the battle continues.

xwrench3 · June 23, 2016

a couple of months ago, i rebuilt my old computer, with mostly new parts. the original computer was a store bought HP a1720n, running Windows Vista Home Premium. about 5 years ago, we were hit by lightning, this computer was in use at that time, and my wife actually was (physically) shocked when the surge came down the internet line. i took the computer to a repairman who operates his computer repair shop from his home ( its an actual business) and he replaced the PSU, the network / LAN card, and the keyboard (which is where my wife received the shock). i reused the PSU (Dynex 350w), the case, the DVDRW drive, the card reader / USB ports, and the front sound access ports. i replaced the motherboard (MSI CSM B150M Pro-VHL), the CPU (Intel i5 6500), memory, (GSkill NT DDR4 2133 2x8gb), hard drive (WD Blue 1TB), and i added a Blu Ray drive (LG WH14NS40) a month later. since the very beginning, i have struggled with an intermittent no start condition. each and every time i would press the power button while the machine was on my work bench, it would fire up perfectly. i only have problems when the machine is in its home, on the lower right corner of the computer desk. sometimes, it will fail immediately after placing it there, sometimes it will function fine for anywhere from 1 time, to as many as 15 times properly. then it just refuses to start. its impossible to even look at it inside of its little spot, and in moving it the 2 feet it takes to set it into my chair, sometimes is enough to let it start again. i have had this on the work bench at least a dozen times for this particular problem. and it is a problem that did not start prior to this build. even so, i have tested the start button and looked at every inch of the wires of it. so it leaves me to think that maybe i have a defective new part. how many of the parts that i have replaced could keep the computer from starting? i know the motherboard could, but i do not know what else.

Jonathan Lemmens · June 23, 2016

1 hour ago, xwrench3 said:

a couple of months ago, i rebuilt my old computer, with mostly new parts. the original computer was a store bought HP a1720n, running Windows Vista Home Premium. about 5 years ago, we were hit by lightning, this computer was in use at that time, and my wife actually was (physically) shocked when the surge came down the internet line. i took the computer to a repairman who operates his computer repair shop from his home ( its an actual business) and he replaced the PSU, the network / LAN card, and the keyboard (which is where my wife received the shock). i reused the PSU (Dynex 350w), the case, the DVDRW drive, the card reader / USB ports, and the front sound access ports. i replaced the motherboard (MSI CSM B150M Pro-VHL), the CPU (Intel i5 6500), memory, (GSkill NT DDR4 2133 2x8gb), hard drive (WD Blue 1TB), and i added a Blu Ray drive (LG WH14NS40) a month later. since the very beginning, i have struggled with an intermittent no start condition. each and every time i would press the power button while the machine was on my work bench, it would fire up perfectly. i only have problems when the machine is in its home, on the lower right corner of the computer desk. sometimes, it will fail immediately after placing it there, sometimes it will function fine for anywhere from 1 time, to as many as 15 times properly. then it just refuses to start. its impossible to even look at it inside of its little spot, and in moving it the 2 feet it takes to set it into my chair, sometimes is enough to let it start again. i have had this on the work bench at least a dozen times for this particular problem. and it is a problem that did not start prior to this build. even so, i have tested the start button and looked at every inch of the wires of it. so it leaves me to think that maybe i have a defective new part. how many of the parts that i have replaced could keep the computer from starting? i know the motherboard could, but i do not know what else.

Can I summarize it as follows?:

Put the PC on top of the desk and it works flawlessly every time.

Put the PC under the desk and it works most of the time, but sometimes it won't boot.

1. When the PC doesn't boot up, does it do nothing at all or do you still get beeps, lights or fan-noise?

If it does nothing at all, you should probably be looking for a problem outside of your PC.

2. When the PC does boot properly when under the desk, does it ever shut itself down for no apparent reason as if the power has just been cut off, or does it always keep running until you shut it off?

3. Do you have the same devices plugged in to the PC in both situations (monitor, printer, external HDD etc.) and are there any other devices powered by the same power outlet as your PC?

4. Is your PC in both locations powered through the same outlet? If yes, have you tried different power cables? Is the cable pulled on a little when under the desk? (just long enough, or rather, just an inch too short)

1 hour ago, xwrench3 said:

.... and he replaced the PSU, the network / LAN card, and the keyboard (which is where my wife received the shock). i reused the PSU (Dynex 350w), the case, the DVDRW drive, the card reader / USB ports, and the front sound access ports. ...

So do you still have the PSU that got zapped in your system now? If yes, replace it immediately!

xwrench3 · June 25, 2016

1) when it will not turn on, it is DEAD. it does absolutely nothing.

2) when it works, it works perfectly normal. t will go to sleep manually as well as by itself. it never, ever shuts off by itself, or reboots by itself, or anything else abnormal. i can shut it down, and many times, it will turn back on just as it should.

3) yes, there are other peripherals powered up on the same power strip. i have changed positions on the strip, as well as used a completely different power source. i have replaced the power cord on the computer, and i have even checked for voltage on the power cord which shows fine.

4) no, the work bench is in another location. on a different circuit breaker. i thought of that as well, the only thing that is constant is the location where it acts up.

xwrench3 · June 25, 2016

a thought just went thru my head, you don't suppose that there could be enough static electricity to cause this problem do you? the computer desk is composite wood, and sits on carpet. the floor under it is concrete. there is no rubber on the bottom of the case. the steel feet sit directly on the wood. which in reality is probably some sort of printed plastic resin.

Jonathan Lemmens · June 25, 2016

5 hours ago, xwrench3 said:

a thought just went thru my head, you don't suppose that there could be enough static electricity to cause this problem do you? the computer desk is composite wood, and sits on carpet. the floor under it is concrete. there is no rubber on the bottom of the case. the steel feet sit directly on the wood. which in reality is probably some sort of printed plastic resin.

No this is highly unlikely. A proper PC case will act like a Faraday Cage (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage), protecting the components inside from any electromagnetic interference from the outside.

The only thing I can think of that would cause this issue is a faulty power delivery, either by the power socket or extension cords or maybe by the PSU itself.

xwrench3 · June 25, 2016

well, its working again, at least for now. this thing is going to drive me to the loony bin! lol. i found a longer power cord in the box of old computer parts, and i have it plugged directly into a wall socket. it just seems odd that if it was a power delivery problem, that nothing else is giving me any trouble.