Re: No Multimeter Available

From: AA Smith (SmithRMS_at_Comcast.net)
Date: 12/31/04 

Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 14:03:28 -0600

Hello, again, Jim;

This problem just gets curioser and curioser. I have double-checked all
wiring connections to the motherboard; all are properly connected, including
the Power Switch connector and the ATX Power supply connection to the ASUS
P3V4X motherboard.

I took your suggestion on getting the RS Multimeter. However, the folks
there were not aware of the How to Use book that you mentioned. So, I
checked Google and found guidelines for testing the 300 watt ATX Power
Supply. With the AC power cord from the wall socket plugged into the ATX
Power Supply, I set the Multimeter to 15 volts DC (the lowest setting
available on this Multimeter. I then used the black probe to probe one of
the black wires in an unused power connector coming from the power supply.
I used the red probe to probe the yellow wire in the power connector. I got
no reading at all. I then used the red probe to probe the red wire socket
on the power connector. Again, I got no reading. Incidentally, I did
install a good AAA battery in the Multimeter before getting started.

According to the guidelines I found on the article, that meant that the
power supply was dead and needed replacement.

So, I replaced it with as 400 watt, unswitched power supply and made all of
the appropriate connections to the motherboard and floppy drive, hard drives
and CD-ROMs

However, the computer still wouldn't start. Absolutely nothing happens
when I press the power button. No beep, no fans whirring, no lights flash.
Nada!

So I used the Multimeter to probe the 400 watt power supply's power
connector's black, yellow, and red wires with the Multimeter set to 15 DCV.
However, the needle did not budge from zero. It produced no reading
whatsoever.

Though it may be the case, I find it hard to believe that both power
supply's are defective.

I shall very greatly appreciate ay further ideas as to what might be keeping
this computer from starting. 

-- 
With kindest regards
*** Smith
"Jim Macklin" <p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm> wrote in message 
news:utz6hyx7EHA.3616@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Don't change the subject line, put the questions and answers
> in the body, please.
>
> PSU do have internal circuit protection, if you're sure the
> wall outlet has power and nothing happens when you press the
> power switch, some failure, perhaps a fuse, broken wire or
> such is the likely problem.
> Do any fans or lights work?  Any beeps?
>
> You can buy a simple tester/meter for the power supply for
> $10-20, it might be a good investment and it can be used to
> check many other things too.  Radio Shack has a nice little
> book on how to use a multimeter Google for "multimeter book
> radio shack" or "how to use a multimeter."
>
>
> "AA Smith" <SmithRMS@Comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:ePhWUIw7EHA.3908@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> | Hello, again, Jim;
> |
> | I forgot to mention that I don't have a multimeter or volt
> meter of any
> | kind.
> | -- 
> | With kindest regards,
> |
> | *** Smith
> | SmithRMS@Comcast.net
> | "Jim Macklin" <p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm> wrote
> in message
> | news:OwoY70v7EHA.3596@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> | > When you unplugged the power cord from the power supply,
> is
> | > it possible you tripped a circuit break, voltage switch
> or a
> | > fuse?
> | >
> | > Are you sure the wall socket is powered,too?
> | >
> | > If you have a multimeter, check the PSU voltages.
> | >
> | >
> | > -- 
> | > The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
> | > But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
> | >
> | >
> | > "AA Smith" <SmithRMS@Comcast.net> wrote in message
> | > news:ePd8bvv7EHA.2452@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> | > |I have built and upgraded quite a number of PCs in the
> IBM
> | > ATX
> | > | architecture.
> | > |
> | > | Today, I moved the internals of a computer that has
> been
> | > successfully
> | > | running Windows XP Pro for 2-1/2 years.  That
> computer's
> | > internals include
> | > | an ASUS P3V4X Motherboard, 3 ATA-100 hard drives (all
> | > controlled by an
> | > | ATA/100 Promise PCI controller,) a CD-RW drive, 3
> CD-ROM
> | > drives, a 3COM NIC,
> | > | a SoundBlaster PCI card, an AGP video card,  and a 3
> 1/2"
> | > floppy drive.
> | > |
> | > | After transferring all internals from my old cabinet
> to a
> | > new one, I powered
> | > | the computer up.  It booted and started WindowsXP Pro
> | > successfully, though
> | > | prior to starting Windows XP Pro, the motherboard boot
> | > process indicated
> | > | that a problem existed with the floppy drive, which I
> | > bypassed by pressing
> | > | F1.  The problem was easy enough to diagnose; somehow
> the
> | > power cable for
> | > | the floppy disk drive had come loose from its
> | > connector/socket.  After WinXP
> | > | Pro finished its startup process successfully, I
> exited
> | > Windows by selecting
> | > | Start |  Power Off | Power Off.  The computer powered
> down
> | > normally.
> | > |
> | > | After disconnecting the power cord from the back of
> the
> | > computer, I replaced
> | > | the power cable on the floppy drive's power connector.
> | > Then, I plugged the
> | > | power cord into the back of the computer and pressed
> the
> | > Power button.
> | > | However, nothing happened.  I checked to be sure that
> the
> | > small wire from
> | > | the Power button was still plugged into the proper
> | > location on the
> | > | motherboard.  It was.  Nevertheless, the computer will
> not
> | > boot up.
> | > |
> | > | For the moment, I'm not sure what's wrong.  I don't
> know
> | > if the 300 Watt
> | > | power supply just happened to become defective at that
> | > time, or if something
> | > | is wrong with the motherboard.
> | > |
> | > | So, I shall greatly appreciate your kind help in
> figuring
> | > out what's wrong.
> | > | -- 
> | > | With kindest regards,
> | > |
> | > | *** Smith
> | > | SmithRMS@Comcast.net
> | > |
> | > |
> | >
> | >
> |
> |
>
>
>