When Your Computer Fails: A PhD Student’s Urgent Dilemma

Update: Problem Solved!

A huge thank you to the incredible community for your insightful suggestions—it’s amazing how collective knowledge can lead to solutions! We finally identified the culprit behind my computer’s failure to turn on: the power supply unit (PSU). By swapping it out with an older PSU we had available, we noticed an immediate change: the fans started spinning continuously, in stark contrast to the previous PSU that only flickered momentarily.

Interestingly, I discovered that it’s perfectly acceptable to use a PSU with a higher wattage; we initially had a 500-watt unit, but the one we tested was only 350 watts. This discovery prompted us to purchase a new 650-watt PSU, and now the computer is operational again. I’m back to conducting my experiments today, much to my relief!

However, I should mention that while many of your comments were exceedingly helpful, some did miss the mark—such as the advice on backing up data or retrieving information from a non-functional system. At that moment, the priority was simply getting the computer up and running again.

The Initial Trouble

To give you some context, my Windows-based computer has been a reliable workhorse for the last five to ten years, running crucial software for our laboratory equipment. Somewhere between the previous evening and that bleak morning, it shut down unexpectedly—and, despite our best efforts, it refused to power back on. Notably, there were no signs of a power interruption.

Our troubleshooting steps included changing power cables, trying various outlets, toggling the power button at the back of the unit, and even a lengthy reset attempt. Each time, the front power/reset button produced a fleeting flicker of an orange light, but that was all she wrote. When the computer is functioning properly, that light remains consistently illuminated.

For anyone curious, I lacked specific details about the model due to the absence of serial numbers or brand identifiers. However, I did manage to snap a few photos to illustrate the project—a testament to the somewhat chaotic state of our electronics rack. You can check out the images here.

Conclusion

This experience was quite a journey, reminding me of the importance of community and collaboration in addressing technical difficulties. To my fellow researchers and students: always be prepared for the unexpected, and don’t hesitate to reach out