i think i just killed my computer....(hardware)

[leova]

howdy....i recently bought a new computer, as well as a new DVD drive...i figured that i should try installing it myself, as opposed to going to a BestBuy-type store, since they charge way too much....bad idea, as you've alreay guessed

the instructions said to remove the front case section, so i could insert the Drive and whatnot....but apparently, i accidentally separated the Power and the LED cables going from PC --> Case....the LED light i can live without, but the problem lies in the Power cable(the small yellowish thing...a small piece of gold-colored material fell off of it, and it severed from the Case....any ideas on how to fix this? (i tried powering on the PC anyway, it doesnt work)

is my computer completely f***ed, or can somebody fix it.....thanks, i really appreciate any help you can give me!(since i spent good $$ on it, i dont want it to be finished before it even got started )

thanks!

[fourthbean]

(Quote)but the problem lies in the Power cable(the small yellowish thing...a small piece of gold-colored material fell off of it, and it severed from the Case....any ideas on how to fix this? (i tried powering on the PC anyway, it doesnt work(quote)

Are you talking about the power switch that you push to turn the pc on?

[leova]

yes and no...the power switch/button to turn on the PC doesnt work...i think(am pretty sure) that i split the wiring from IT to the CASE...er, not split, but disconnected/broke

[leova]

er, the thing that broke is inside...the way it should look, from what i can tell, is a wire runs from the PC to the Case, and attaches "inside/behind" the case to a small section, it looks yellowish.....shaped like:
| |
| |
| |
| |
the wire broke off from this little section, so the Power Switch now does nothing(it has nowhere to send the signal)....and i htink i may have broken the switch itself(whatever that small flakey metal thing that fell off was, i made sure to save it, just in case its important...)

[fourthbean]

To turn on a computer a power switch shorts or connects two pins on the motherboard. So if you find where the wires go to on the motherboard you can short those 2 pins and the computer will turn on if there is not anything else wrong with the computer. You can use any momentary switch from radio shack or other store to replace the one that broke or if it was just a wire that severed then mabey you can put it back together.

Hope this was helpfull, if you have any more questions please ask,
Fourthbean

[rrcn]

Do you mean the power switch headers are what fell off? The headers are small pins that protrude form the motherboard and the cable from the led/power switch/reset switch connect to it via a small black connector. Is this what you are talking about?

[leova]

perhaps....essentially, the section where the wires connect to the case(not the CPU/Motherboard itself, just the outside case part), is broken...would radio shack be able to fix something like that? if not, how much would you guess it would cost at a BestBuy or something?

[leova]

im gonna see if i can't take some pics of it and link you guys to them....grrr, this is really annoying me. i hope my PC isnt permanently messed up from some crappy little power switch...

[dannychuckle]

All the power button does is connect those two wires when you push it in. If you touch those wires together briefly the computer should start. You just need a swich that does that so yeah - radio shack will stock them. The existing one is probably fine though if you solder the wires back on.

[jrsweger]

Better bite the bullet and let someone a bit more qualified fix it! Do you know anyone who is an amateur radio operator (ham)? They'll at least have an understanding of whats going on. Don't trust Radio Shack to fix it. There are a few computer repair shops around where I live, maybe there are where you live too. Look in the phonebook.

[pphalan]

leova you have a minor problem post a pix

[leova]

woah...im not about to solder anything, i dont wanna melt the thing(thanks for the idea though)
no pics, i cant find the USB cord to connect my camera to the PC.....geez, what a crappy day
danny: what does that little gold flaky thing do? its shaped, when viewed from the side, like:

/ \

and from top, each " / " and " \ " is squarish, with a square hole in the middle....so imagine two square O's, connected diagonally, like pictured above

[pphalan]

some body you know should be able to fix this it is a very minor problem dont worry you havent lost your computer

[leova]

pphalan: i dont suppose you could? im located in Annandale/Fairfax, VA...not too far from woodbridge, if im not mistaken, correct?

[pphalan]

Yes I can how do you want to meet pphalan@yahoo.com[/email]

[leova]

do you have AIM? if so, you can IM me at leovaeg
ill also email you....

[jrsweger]

This almost sounds like the drive select jumper on the back.????? Look at the back of the drive next to the power connector, there are 8 pins. Does there appear to be a jumper on any of them?

[leova]

its not the drive select, its defintely the CASE <----> PC power cable/line/switch...
pphalan, what about YIM?(since i see you have a yahoo account...)

[pphalan]

Just got back I have win messenger but have never used it

[leova]

k....ill pass along one of my many AIM accounts to you......via PM, with username and pass, you can just IM me then with it(www.aim.com , you dont need to dl/install anything)