Desktop PC R.I.P.

MacMacMac

So … I was happily surfing the clack and other things this morning ... and the power went out.

Power came back in two seconds ... but the computer would not restart. 🙁
No sign of life at all. Push the button ... nothing. And no smell of burning.
That's a fine how-do-you-do. Gotta take it to a shop for repair tomorrow.

So I pulled out my 2010-vintage desktop from storage. Surprise! It still works.
It was "only" 50 versions behind on the browsers, but that's no harm.
And I was able to pull the backup drive from the other computer and install it in the old computer ... so I have most of my "stuff", including about a thousand passwords.

So ... does anyone have any idea about what might have crapped out?

Picotin

MacMacMac

MacMacMac So ... does anyone have any idea about what might have crapped out?

As silly as it may sounds but… are you sure you still have electricity on the wall socket? (Maybe a fuse has popped?)

Troubleshooting must start from the obvious…

Drew-r

MacMacMac

If your house power was off only a few seconds, it may have been more of a sag followed by a surge that was enough to zap the PC’s ps ….. i seem to recall some PCs (case or tower style) had fuses at the AC input to protect from surge ….. it is at least worth a look-see.

Stranger things happen but i would be surprised if your backup PC’s power supply works/fits PnP with your zapped system …. maybe better chance if they are similar models from same manufacturer…..so, are you feelin lucky ….. punk ? 🤠

MHirsch

If there's no sign of life like at all, it looks like a broken power supply.

bSharpCyclist

I would check the power supply first.

EB5AGV

+1 power supply

Pianissimo

psu should gives some burn smell?

MHirsch

Pianissimo It depends. Not always.

DPPianoPhil

At least your data is safe.

I concur, it's most likely the power supply. Being a PC, it should be straightforward enough for the repair shop to diagnose it and replace it. Depending on the machine's age and condition, it may be the perfect time to leave it behind and get yourself an early Christmas present! Have you considered an iMac? That's what I am typing this on. Really slick and fast! 🙂

HZPiano

Hello,

+1 on the power supply suspicions. And that would be easily exchangeable.

So if you like your loyal desktop, hopefully it can have another lease on life.

Great that apparently you have a sufficient backup discipline.

Cheers and good luck,

MacMacMac

I was thinking PSU. But how would I test it?

BTW ... I, too, suspected the outlet. But now the old computer is working while plugged into the same outlet using the same power cord as the broken computer. So much for the obvious.

vagfilm

Don't you have a multimeter at home that you can check voltages in the psu outputs? (I remember you saying something about multimeters in the past). Does the case have a chassis fan? If the psu is ok, then at least that fan should be working. If it is not working, then it is the psu.

bSharpCyclist

Take the power supply out of the working computer and try it in the other.

MacMacMac

The working computer is an HP. The broken one is a Dell.

Power supplies tend not to be compatible, especially when one of them is a Dell. There was a time long ago that plugging a "standard" PSU into a Dell mobo would fry the latter. Deliberate incompatibility? Yikes.

That might no longer be true, but I'm not willing to risk it.

As for the fan ... not spinning. Neither the PSU fan nor the chassis fan.

Yes, I have a multimeter. But in my old age I'm inclined not to f*@k with things that I surely would have long ago. So tomorrow I'll look for a repair shop.

MacMacMac

@Drew-r See my post that preceded yours by a few seconds. We "crossed in the mail".

And ... no, I'm not feeling lucky.

HZPiano

MacMacMac We "crossed in the mail".

Don't cross the streams!

Cheers and good luck today,

MHirsch

Any updates for us? 😊

Frédéric L

I remember that in an IT services, there were a lot of switches whose the PSU was to be changed because of electricity shortage. Yes, during winter, people bring their own electric radiators and make the fuses blown…

I hope you will be able to have your PC repaired soon. (A 2010 PC is quite old and may force you to use Pianoteq… or Arturia Piano V).

InstrEd

Frédéric L 2010 PC is quite old and may force you to use Pianoteq… or Arturia Piano V).

MacMacMac would rather take up ice fishing

MacMacMac

Use Pianoteq? Who? Me? I'd rather take up head banging.

As for this old PC ... it used to run Kontakt-based pianos just fine, though load times were slow. But I can't get the Presonus Audiobox to work properly. The audio out works ... sometimes. But the MIDI input does not work at all.

Meanwhile the "new" PC is in the shop for a few days. Until then I'll have to listen the piano's built-in sounds ... which are about as bad as Pianoteq.