"Dan" <makundi@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163343705.798542.87710@m73g2000cwd.googlegro ups.com...
> The box I use at home is a Pentium II Compaq full tower (built like a
> tank and weighs like one).
> Outdated as it is, it runs fine with Windows 2000 pro SP4, with all
> programs such as Nero 6, Firefox 2 etc.
>
> It recently began this problem of every now and then not turning on
> when the ON button is pressed. However, sometimes it would turn on
> several minutes afterwards. I'd been suspecting something wrong with
> power supply all along.
>
> A couple of days ago it turned on after a long delay (one hour or so
> after I'd pushed the ON button. But no memory check, no booting,
> nothing. The monitor was not receiving any signal. Plus, the POWER ON
> indicator was blinking (2 seconds on - 2 seconds off -2 seconds on
> etc).
> I turned it off. Now whenever I turn it on, it comes on (fans running,
> LEDs on but that's all: no booting. It seems power reaches the devices
> (I tried ejecting CD, it responds fine).
>
> Could it means I've lost the power supply? strange, considering that
> the system powers up convincingly, with all fans (Processor and Power
> Supply) running and LEDs lighting up.
>
> Anyone came across this? please assist.
>

I'd agree with you that it's the PS. The PS supplies different voltages
through the mb; and although you may have minimum necessary voltage and
current to peripherals the necessary voltage to parts on the mb may be
insufficient. The way to be sure of this is to use a voltmeter and check the
voltages from the PS while the PS is under a load; perhaps just attaching it
to an old hard drive while reading those voltages that you should have.
Most likely what has been happening is that there is a leaky capaciter
not charging for necessary voltage. The more you tried it in its early
stages the more the cap heated and expanded to stop the leak and build the
voltage, but as time continued the leak just kept getting bigger and at this
point it's leaking more than the heat variable can hold the electrolyte to
supply the voltage.
See if you can substitute another PS before you immediately run out to
replace yours. It's possible that that the one Compaq supplied is
propriatory and a generic one will not have the correct connectors. If
that's the case it becomes questionable if the price it will cost for the
replacement is worth it to keep your system running for another year before
you decide to replace the whole rig.

--
Jan Alter
bearpuf@verizon.net
or
jalter@phila.k12.pa.us