My old PC hasn't been working for a while and I'm trying to fix it now. I'll plug it in then press the power button and the light comes on for about half a second and then shuts off. It's a Comp USA brand, the model number is CPCHS and it was made in 1999. I don't know if this means anything, but I hooked it up to my current PC via USB cable and the lights went on, but I don't think it powered up the PC. I want to know what's wrong and if it's something I can fix myself. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Most likely either power supply or motherboard. try new power supply first, thats usually the case.

Hope this helps

I would guess your battery needs to be replaced.

Oh I kinda skipped the USB lights coming on...are they staying on? Either way, try another powersupply first. If the USB lights are staying on but the computer does not boot, that can be the motherboard. If its the motherboard, just trash it, its way too old.

Also look for the power supply on sale, around $29.99 or even check out cases, gthey can be on sale and just yank the power supply from there.

Again, hope this helps.

battery??? You talking CMOS battery?? Would not cause a problem like this.. it would still boot just resets the standard settings, like clock back to like 1990, etc. But system would still boot.

Battery =). you said cmos battery =)

I have had that problem before turn out to be a failing power supply.

Some power supplys have a test on them in which to press a button and if the light comes on it works if not it doesnt... does yours do this?

If it isnt the powersupply, it is the mother board as sumthingdifferent suggested

that's a power supply issue.my comp did the same thing after it blew one PS,i ordered another one that had more Watts and it's working fine now.

What sucks with powersupplys that most companies (Hp, compaq, dell) offer are way too low, like around 200-300 watts. Most high end video cards nowadays recommend 500-600. So updateing a powersupply is actually a good investment, as i did.

NO don't go cheap with a power supply I would guess the guys that already responded don't fix computers everyday... Battery?!?! the only battery in a computer is for saving the cmos memory... if your gonna buy a power supply buy an "Antec - True power" i don't trust anything else and they have never ever failed me... ok my rant is over lol... to me there is a big difference between being cheap and finding a good deal... oh and there are NO lights on USB ports and you don't have to replace the whole case if the power supply is shot... just replace the power supply itself... hope this helps

yeah mine is a Compaq and it came with only a 230 Watt PS,the PS i have now is 480 Watt

I love the Bios battery fix to eliminate the passwords, it make me feel like i can hack computers =)..


Who said anything about going cheap on powersupplies?

I got i believe a 600 in mine. GRanted my vid card recomends only 400 or somthing but its good in case i plan on upgrading. But Atm i can play supremem commander on pretty high settings with no lag... I thank Pentium D for this 3.4X2 ha!

Ur computer is from 1999 thats the problem Any attempt to fix it isnt worth it at all. It will cost more to guess and fix parts of it then buy a solid computer. U can grab one for 150 thats better then a 1999 computer. These days its just not worth the trouble to try to fix that for the cost of a good inexpensive computer thats faster then one from 1999

OK...I get it...I said battery, but you all know what I meant!

ahh somthing this is the case, you can find older parts on ebay rather cheap, buying anything old from a company is i agree expensive, just have to find other sources..

do we?

For a computer worth maybe 50.00? Maybe you didn't actually read what it was?

It is a P3 450. And your recomendation is a Antec True Power, worth 50.00 retail?

Just in case you think I'm another who has no experience...I've got a long history of computer service & repair, hardware developement, design and enginering.

My recommendation is to find a used power supply somewhere, costing less then 10 bucks. I've got 2 or 3 I'd just give him, if he showed up at my door. The computer in its very nature at 9 years old is a short timer.. if it runs on a old used power supply, great! Run it into the ground.. If not? No great loss.


Well.. Battery means battery where I come from.

Ummm please keep in mind, this guy said this computer was like from 1999!! So WHY would he want to invest into a $160 power supply for a computer that is worth $75???

I'm not "dissing" anyone here, but I have been working with these POS's for 17+ years. So I may be crap for picking out a wife, but I KNOW my computer chit!!!

So nah, get the CHEAP power supply, even one out of an old computer sitiing around at a friends house, etc. If this guy was playing the big online games and using the $600 video card with its own power source, then yes, definitely spend the bucks. But this guy probably just wants to type some letters and surf the internet..so cheap or free is the best way to go..or just spend the money get a new machine..they are cheap as hell anymore.

Just a suggestion from a LONG TIME PROFESSIONAL in the field. LOL

try viagra or cialis?

ok, there is a couple of things you should try, is there anything being grounded out on the motherboard?

if not i am confident its the power supply?

to make absolutly sure, you should see a green light on the motherboard somewhere to indicate that its receiving power. if not you know it is the power supply.