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Re: [tlug] Stupid mistake?": Diagnosing Dead PC: Power Supply Label



On Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:19:23 -1000, "David J Iannucci" <jlinux@example.com> wrote:

> ... my wife is in Japan
> now, on an extended trip, and I had her take her (small form factor)
> desktop PC with her ... 

> Well, now that she's been using it about a month, all of a sudden, the
> machine won't power up. There's just a soft, falling whine (like a HDD
> spinning down), and then blackness. Not even a post screen. 

> Have we fried her power supply? 

Possibly. However, since it already lasted a month in Japan, 
it is unlikely that using it in Japan caused the PC to die. 

> It's lower voltage than the PS is expecting, but... does that matter? 

What does the label on the power supply say? 

> Is there any other plausible explanation for this? 

There are _many_ reasons that computers die. 

> If this is the right diagnosis, has there
> possibly been damage to internal peripherals?

To answer the question asked: yes. However the antecedent 
has not been confirmed. You are jumping to conclusions 
prematurely. 

Let's slow down and take it one step at a time. 
1. Please answer the one question above. 
2. Are there bulged capacitors on the motherboard? 
3. With the power off, move the fans with your fingers. 
   Do they move freely? Can you flick the fans to 
   rotate at least a few revolutions? 



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