start problems

Power button lights, but nothing else happens. No beeps and no drive lights blink. Monitor displays a test screen.

 

Hi debur

My guess would be a bad power supply.

 

First two things to check are video card and memory. Make sure they are properly seated and if yes, try substituting different video card and or different memory one at a time. You should also set your Bios to setup or default and you may first need to clear CMOS.

Can you give me any info re: new machine, old machine, when did this problem start, any new hardare, OS, etc, etc ....

 

"Monitor displays a test screen "

What is a test screen?

 

Hi all.

The test screen is self-generated by the monitor itself when it is NOT receiving a valid signal from the computer. Its there to let you know the monitor is working and the computer isn't.

Hi debur. If you have a power light on on the computer then the power supply is giving you +5 volts at least. More than likely the power supply is good.

Before changing out components I would open up the case and unplug and replug all the plugs to be sure everything is seated properly. Take out all the cards except the video card. Take out all the memory and just plug one stick back in. Disconnect all hard drives cables including power. Disconnect all cd drives including power. Unplug and replug the video cable from the monitor. Disconnect the floppy including the power.

Plug it in and see if you get anything. You might get some beeps, long or short. Turn off the computer and turn it on again until you can write down the beep sequence (if you get any). If it will post, turn off and plug in the floppy or hard disk and turn it on. See if it will boot up.

The power supply could still be bad. The only way to check it is to check the power across the pins with a meter or more simply, borrow a power supply from a friend and swap them out and try it.

If it won't run the post (you'll see it on the monitor) then I would take it to a shop if you're not that familiar with computers. Could be the memory, motherboard, and probably is a bad BIOS.

Don't forget to write down where all the plugs came from and their orientation (the strip on one side of the flat ribbon cables, that's pin 1).

Let us know how you made out.

Giles

 

Wife decided to take it to Best Buy. Thanks for the help.