My computer crapped out

[Hawkeye]

I was at home playing on my computer on Friday when my computer crapped out on me. I'll just tell what happened

I played Age of Empires III, turned it off (the game) and left my computer running. My computer suddenly shuts off by itself. It should be noted it was a little hot on the back of my computer but that doesnt make sense. I left my computer on running weeks at times but nothing like overheating has ever happened. I have 2 fans in my PC. I tried to boot it back up, but it doesnt do anything. I clicked the international "power" button a gazillion of times, but no dice. So i tired replugging everything back in, resetting my power strip. Nothing. Whats funny, is that when my computer does have everything plugged in, including the power cord, I took the cover apart from the PC to look inside, and theres a little green light inside my computer, so it must be getting power, but how come it wont start?

I'm taking it in to the computer guys, but if you could save me the trouble of taking it there and about 2 weeks from getting it back, that would be GREAT.

(im on a different computer btw)

[crono_logical]

Changing the 'international "power" button' = game over for your power supply Unless they're intelligent enough these days to realise you're feeding it the wrong voltage, even temporarily, but I don't know

Assuming you've put it back to the correct voltage, when you try to turn the machine on (power cord in, power switch on the power supply unit switched on if your unit has one - double check this one), does it do anything other than the green light on the motherboard going on and off, eg make any noise, fans start moving even though the screen is dead?

[Hawkeye]

In a sense. When I reconnect my power cord, and then again try to turn on the power button, my computer seems to do a very wierd noise as a "sskkk" sound, but very quickly, and hardly noticable unless your hearing for it. And the fan seems to do little movement, like a little nudge, I think.

And yes, I do have a power switch. I originally thought it was this, but it isnt.

Also, if its relevent or not, I dont know, but the past week, my computer seems to have been getting louder than it has orignially, but that just may be me.

[Endless]

If you have pci/agp/pci-e cards plugged in, try removing them all and powering on, and same with hard disks and cd/dvd drives. I've had that happen to me, and it was caused by a shortage from the network card.

[Hawkeye]

Nope, I determined it was my power suppl.y. It seemed to have enough power to turn the green motherboard light up, but not enough kick to turn on the whole computer. I tested it this morning with a huge power supply or something my computer guy had and that was the problem.

[crono_logical]

I think the weird sound might have been the giveaway in this case then, especially if it came from the PSU itself, like when my one died