[BC] A puzzling computer problem

[Danny Ray Boyer]

Bob is entirely correct.  If the power supply in the PC gets clogged with dirt and "fuzz", a lot of them will shut down when it gets too hot internally in the power supply.  

I have two "high dollar" Motorola Vanguard IP router boxes in service that, if the power supply is dirty, will go to the off state during the summer after the air conditioner
temperature in the building gets automatically raised at night.  

When that occurs, the next morning I pull each box of service, take the sides off and use the air compressor throughly on the motherboard and power supply. 

Fixes the problem until the power supplies get dirty again. 

Danny Ray Boyer



I have a Gateway G6-450 computer which is 5+ years old. Recently
it quit working........like one could not even get the green power
indicator light to turn on.   Well at this point I can't do any harm so
let's get adventuresome, open the box and have a look.

While I consider that I have a reasonably clean environment in
which the computer is located,as expected, it did have some dirt
showing but still not filthy bad.

Since it did not have any power at all it must be the power supply !
Now at this point I remember that someone on the broadcast net
recently advised someone else to clean the power supply.  Well
my thanks to you (whoever you are -- wish I could remember) for
this valuable bit of advice.

I did take the power supply out of the computer, also the fan and
shroud, opened the power supply and found it to be not clean but
not exactly filthy either.  Got out the Turbo Vac which is small and 
ideal for working on computers ($2 at a garage sale) and a paint
brush and gave it a good cleaning.  Also cleaned other areas that
showed some dirt.

Put it back together (do remember which screws go where) and
it worked just fine!   Made  me a believer in cleaning the power
supply !!    Good luck with your problem.

Hardest part was getting the computer case back together !

Bob Seaberg -- W3MDM