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Won't Boot

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by roy66, 2003/08/16.

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  1. 2003/08/16
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Having difficulty loging on. XP proffesional

    Freakishly I did get on once and restored settings with sys restore but it didn't overcome the problem.

    What I need to know is that once I get logged on if I can somehow get into my BIOS setup- without rebooting??

    Thanks
    roy66
     
    Last edited: 2003/08/17
    roy66,
    #1
  2. 2003/08/16
    Paul

    Paul Inactive

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    "What I need to know is that once I get logged on if I can somehow get into my BIOS setup- without rebooting?? "

    Nope!
     
    Paul,
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  4. 2003/08/17
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    THANKS PAUL.

    OK.that outa the way the current story is this.

    I have been trying to help my 13yr grandson get his computer up and running and he had problems with password confusion/forgetfulness.
    We got through that up and got up and running then left for lunch.
    On our return the screen and cursor had frozen and when we tried to reboot...NOTHING...in fact it wouldn't respond to alt/cntrl/dlte nor the on/off button.

    I brought his system home with me to see what !!! "we "!!! could do to get it up again.
    He's running XP Pro.

    Strangely enough it just won't boot???????

    roy66
     
    Last edited: 2003/08/17
    roy66,
    #3
  5. 2003/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Roy66,

    This sounds like a serious hardware problem :(

    Run us through exactly what the situation is :

    Power up computer - does the power light come on on the case?
    Does the hard drive light come on at all?
    Does it attempt to boot and if so where does it stop or is the system completely dead?

    I'm in the UK, you're in Oz so we are at the opposite ends of the daylight scale and I am out most of today.

    One thing worth trying - open up the case and check all connections - unplug and replug all connectors - check all boards for seating in their slots and the same with the memory modules - leave the CPU alone.

    Post back and we'll see where to go tonight.
     
    PeteC,
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  6. 2003/08/17
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    PeteC,

    The initial logon problem was an Administrator password issue on bootup, which would I assume relate to BIOS boot settings.....we eventually came up with the correct password which finished the boot process and from there we started to setup the modem for ISP but cancelled that until parents approval, so we finished up with the desktop screen and went to lunch..came back and it was frozen.
    Since then no response to any attempts.
    I have connected his Monitor, keyboard and mouse to my PC to test each and all have come up OK.

    When I connect power to HIS PC the on/off light and reset light
    come on, the lights of the DVD and CDRW blink a few times and keyboard Num lock, Caps lock, Scroll lock all light up briefly.

    I have followed your advice "One thing worth trying" and even removed the modem...just in case.

    Up until the forgotten password issue no problems....once we rememberd the correct password we booted on and off a couple of times..OK...then this mad mystery.
    This PC has not been connected to the internet at all with this XP installation some six months ago.

    I am on the verge of removing the H/D and putting it in the freezer for a while if NOTHING ELSE works.

    Pressing the reset button only causes the alternate blinking of the the DVD and CDRW nothing else and NOTHING comes up on the monitor......so it seems that it is not entering into any phase of the boot mode.
    I have to pull the plug to power off as it won't respond to the button.

    Over but not out....YET
    roy66
     
    roy66,
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  7. 2003/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Roy66,

    The Administrator password is a function of XP - it is nothing to do with the password that can be set in BIOS, but rarely is except maybe in commercial applications. An Administrator password would have been entered when XP was installed - although this may not be absolutely necessary.

    If I understand you correctly the hard drive light is not showing at any stage of an attempted boot? Are there any beeps from the m/c on attempted boot up?

    There is a strong possibility that the the hard drive has failed, but it could be the power supply to it - or a mobo problem. Switch the power supply plugs of the HD and DVD or CD-RW and see what happens. If the DVD or CD-RW light still flashes then the power supply to the HD was OK and the hard drive looks to be the problem. If DVD or CD-RW light does not come on, but the hard drive light does and the PC boots, the problem lies in one of the feeds from the power supply. In this case a new power supply will solve the problem.

    I think the modem issue is pure coincidence.
     
    PeteC,
    #6
  8. 2003/08/17
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    "f I understand you correctly the hard drive light is not showing at any stage of an attempted boot? Are there any beeps from the m/c on attempted boot up? "

    ???Where is the HD light???........DVD,CDRW,Floppy,Power,Reset. five in all. The floppy light does not come on at all..with or without floppy inserted.
    HD???????????? light?????
    The only beep (very faint) is when I actually put the power cord in the back of the PC.

    Have switched power supplies...everything remains the same p/s ok.
    Reset light on/off when pressed..ok.
    No floppy light ????

    ALSO, shouldn't the PC bootup even without the HD connected once the system has been operating. Granted you might not be able to access programs but shouldn't it boot regardless??.
     
    Last edited: 2003/08/17
    roy66,
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  9. 2003/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    That's difficult to say - all PC cases are not the same, but I have yet to come across one without a HD light. It may be that the light you refer to as Reset is in fact the HD light. Reset is usually just a button. Possible, but unlikely, that the HD light is not connected to the mobo.

    Take a look at your PC when it boots up - HD light will flash or stay constant for a while - this is when the HD is actually reading/writing. Floppy drive light will only come on briefly at boot up as system finds the floppy drive (same with DVD and CR-RW drives). Floppy light will also come on when it is reading/writing a floppy disk. When the PC is used the HD light will flash whenever there is a read/write to the disk.

    The PC will not boot without the HD connected - the operating system for the computer is on the HD - pre Windows there was only DOS - Disk Operating System installed on the HD. When Windows appeared it was 'only' a GUI - Graphic User Interface which sat on top of DOS. XP has no DOS although it incorporates a DOS emulator.

