD-ROM drive supposed to open without the motherboard as that's the only other culprit.

Not if it's plugged into a dead board.

Unplug the IDE cable from the CDROM and see if it ejects then.

If it DOES, you may have a dead board. If it DOES NOT, then you may have a bad 5V on the PSU... or a dead optical AMONG OTHER PROBLEMS. ;)

[Praxis1452]

heh ok will do

[jonnyGURU]

Of course, you should also check a lead with a DMM to make sure you have proper voltage on all rails as well. ;)

[Praxis1452]

don't have a DMM though I should probably get one sometime. I'll ask for that from one of my cousins for christmas.

The cd-rom drives both worked. I took my motherboard out. So yea it's the motherboard. Well this make it easier. Thought so because their was an irregular hole in some chip. when I find my camera I might put up a pic of it heh.