[SOLVED] Cooler Master Case Does Not Power On

[techquestions22]

Dear Experts,

I have a Cooler Master case: HAF 932
with, what has been a working computer inside.

Lately, it won't boot.

When I unplug, or turn off, the power supply,
lights on the motherboard extinguish.

When I turn the power back on, the
green lights come back. So, I
think the power supply is still good.


When I hit the power switch, the
computer does not boot at all
not even to the BIOS.
And the fans do not turn, as they
always did.

...

Sometimes, after
turning off the power, then
turning it on again, then
hitting the power switch

I will see
a light flash in the case
the top fan turn 1/8th of a turn

Then the fan stops and the light extinguishes



---

This is different from what I've seen
in the past, when power supplies fail.

Then, there were no lights at all on the motherboard


---

One of my ideas is that the cause is a
failed power switch. It's been
turned on and off for over 10 years now.


If the power switch is the problem:

How does one test the switch?

Is a replacement switch available?

How to access the switch to replace it?


----

Another idea.

There is some kind of short somewhere.

But how to know, or test for that?


----


Any other ideas?

What do you think is the cause and
solution to this problem?


Thanks

 

[refillable]

Did something happen before it starts to not work? Maybe a power surge or something?

 

[techquestions22]

No

 

[Shektron]

Easy way to test the power switch. You need to find the front panel connectors on the motherboard, then unplug the two pins that are labelled power switch or something similar (not power led or reset switch). Then, use a screwdriver to short the two pins into which this connector was plugged in. If the PC powers up, it's a faulty power switch. Otherwise, it's something else.

 

[techquestions22]

Great.

There are a whole bunch of wires to the
front panel. Headphones, microphone, firewire,
USB, power.


Is there a standard color scheme for the
two power wires?

Thanks!

 

[Shektron]

Great.

There are a whole bunch of wires to the
front panel. Headphones, microphone, firewire,
USB, power.


Is there a standard color scheme for the
two power wires?

Thanks!

Best you can do is look at motherboard manual, it will have a diagram showing which wire goes where. You haven't told us the mobo model so we can't do it for you.

 

[techquestions22]

120 volt residential wiring color standards are:

white
black
green or no insulation at all for ground

Computer industry has standards for USB,
sata, molex, network cables, etc


Do computer cases have a
standard for power on/off switches?

If so, what are the colors?

Thanks

 

[King_V]

I am unaware of any such standard for the power on/off wires. You'll need to look at the MB diagram. It's possible the connectors at the end of the wires might say Power SW, or PW SW, or something similar on them.

They might also be two individual one-wire connectors, or a single two-wire connector.

 

[techquestions22]

Turns out that the power supply was bad.

I replaced it and got to the BIOS

Just in case any other poor soul has
the same symptoms or problems