It's nearly 2am.

I've just spent the last 1/2 hour trying to fix my video editing machine.

I was typing away on this machine, configuring mysql, and the video editing machine's monitor went into power saving mode. I assumed the machine had just gone to sleep because I hadn't touched it for a while.

I moved the mouse. It didn't come back.

I looked at the machine. The power light was off. Uh oh.

I tried switching it back on. No go.

I pulled the power cord out, waited a few seconds, put it back in. Switched the machine back on. It came up.

Cool.

Then the machine went off again. Uhh.

I pulled all the disks off the machine, leaving just the mobo. It would run. I hope one of my disks has not died.

I got another PSU, a 300W that I don't really trust. I put it in, it ran for a few seconds, and went off. I tried running it with no disks, it worked.

I could get the machine to run with one 60gb disk attached, but that was all, neither of the 120gbs.

I decided to try running the disks off one psu, and the mobo off another.

I grabbed another psu, a 230W AT supply, I tested each disk one at a time, they ran fine. I put both on, it ran fine.

I put the one disk and the mobo back on the internal supply. It didn't work.

I moved back to the 300W ATX supply, it didn't work.

I moved the other disk, dvdr drive, and fans to the 230W AT supply, and put just the mobo on the 300W supply.

It worked. Somewhat. Windows booted.

I went over to fix the sat box (it runs off the machine with the issues) when I came back, it had locked up.

I forced the power off (4 sec power button) then I tried to boot it up again. No go. 300W wouldn't stay on for more than 1/2 second.

I chucked it. tried using the internal supply running just the mobo, nope.

I went to find another psu. Here's one.. uh oh, it's got crosses all over it. It's here because it's stuffed, and I plan to rat all the parts off it (connectors, fan etc).

Aha! the case from the busted machine (that got dropped) it's got an ATX supply in it.. 235W.

I plugged that in to run the mobo, it worked.

The machine booted. It locked up again. D'oh. I rebooted. It came up, locked up.

This isn't good. One more go. It came up, it stayed up. It's still up.

I wonder how long it will hold.

Next issue.. the monitor keeps doing it's clicky flashy thing.. every few seconds. I think it is going to die very shortly.

Why does everything happen at once?

I need to go and buy a new PSU tomorrow, I'll go to that place down the freeway, it's only an hour out of my day, and I'll get one for like $30 as opposed to $90 if I go to a shop locally.