Problem with starting my pc

[Pope]

My pc is behaving strangely. Pushing the on/off button doesn't start it up decently anymore. The little "busy" light starts blinking, and I can feel the machine buzzing a bit (although less than it should), so there's definitely something going on, but nothing appears on the screen, and the pc doesn't make the "bleep" it normally does upon startup. To start it up, I first need to start it the normal way (which doesn't do what it's supposed to), then hold the on/off button a few seconds to turn it off, then turn it on again. And then it launches like it should.

 

Also, what's strange is that after having turned the pc off, immediately pushing the on/off button does start the pc. So I'm guessing it has something to do with an internal battery or something. Because (I suppose) there's still some power in the pc after turning it off, it would make sense that I can start it up then. But if I wait too long, this power disappears and I must use the aforementioned method, which to be honest is quite a drag.

 

Anyone have an idea what I can do to fix this?

 

 

 

Edit: I might add that I always used to be able to start it up simply by clicking my mouse. Even after turning it off from Windows. Does this mean it's always been in some sort of standby? This could explain the hypothetical battery being empty.

 

Edit2: Besides the regular on/off button on the front, there's also a power button on the back, which has been standing on 99% of the time.

Edited December 3, 2009 by Pope

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Have you checked the BIOS?

Edited December 3, 2009 by Deadly_Nightshade

[Pidesco]

I'd say it's either the power supply or the mobo. So first see if the same issue occurs with a different power supply. If it does, problem solved, you just need a new power supply. If it doesn't, then it's the mobo that's causing the problem. As replacing the mobo sometimes means upgrading the whole system, you might want ride it out until the mobo gives out altogether. When that happens, it's new system time.

[Pope]

Could it be the CMOS battery?

[Guest Slinky]

Edit: I might add that I always used to be able to start it up simply by clicking my mouse. Even after turning it off from Windows. Does this mean it's always been in some sort of standby? This could explain the hypothetical battery being empty.

Yes, that really does sound like your pc has gone to sleep mode every time you "turned it off"

How exactly do you turn your pc off? Do you do anything else than use the turn off-function? There could be some setting wrong in bios, like Deadly_Nightshade suspected.

 

Edit2: Besides the regular on/off button on the front, there's also a power button on the back, which has been standing on 99% of the time.

That's okay, you need to turn that off only when you want to pull the cords out and open the case.

 

Could it be the CMOS battery?

Could be, it's easy to find out. Open the case, remove the battery and get a new one. You can get those pretty much form everywhere. But you really need to find out why your pc goes to sleep every time you turn it off.

[kirottu]

Your PC has cancer. Sorry.

[TheHarlequin]

I'd say it's either the power supply or the mobo. So first see if the same issue occurs with a different power supply. If it does, problem solved, you just need a new power supply. If it doesn't, then it's the mobo that's causing the problem. As replacing the mobo sometimes means upgrading the whole system, you might want ride it out until the mobo gives out altogether. When that happens, it's new system time.

 

Agreed. Its the mobo or PS.

 

Also the cmos batt would -not- give you those probs you are describing.

Edited December 4, 2009 by TheHarlequin