    The BIOS - Basic Input/Output System - is a set of routines that affect how the computer transfers data between computer components such as memory, disks and the display adaptor. The BIOS instructions are built into the computer's read only memory and the parameters can be configured by the user through the BIOS setup program.

    It seems like the BIOS is detecting the DVD and CD-RW drives, but is not seeing the HD.

    Try the freezer treatment - it may help.

    Alternatively plug the drive into your m/c as a slave and see if it is recognised. If not I guess the drive is dead.
     
    PeteC,
    #8
  10. 2003/08/17
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I am running my PC as a dual boot XP Home and Win 98 therefore am a little reluctant to load my grandsons HD into mine for testing of his HD.

    Alternatively I could put my XP Home into his PC and see what happens.

    Are these safe options??

    roy66
     
    roy66,
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  11. 2003/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Best advice is .... ignore my suggestion re. moving the HD across - one dead PC is enough - and leave your XP Home where it is.

    Looks like the freezer treatment.

    BTW - Any friends with an old HD in the attic?- they seem to breed in mine :) 0r any local shop which might check it out for you?
     
    PeteC,
    #10
  12. 2003/08/17
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Checked this HD on my other PC. HD was recognised.
    Hooked up my other PC HD to this one...nothing.
    Have to accept that this HD on my grandsons computer is OK.
    Have removed and replaced RAM .
    With and without RAM one short beep then nought.
    Things seem to be going from bad to worse.
    Power connect, no lights at all now on PC just keyboard and the fan in the powerbox just gives a sick flip about a quarter kick and throwback.
    12v. power to MB and drives checks out OK

    Real powerdown now.....but where????

    all posts welcome
     
    Last edited: 2003/08/18
    roy66,
    #11
  13. 2003/08/18
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Hi roy66

    Clearly you like to live dangerously - but at least the HD has been eliminated as a problem.

    My best guess now - the power supply is in terminal decline - hopefully it has not fried something on the mobo. Be aware that the power supply pushes out various voltages to various plugs - see spec lable on supply case for more details.

    The real clue is "the fan in the powerbox just gives a sick flip about a quarter kick and throwback. "

    One way to resolve this problem would be to connect the power supply from your pc to your grandson's. If this fails to resolve the problem it looks like the mobo has failed as well.
     
    PeteC,
    #12
  14. 2003/08/19
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hi all,


    1. Can anyone, please, with absolute knowledge, inform me that if I totally disconnect the power supply unit from the case and power it up if it is able to or should power up the fan enclosed in it or does it require feedback from the PC.

    2. What effect would a flat battery have?

    Thanks a million.

    roy66

    PeteC....I was contemplating your suggestion......just contemplating......thought it a "little "arduos for the time being so am searching for work arounds as above.
     
    roy66,
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  15. 2003/08/19
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    roy66,
    I have just experimented with a spare power supply that I know to be 100% serviceable - power up - fan does not run. There must be a link with the mobo - i.e. power must be drawn from the supply for it to run. Plugged in a spare hard drive and powered up - neither the fan nor the HD sprang into life. Conclusion - the mobo plays a major part - guess power must be drawn from the mobo power connector for the fan to run and the other plugs to liven up. Peered into the back of the case on my PC - power switched on - at mains - no fan. Boot - fan on immediately. Shut down - fan off only when all hd activity ceased.

    Back to my suggestion of switching power supplies - however arduous :D

    HOWEVER - good thinking re the CMOS battery - well worth a shot and less arduous!! Just hope it is not soldered to the board. See this thread :
    http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20644

    A search on the Board for 'battery' (all forums) will bring up some more.
     
    PeteC,
    #14
  16. 2003/08/19
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Pete C,

    THANKS for all your trouble.
    roy66
     
    roy66,
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  17. 2003/08/19
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Please let us know how this all pans out - glad to help :)
     
    PeteC,
    #16
  18. 2003/08/19
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    THANKS TO ALL......

    Well I do have to praise GOD for all the assistance you folk have given me and I must post this good news.

    I just replaced the battery and it is up and running.
    Not sure if I've lost any data yet or have to do a repair job or not but at least it will boot.

    I thought at least you would be pleased to get this great news.

    Might need some ongoing assistance a little later on and will keep you briefed.

    roy66
     
    roy66,
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  19. 2003/08/19
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Excellent news - must remember the battery question for the future. We are all that little bit wiser :)

    Any further problems - post back!
     
    PeteC,
    #18
  20. 2003/08/19
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    On first couple of boots it got to XP loading but no further.

    Now when booting it gets to
    Drive not ready
    Insert BOOT diskette in A:
    Press any key when ready.

    Don't have a boot diskette..but all the while I have had the XP CD in the DVD drive when booting but it has not recognised it apparently.

    roy66

    ps. It appears not to be recognising the HD, DVD and CDRW only the floppy....could be something to do with BIOS setup..eh!

    Plus it won't shut down I have to pull the plug.....what a reversal.
    Before..no go
    Now...all show
    However one thing at a time .....OK
     
    Last edited: 2003/08/19
    roy66,
    #19
  21. 2003/08/19
    roy66

    roy66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    It is 11:30pm Tuesday 19th and I am off to bed but before I go just let me fill you all in on the latest.

    I got into the BIOS setup and reset to default settings.
    Booted up and XP ran no problem.
    Went into a couple of programs...just opened them that's all.
    Shut down via the Start/shutdown facility.

    Now back to .........as it was.....NO POWER.
    Removed and replaced the battery.....no go.
    So off to bed for another day.......perhaps that battery was on its last legs it's been in my drawer unopened for ??????

    Goodnight all
    Roy66

    Yep..you can post me while I'm asleep.........yawn.
     
    Last edited: 2003/08/19
    roy66,
    #20
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