Big problem, my computer won’t boot up and there’s a yellow light on the power button. I using my parents computer.
Both computers are Intel.
Hi…
If you press and hold the power button in for a few seconds, does the yellow light go completely off? If so, will it boot if you repress the button?
May God Bless you!
I did hold the button for a few seconds and the yellow light came off. It still won’t boot when I turned it back on, i also took a sniff and the PC smells all musty. The computer might be overheated.
Hi…
Ok, what happened when you pressed the button the second time? Did the same yellow light come on? It wouldn’t be overheated if you just turned it on after being off for a while. ???
Also, can you provide the hardware specs of your system and the OS you’re using?
Best Regards…
Yes, now I’m opening the computer and finding the source of the problem.
My OS is Windows XP SP3.
Hi…
Let us know what you find. 
Best Regards…
Hi, ardvark. I took a look inside and it appears the fans not spinning. I’ll have to take it to Office Depot tommorow and have a specialist look at it.
God Bless You.
Hi…
May God Bless you as well! I would imagine the fans not spinning is a symptom and not the reason why your system isn’t booting.
I hope they find the problem and that it will be inexpensive to take care of.
Best Regards…
Just a guess, but I would say the power supply is failing.
Hi…
Or possibly the motherboard. 
Best Regards…
If it’s a dell (I unfortunately used to be one of their on-site techs, working for Unisys), then yes, the motherboard could possibly be failing as ardvark has suggested.
Although, it could just be the fan… Simply by pulling out the fan and spinning it with your fingers could let you know if it has seized or not. That’s a simple, cheap fix that anyone can do. No sense in taking it to specialists if that’s the case.
Powersupplies, are usually running or not running. Yeah, I’ve seen where they are starting to fail and cause weird problems, but when a transformer goes, a transformer goes. Doesn’t usually take too long. I’d definitely go the fan / mobo way.
My Computer is a Gateway and it was manufactured by Selectronix in Hazlehurst, GA, USA.
If the mobo is fried, then I will have to wait till next week to have my PC rebuilt or I could get a new cheap one from Walmart. They’re all probably 64-bit with Vista.
Hi…
Actually, no. The last time I was there, about two or three months ago, I saw an e-machine that came with Windows XP. I think it was around $200 or $300.
Best Regards…
Well, they do sell vista machines, they’re rarely 64-bit. They are available though.
As for getting a new motherboard, it will probably have to come from gateway, as they positition the holes in the motherboard to fit their proprietary case.
If you want to spend the least amount of money, I’d suggest buying a new case and a motherboard from a place like http://www.newegg.com and putting all of the guts from your computer into the new case and motherboard.
Don’t know if you have the skills or want to do this though. But at least you’d be able to break away from proprietary hardware, and use anything you want from here on out. Just my $.02.
Hi…
This would depend, in part, on how many devices are onboard as opposed to being provided by separate cards. If it’s the former, it would be better to get a new motherboard from Gateway or just buy a brand new system. 
Best Regards…
I took my PC to NetLine America to have it fixed. I had to pay the $20 deposit fee.
Next time, I’m getting SpeedFan to monitor the CPU temperature.
Hi…
Is this the Netline America you’re referring to?
It may have not been the CPU itself that went out, but rather the motherboard.
Best Regards…
Yes. It’s a short drive from where I’m living.
Edit: I got some info from Wilders Security Forums and they said it might be the PSU.
Here’s the links they gave me.
Sorry for double posting. I just got a call from NetLine America that the PSU is gone and they can’t replace it with a new one, so I have to buy a new processor. My hard drive maybe still good. The question is: Will the new processor be able to read my hard drive from the old one or do I have to reformat and reinstall from scratch?
Or at least add it as a second drive.
Are you sure you understood them correctly? Why can the PSU (power supply unit) not be replaced? PSU’s are generally easy to replace and these days not very expensive … depending on the wattage required such as 400 watt, 500 watt, etc. With today’s equipment requirements, I would not suggest anything less than a 400 watt PSU on even the basic of computers.
The processor (CPU) is a completely different component than the PSU, but, it is possible that the failing PSU could have caused damage to the CPU. When a PSU starts failing (which could sometimes take days or months), the regulated power supplied to the individual components could become less than is required, or more than required, both of which can cause damage.
So, is the CPU (processor) damaged or have you confussed what they said? If the CPU is actually damaged, chances are that parts of the motherboard could also be damaged. It may be time for a new computer.
It’s not so much whether the CPU can read the hard drive or not. It’s more the specifications of the motherboard (mb) used. If the current motherboard is not damaged, then there is no concern. If a new motherboard is required, then be sure the new mb supports your current hard drive … ata, sata, etc.