johnwillden wrote: ⤴Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:45 pm
mike acker wrote: ⤴Sun Nov 22, 2020 8:24 am
It has been adequate until recently: now there is trouble with the power-up sequence: pressing the start switch, he says is "iffy": requires multiple tries to get it to POST. The shutdown ( holding in the power switch ) he says -- works OK. So, it's likely not the switch, but, I'm thinking, probably something going bad on the MoBo
yuk
I had these exact same symptoms that degraded and started to smell hot.
It turns out a toroidal transformer in the power supply was overheating an shorting.
New power supply and the machine sparks up like a champ!
Now to find some wire to rewind the transformer ... of course a new build is more fun.
I'll be getting the failed machine in exchange; my intent is to scrap it. The disc is probably OK; I plan to install it in his new case when he does the switch-over. That way he can mount it and recover any data as he may need. The power supply is ANTEC/650 -- a good one. When I did the install for this guy I included a power surge strip. This he returned to me as "not needed". He's also a welder... me thinks I better talk to this guy again.
I usually recommend APC UPS units with about a 10 minute capacity -- enough for an orderly shutdown.
I won't know much more until I get the failed box back.
as far as a new build being fun,..... well: yes, but with some caveats: the configuration of these machines is always changing, and, obsolete parts can be hard to get. The new MoBo has only two (2) USB(2) ports: for the keybd and mouse; the others are USB3-2 and a couple of others (?) USB-C, Ext-SATA -- I forget what all.
the USB ports on the front panel are now USB3. it's unclear if running USB 2 devices on a USB 3 bus slows the bus down. maybe I can find a way to test this.
The graphics ports are now: HDMI-2 or Display Port, no DVI, no VGA. So, it's like the song says,..... "If you don't mind the thorns... "