TSGL: Start-button problem

[Alan Mitchell]

If you've got a UPS between the power and your system and you're turning the
UPS off at night, then you probably have exhausted the battery in the UPS.
But I'm assuming that you don't have a UPS, because if you did, then you'd
not want to listen to the alarms all night when you shut-off the power.

Sounds as if your CMOS battery might be very weak. You might try a test.
Next time, go ahead and pull the power from the box overnight. Then, in the
morning, restore power for about an hour before attempting to boot. If
everything is normal at that point, I'd recommend replacing the CMOS battery
before trying any serious surgery.

Normally a weak CMOS battery doesn't exhibit the significant problems you've
experienced, but I have learned, much to my sorrow, computers are not
logical. What doesn't seem possible is often fact. What shouldn't happen
does in fact happen. So, stranger things than a CMOS battery being the
culprit have happened. And since this is a $2 fix, let's hope it's the
solution. 

-----Original Message-----
From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On
Behalf Of Computerfee
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 4:17 AM
To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List
Subject: Re: TSGL: Start-button problem

Hi there everybody!

tried something else now before trying to get the machine out of its place -
left the power button of the socket on all night, so the computer was
switched off but it was as if the computer plug was in a normal socket,
being able to suck power all the time if it actually should do such when
being switched off. And this morning now it went on without a single bit of
a problem - just pressing the power button once and it did boot with monitor
and all! So what does that mean - battery is empty, or the power supply
actually is the problem?

have a nice day
Heidi

----- Original Message -----
From: "The Computer Whisperer" <justin at whisperer.com.au>
To: "Tech Support Guy Mailing List" <list at tsgserver.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 8:49 AM
Subject: Re: TSGL: Start-button problem


> sounds like a broken power button (seriously)
>
> Time for a transplant to a new case, might as well go for the new power
> supply at the same time.
>
> Justin
>
> 2008/6/17 Computerfee <computer.fee at googlemail.com>:
>
>> Hi there everybody!
>>
>> First time in ages I have a problem with my own computer and right now my
>> hardware guy (my son) has broken is right hand and can't drive, so taking
>> the 1 hour trip by public transport is not possible for him just for fun
>> with his working hours plus doctors visits. My husband is doing the job
>> when >> he has to but he gives up too easily and knows much less than our

>> son.
>> So I  first hope you can help me to find out what can be and what can't.
>>
>> The problem is that the computer does not start every time I want to 
>> start
>> it. To describe this morning which was like most mornings lately but not 
>> all
>> - took me about an hour with several breaks pressing the power button 
>> again
>> and again before at last it worked (yesterday it was working after just 3
>> tries). Now don't think, it is only that the button does not work - at 
>> first
>> nothing happens when I press the button, then something is happening in 
>> the
>> way that you can hear/see a red light in the mouse ticking on and off, 
>> same
>> time the blue light behind the start button does flicker same as some red
>> light somewhere in the computer, next step then after having this go on 
>> for
>> a while the button suddenly usually starts working most times (by now 
>> after
>> pressing it so often for days and days already it sticks quite a 
>> little) -
>> result the computer starts properly (I can see/access it from another
>> computer in the house) but without the graphic card, so the screen stays
>> black and the BIOS tells me about a graphic card problem with a long and 
>> two
>> short beeps. Then going through this start with the beeping a hundred 
>> times
>> suddenly it will start all correct, i.e. the computer starts with the
>> graphic card and I can work.
>>
>> My son insists that the graphic card is loose but I think last time he 
>> did
>> some work on the machine he fixed that old problem with the missing screw

>> at
>> the graphic card and so I tried and found the card was sitting tight, so
>> this I think, can't be the problem. I think it is more likely that 
>> actually
>> the start button is causing the problem, but is it possible that the 
>> start
>> button does leave out the graphic card when starting the entire machine 
>> or
>> is there something else going wrong then? And what will I have to do to
>> repair that strange button, if it actually is what is wrong?
>>
>> Have a nice day
>> Best wishes from sunny Berlin
>> Heidi 


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