Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

I really need help with my power switch

Jun 3, 2019 12:23AM PDT

Ok so recently my power button went into my PC and it broke. So I went into the mother board and jumpstarted the power with a screwdriver. I did it but none of my USBs are working and it's not doing the normal thing it would do when I would turn it on. All it does is turn on and nothing else. Could somebody pls help?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Re: power switch
Jun 3, 2019 2:01AM PDT

Probably you either damaged something or some connection is loose.
If you can't find it yourself, and your local tech can't either, the most likely solution is a new motherboard.

- Collapse -
Answer
You omitted a lot of detail.
Jun 3, 2019 8:22AM PDT

As the years pass simple things (cheap too) can cause trouble like the CMOS battery. The power button is frankly, replaceable by a first year tech. All skill levels arrive here so for now let's forget the switch.

How old is this PC? What else can be shared about it?

Does the BIOS show up? If so the USBs could be disabled in the BIOS as the CMOS battery failed to hold settings and all bets are off if the USBs are on or off in the BIOS.

- Collapse -
Reply
Jun 3, 2019 9:07AM PDT

No the bios does not show up. Parts are newish but the case is pretty old. But the computer is more than a couple years old

- Collapse -
That's a GOOD THING!
Jun 3, 2019 9:25AM PDT

Some PCs will, some won't power up and boot when the CMOS battery gets too low. At the shop we buy in bulk so it's a 25 cent part. Some fault us for not getting out the Volt meter but it's more costly to get out the Volt meter than to just flip in a new CR2032 (most common out there.)

So there is hope now. Your choice but the machine details like make, model, what's in it, age of each part and so on are the clues we work with.

With only what's told the cheapest thing it could be is a low battery.

- Collapse -
Reply
Jun 3, 2019 10:42AM PDT

So what your saying is I need to get a new battery (CMOS)?

- Collapse -
Nevermind
Jun 3, 2019 11:15AM PDT

I just jumpstarted it again this morning and it's working. Everything is working perfectly. I just need to get a new power switch ????? thanks for your help

- Collapse -
I can't tell about the battery.
Jun 3, 2019 11:29AM PDT

When they go low you can see the effects you write about happen. As to the switch it's a cheap part. We rarely buy them as we salvage them from old dead PCs. This is not a part we find fail too often.