Power Supply? iPod? Motherboard? help

About 3 months ago, I came upstairs one morning to find my computer off (I had left it on, which I usually do) and it would not come back on. My friend suggested it might be the power supply, so I bought a new one and my computer went back to normal. Yesterday I bought an iPod Nano and had it connected to the computer through one of the front USB ports of my computer. When I came upstairs this morning, once again I find the computer off and I can't turn it back on. I turned off the switch on the back (on the power supply) and left it for a few hours, came back and switched it on, pushed the front power button, and my computer started. I used it for about 5 minutes, inserted a cd into the disk drive, and it died again.

Last time when this happened, I couldn't get it back on at all, and when I pressed the power button on the front, nothing happened. This time when I press the power button it occassionally flashes blue (it's an HP and turns blue when on) and then nothing.

Is it possible there was a problem with the USB port which caused this to happen? I had been using it all day with no problem until overnight. The iPod was not plugged in when it shut off for the second time this morning after the 5 minutes of functioning. I was also told that it could be the motherboard. The computer smells normal, or so I'm told, so it doesn't seem that the drive was fried. Any ideas before I take it in for diagnosis?

 

I have heard of short circuiting in USB devices but that is kinda rare, I am thinking it is a motherboard problem, how old is your hp and what model?

 

I've had it since 01/04 is all (bought new), and it's model a420n.

 

ah, too bad it is out of waranty. have a look at your motherboard, are the capacitors leaking like the caps in this pic? the tops should be flat. also are all your fans spinning. and does the mobo make any strange beeps?It would also be a help if you could download everest and post a report here, do the report after running some games or demanding programs so I can see if it is overheating.
http://majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181
http://www.lemis.com/grog/Photos/20030917/small/echunga-capacitors.jpeg

 

The caps look perfect. No, the fans aren't spinning. There is no power at all, so nothing is doing anything. I can't download anything or run any reports because the computer won't turn on.

My friend took out my power supply earlier and I just plugged it in (while not attached to the computer) and turned it on. I heard a high-pitched whine when it was on. Other than that, there are/have been no sounds whatsoever, again, because I can't seem to get it to power up at all.

 

sounds like a power supply problem, what psu did you get anyway? It sounds like maybe the ipod is short circuiting and causing damge to the psu, it seems unlikely though but just a thought.

 

I don't know what I got...my friend called the computer shop and I just picked it up. I know it was 400 W ATX. Other than that info, I am clueless...I'm not that knowledgable on the inner workings of computers.

So do you recommend taking it to the shop or just trying another power supply?

 

I would try another power supply, and there should be a lable on it with all the info. buy a psu from a place liek frys where youc an return it, if that doesn't solve your problem then you probably should take it in for repair.