Can you please help me. The button that is used to switch the computer on (on the tower thing) has fallen in, and where it should be is just a black hole, and I can't even see it. I am able to switch the computer on after much poking about, but it's very fragile and the slightest knock turns off the computer. Does anyone have any advice how to get it back out and how to prevent it from happening again? Could I just remove the cover? (I don't have any computer experience). Any help much appreciated.

Don't worry, this isn't a major problem, it is easily fixed. You just gotta look on the front of your computer and see where you can slip your fingers/flat-head screwdriver in and pop the cover off. Then find the button (should be on the bottom somewhere if it fell in) and just look at everything carefully and put it on correctly. Then pop the cover back on and we're back in business. As far as prevention, just don't push the button so hard. If you can't complete something I've said here, post again.

Note that you'll sometimes find that the front panel can only be removed after taking the top and sides of the case off - this is usually held in with 2 to 6 small Phillips screws on the back of the tower case.

If, after retrieving the button and putting it back in the whole, it looks like it'll fall out again, then a tiny dab of superglue, such as Araldite or Bostik might help. Or even silicon - that has a certain amount of flexibility so it might be more tolerant on a button that you're going to keep on pressing. Obviously, if you're going to glue your power button, make sure you can still push it in and out to switch on and off .... and that you don't glue up the electrical connectors on the back of it!

FYI

If in doubt consult a qualified electrician.

BTW even though it says 'Power' it's not 240V... unless you mean the 'Power' switch on the rear of the tower - In which case DO contact a sparkie and don't put your finger in it.

PS I'm a qualified electrician.



Yours touting for work <vbeg>

Thank you all for your help, but unfortunately not all is well. We tried to prise the front cover open with fingers and screwdrivers but to no avail. Then we decided to see if removing the side and top panels would help. But we still can't get the front cover off. It looks as if there is something attatched to the cover holding it down. I hope you can help.

Usually a cover is only held on by screws. Scan the whole cover carefully and look for any other screws that may be holding it down and unscrew them. That's all I can think of.

Most cases I've worked with don't use screws on the front cover. Instead, the other option is to use plastic clips. It's kinda hard to explain though.

Unplug and disconnect from the mains. Remove the top and sides of the system case.
Poke your head inside the case and look towards the front of the case, inside. On the edges of the case, can you see any little plastic catches that are moulded onto the plastic front panel? They are shaped so that, from the front, you can push the front panel on, the plastic catches locate into the holes in the metal chassis, then they spring out, into the holes. Then, because the catches have sprung into the holes, the front panel can't be pulled back off. You need to get a screwdriver or something to wedge behind the catch to release it from the hole.

I know that's not going to make a lot of sense when you first read it so print it off so that you can read it a couple more times once your head is inside the PC !

Please also note that the edges of the metal chassis are often sharp so it's sometimes better to use a long screwdriver rather than fingers (personally, I find that fingers are easier but screwdrivers don't bleed !!)

I was talking about getting the case off first then getting the front off, not just the front. Sorry for any confusion.