Computer hardware issue

[elwesso]

this computer is for my family's business..  We use it as the
computer for the parts department, so very basic stuff like running our
dealership parts book, ordering things online, etc etc..
 
Last fall the parts guy kind of went out on a whim and bought a HP
pavilion M8047C, "remanufactured"..  I was not impressed with the
purchase, but we rolled with it anyway..  It is one of those "media center
PC's", that has inputs for coax cable, all kinds of video in/outs, etc,
which 90% of those features are useless for the parts department..
 
The computer had been working well up until late last week, where we
noticed that the display had streaks running down the center of the
screen..  When I tried messing with it, I restarted it and it said the
"CPU fan malfunctioning", and the PC would shut itself off after
displaying that message for 5 seconds..
 
I figured the video card was bad, and I opened up the computer and saw
that the fan was for sure bad..  So yesterday I went and picked up a new
video card and fan..  The video card was definitely bad, because the
display is now fixed, and the message for the fan went away..
 
When I go to start the computer, everything seems normal but then maybe
half way into the startup process, the PC just shuts off..  It shows the
regular Windows 7 startup screen, but midway through that it will just
turn off..  When you go to turn it back on, it does the exact same thing..
 
For some reason, they leave the computer on all the time, which I
generally think is unnecessary.  This sits in an office which sometimes
gets cold and occasionally sees a bit of humidity, although the computer
sits on top of a desk..
 
I am thinking that maybe a bad motherboard, which would basically make the
computer junk..
 

[hitbychance]

do you have another hard drive from another computer that you could plug in to this pc to see if it does the same thing? One from another computer that has windows installed?

[frapjap]

It sounds like a busted power supply, especially because the fan failed too.
Symptoms are also similar to when I had one croak.

[Jesda]

I agree with power supply. New video cards are power pigs, and a lot of factory-built PCs have just enough power capacity for what originally came with the system.

I assume this is a normal minitower and not some weird slimline thing?

[elwesso]

Thanks for the replies. Yes is a normal tower. I have another computer so I'll see if the power supply is adequate

[MinisterofDOOM]

It sounds like a busted power supply, especially because the fan failed too.
Symptoms are also similar to when I had one croak.

Definitely my first thought as well.

[elwesso]

Thanks for the replies. Yes is a normal tower. I have another computer so I'll see if the power supply is adequate

[Dattebayo]

When you get a new power supply, make sure not to get the really cheap ones. Those, in my experience, only last a year or so.