somethings broken... help!

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   so my computer every now and again has failed to boot - like powers up but displays no Bios etc. Could turn it off and on again a few times and it would spring to life. However, now it wont work at all.

So i presumed at first it was a GFX issue, swapped it out, no. Then PSU... happened to have a tester which isn't illuminating on the -5v on the 24pin MOBO connector - so could this be the issue? Otherwise all fans are coming on computer wide etc etc.

On a random note - i saw some random forum chat where a bloke had warmed up his computer with a hairdryer which bought it to life again. Thought id give it a bash - and after about a minute it worked!? So i can safely say its a hardware issue where the heat on a capacitor im guessing makes it operate as per normal again? 

So yeah, is the -5v meant to work... and if so, would that be the cause of my issues? Im fedup of power supplies dieing, this will be the 5th since i built this computer - is a Corsair TX850 btw not exactly cheap rubbish either. 

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mk2_ginger_biscuit69 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 03 November 2008 Location: Brighton Status: Offline Points: 7801	Post Options Post Reply Quote mk2_ginger_biscuit69 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: somethings broken... help! Posted: 10 January 2016 at 6:40pm
	so my computer every now and again has failed to boot - like powers up but displays no Bios etc. Could turn it off and on again a few times and it would spring to life. However, now it wont work at all. So i presumed at first it was a GFX issue, swapped it out, no. Then PSU... happened to have a tester which isn't illuminating on the -5v on the 24pin MOBO connector - so could this be the issue? Otherwise all fans are coming on computer wide etc etc. On a random note - i saw some random forum chat where a bloke had warmed up his computer with a hairdryer which bought it to life again. Thought id give it a bash - and after about a minute it worked!? So i can safely say its a hardware issue where the heat on a capacitor im guessing makes it operate as per normal again? So yeah, is the -5v meant to work... and if so, would that be the cause of my issues? Im fedup of power supplies dieing, this will be the 5th since i built this computer - is a Corsair TX850 btw not exactly cheap rubbish either.
	''Remember that the object of a subwoofer is to enhance the output of your main speakers, not overpower it'' ''Dubstep - an elongated electronic fart''

ceharden Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List The 10,000 Points Club Joined: 05 June 2005 Location: Southampton Status: Offline Points: 11776	Post Options Post Reply Quote ceharden Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 January 2016 at 6:47pm
	Sounds like it could be a motherboard issue not your PSU. How old is the mobo, if heating up capacitors makes it work again that suggests you've got some electrolytics which have reached end of life.

mk2_ginger_biscuit69 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 03 November 2008 Location: Brighton Status: Offline Points: 7801	Post Options Post Reply Quote mk2_ginger_biscuit69 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 January 2016 at 7:46pm
	and seems one of the hard drives [just a data drive no programs installed] has disappeared... might well be a mobo issue after all. Age wise not entirely sure, bought it at the same time as the i5 processor so not super old. On a good few hours a day though.
	''Remember that the object of a subwoofer is to enhance the output of your main speakers, not overpower it'' ''Dubstep - an elongated electronic fart''

mini-mad Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 13 July 2012 Location: london Status: Offline Points: 6903	Post Options Post Reply Quote mini-mad Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 January 2016 at 11:36pm
	it will be the regulators on the motherboard and related caps. seen it quite a few times before. changing the caps has cured it more ofen then not but if you not into that... switch out the board for an identical model.
	If it sounds like a gorilla is trying to escape, turn it down.

shagnasty Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 30 July 2007 Location: Guildford, UK Status: Offline Points: 7685	Post Options Post Reply Quote shagnasty Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 January 2016 at 12:12am
	TBH, given your fault, first thing I would do is try another PSU, no science, no diags, this is my goto fix for that fault, 90% effective.... If you really are eating PSUs at that rate, a s/hand online UPS of ebay may be a good bet, I UPS everything these days, especially for events, but at home it sounds like £50 on the bay could save you a mint.... Is the TX850 in warranty?

mini-mad Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 13 July 2012 Location: london Status: Offline Points: 6903	Post Options Post Reply Quote mini-mad Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 January 2016 at 4:34am
	agreed. a new psu solves a fair few instability problems but if you have to "warm it up" to get it going you will end up killing the new psu too and still have to replace the mother board. i found more often then not it happened on intel boards rather than AMD boards.
	If it sounds like a gorilla is trying to escape, turn it down.