NetVista will not powerup

[gwlogue]

I've got an IBM NetVista machine that suddenly stopped powering up. There is no response whatsoever to the poweron button. No beep codes or any lights or fans spinning.

I started with the easy solution first and replaced the PSU. No luck.

I have jumpered across the green/black wires on the motherboard connector when it is inserted into the board and both CPU and PSU fans start. Light on the front panel comes on and the CD light flickers on/off but still no video or any other sign of life.

Where do I go from here?

I have disconnected all devices power and ribbon cables (CD, floppy, H/D) and removed the PCI ethernet NIC card.

I would have thought I would at least get a BIOS beep code.

[BipolarBill]

Check the capacitors please.

[Canyon411]

What, if any, sysptoms led up to this? Is it a "daily driver" or a closet case that you are blowing the cobbwebbs out of? Knowing how it was running before the failure would be helpfull towards finding a reason/solution.

[gwlogue]

The capacitors don't look bad.

The system is used a couple of times a week for email and games. This model has a positive ventilation case so it is very clean inside.

After a frustrating day yesterday I gave up, poured myself a stiff drink and left it for the night. When I came back this morning it was humming along like a nice little computer!!

I'm going to try connecting each device one at a time and rebooting to see if/when it fails again.

[gwlogue]

Reconnected/reinstalled all devices, one at a time with reboots in between each and there are no problems, other than the date being wrong.

The system is running fine but I am at a loss to figure out if it was the new PSU or ???? that fixed the problem. I am concerned that the problem may reoccur if it was not the PSU.

[r8500]

Maybe the battery on the motherboard was acting up, and causing it not to boot.

[gwlogue]

Are there any utility programs available to test a battery?

[r8500]

nope, but they are only like $2, so you could just go to the store and buy a new one.

[BipolarBill]

Yup - it costs $29.95.

Kidding!

Just replace it. It's a standard CR2032 watch battery.

[Canyon411]

After you buy bill's battery testing program, I'd like to talk to you about purchasing some Ocean Front Property....

[gwlogue]

In Florida?

[BuildItYourself]

It's in Colorado

Try the Everest system info program in the Best of Tech Support thread. It gives me a voltage reading from the batery.

However, If I were you I would just replace it. $1.29 at my local Frys (when I used to shop there)

[gwlogue]

Ran the latest version of Everest and I don't see any battery numbers.

[gwlogue]

A friends brother who is an engineering type offered that some PSU's are very sophisticated and have fuses that will reset themselves after a while.

[gwlogue]

IT'S DONE IT AGAIN!!!!

I left it sit for a few days then went to power it on and it's dead again!

What is going on?