Computer Won't Boot Up.

[johnsmith222]

Hi.

I have been having trouble with my computer recently where it won't boot up when I turn it on. Firstly, it is definately not the monitor (i bought a new one because I thought my old CRT was playing up).

It is definately a problem with either the base unit or software.

When I turn on my pc, everything in the base unit appears to power up, but it doesn't seem like it's making any attempt at booting up. By that normally You hear different noises (probably coming from the hard drive) when it boots, but instead you can hear all the fans and the likes but no changes in noise.

The keyboard USB keyboard doesn't go on (by that I mean I can't get any of the "lock" LED's to light up, when they should light up normally when the computer is starting up.

The light on the mouse comes on though.

The screen doesn't recieve any input from the base unit so it acts as if the base unit hasn't been turned on.

I am using the computer just now, as it'll randomally decide to work. For example, I could sit there turning the thing on and off 50 times and have it not boot up properly, or the next day I may be able to get it to boot up the first time I press the button. It seems quite random when it boots up or not. For now the computer is staying on until I can figure this out and sort it so I'll be able to read replys to this thread.

Also, I don't know if this is linked, but this has just started happening where this comes up when looking through folders in "my documents". It never used to do this.

https://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a324/david_m213/documentviewer.jpg?t=1271727718

I can always format the hard drive and hope that sorts it out. Tbh, I hope it's a software issue rather than a hardware one.

Does anyone have any ideas on what to do?

Thanks for any help.

[Alexio]

I would back up if I were you.

It doesn't sound like a software issue, but it does sound like your software or contents of your RAM has started to become corrupt because of the hardware. (A lack of file association indicates registry problem).

Not booting like that suggests an issue with your RAM or something on the motherboard.

I'd open open her up and if you have more than one stick of RAM, remove all power to the computer (and discharge the PSU by turning the computer on even once unplugged) and then take one out at a time and try to fire her up.

It could be a PSU issue of course too.
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[chrisw]

[chris-red]

Is it beeping at all on start up? if so decribe the pattern of beeps (it should be like a short burst of morse code)
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[johnsmith222]

hi guys.

Lets forget about about the file picture thing, it's the least of my worries.

I decided it'd be a good idea to give it a shot at shutting down, and see if I could get it sorted. It was unsuccessful and I haven't been able to get the computer back on again.

i removed all the PCI cards and the ram sticks but have not had any success. I also removed the CMOS battery for a good 10 minutes and replaced it and attempted to start up again.

Unfortunately I didn't have much luck. I did manage to get into the bios setup after a couple of restarts and checked all the settings in there and they seemed fine. Turned off and turned back on and still no luck.

I removed the CMOS battery again to attempt to get the bios screen up again (it's better than a blank screen) but have had no luck since. I've turned it on and off a good 50 times since but still no luck.

I'm sure it should POST without any RAM sticks in but should beep. I've not heard any beeps, but I'm not sure if there is a speaker connected to the MOBO.

After removing as much components as I can, I'm thinking it's either the CPU or the MOBO.

I'm thinking it's probably the motherboard or the CPU. The other two possibilities are the PSU and the hard drive, but I don't think so as the PSU seems to be powering everything up fine. Also, I inserted a windows 98 CD to see if I can get something up as it boots from the CD drive first then the hard drive. No luck though.

I'm thinking it's probably the motherboard.

my question is, if it is a hardware issue, should I put money into attempting to sort it, or should I just buy a new base unit. My bet is it's the motherboard, but I guess if that's gone then the ram could have gone also.

Thanks for any help. I'll be able to read replies using my sister's laptop.

[panrider_uk]

The easiest component to rule out is the PSU if you can borrow one from another system.

Mark
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[johnsmith222]

[Tarmacsurfer]

I'd go with what panrider_uk said, it could well be a duff rail in the PSU going on the symptoms you're describing. Bear in mind though that's not always easy to diagnose when looking at a faulty box, let alone when reading about one. Before spending a few hundred on new board, chip and RAM buy a cheap PSU (something you'll probably use in a new build anyway) and see if it works.

THIS place does an unbranded 500w PSU with a 120mm fan for about £20 including delivery.
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[SoND]

A faulty processor can stop POST. If there is definately power going to the board I'd leave the PSU for now.

Try something like prime95 or Intel Burn Test on small FFTs to stress the processor and watch if it fails. Monitor your temps with speedfan or something similar while it runs. Burn test is quicker but a lot hotter.

It could fail in a minute or after a few hours but if it fails at stock clock speeds then it needs replaced.
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[johnsmith222]

The board is definately getting power as all the fans are spinning when it is turned on even when I can't get it working.

I am going to do the cpu test as you said, but I don't really know much, if anything about tempertures of CPU's.

I have an AMD athlon 64 dual core 4200+ that hasn't been overclocked. The fan is whatever standard one HP put on it.

At what temperture should I start becoming concerned and stop testing?

Also, how long would you run the test for to confirm it isn't the CPU?

thanks a lot for your help!

[Tarmacsurfer]

If it was a new build then maybe, but to have gone from working to not working then I'd say it's fairly unlikely to be the chip, plus most boards will give an error on a CPU initialisation problem. Seeing as it's intermittently booting and there's no post at all (more usually a board problem than chip) then in all probability it's down to a tired start circuit in the PSU or a faulty rail.

The only way I can think of that a CPU would give a post fail to the extent of zero notification is a thermal problem resulting in a forced shutdown, not hanging the system with the fans going.
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[johnsmith222]

The computer is 3.5 years old and it has been running reliably up until the past couple of weeks when it started doing this. It has been sitting in the corner of the room so it may have overheated, but I don't really think it will have.

I have never bought a PSU before, and although I should be able to fit one, is there anything I need to find out before I buy one.

The one in there says 300w max. I believe it has two block connectors attached to the motherboard, one long one with many wires near the cmos battery, another has 4 wires in a square shape attached near the CPU.

There's a white block attached to the dvd drive, and there's a black block that says something like "foxcono" on it that goes into the harddrive.

There may be more connections than that behind a metal surround that was for an external hard drive, but as the computer is on I can't exactly stick my hand in and fish about.

There are also a lot of unused blocks that say "p#" the # represents a number.

I take it the connectors are standard for every PSU?

Thanks for any help.

[SoND]

Yeah the connectors are standard.

20 passes with burn test is popular, if it doesn't throw up an error your chip is probably quite stable.

prime95 will take a long time 12+ hours before you can really call it stable.

For those chips I think the max temp is around 70ºC
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[neil.]

Look closely at the electrolytic capacitors on your motherboard/cards. Are they bulging or is there stuff leaking out? Also happens in the PSU.

https://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=5
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