Booting Problems

Hi
I did have a fully functioning pc,but it has now died.
Initial problem was mouse pointer froze. Thought it was batteries, unfortunately not that easy.
On reboot machine does not boot .
I can here fans running,power lights are on,hd starts running.
There are no start up bleeps and no display on monitor.

Machine is a 2000 athlon xp
512mb ram
ati graphics card.
win xp pro

I have changed memory,graphics card,processor,power supply and even motherboard but still has the same symptoms.

Glad of any suggestions whilst I still have some hair left.

 

I'm not sure it would be the hard drive though that's the only component you haven't replaced. You can post successfully with a boat anchor attached to your IDE cable - i.e. you don't need a hard drive to complete a successful POST.

I guess if there was something freaky about the drive it might play havoc with the POST but it's my experince that failed HDDs simply cause the BIOS to simply ignore it.

What has me perplexed is that by replacing all those components you said you did, you, in effect, have created a new computer - i.e. there's nothing left for you to swap out. Except for the HDD.

As a last resort, simply disconnect the hard drive completely. The PC should still POST fine but then get hung up on not finding a bootable device.

BTW, do we know if the Major is a "boy" or a "girl "?

Gary

 

Watch the LEDs. The LEDs for the drives should flash once as the BIOS does POST. Does the keyboard LED come on or flash?

Try another keyboard.

Read the manual for how to use the Clear CMOS jumper (disconnect all power).

You can disconnect the drives. Try starting with just the CPU, graphics card, RAM and keyboard. If it does not show the BIOS screen after the above, try starting without the RAM modules, you should get beeps. No beeps and I would think the BIOS has been corrupted. I have known one instance where the CPU was "killing" the motherboard, poor fellow killed his own motherboard plus those of two of his friends. Isolate that original CPU if you think this may be happening.

Matt
PS another area is a possible short to the motherboard, in which case you need to start with the motherboard sitting on a sheet of cardboard (or an antistatic bag).

 

I would disconnect everything - this includes hdd, fdd, cdrom, mouse & then test. A new keyboard won't hurt either.

 

Haven't seen mention of testing the monitor, e.g. trying in on another PC, or trying another monitor (borrow from a friend).

 

Re Booting Problems

Hi
Thanks for all suggestions.
I will go through them all tonight.
I will post back with outcome.
Thanks again.
Major

 

Hi sparrow, I thought about that one, but negated it since you would notice harddrive activity indicating Windows was booting up. You can test this by watching for the HDD activity to cease, then do Ctrl + Alt + Del -> Alt + S -> Enter. That will shut the machine down if Windows has been loaded.

Matt

 

HI All
Thanks for all your suggestions.
Eventually tracked down problem. As I had mentioned I had virtually exchanged whole pc with no success. About to give up and send pc to bin. Managed to get another processor,tried this and IT WORKED. The first processor I tried must have been wrong speed or something. My brain was well in melt down by this stage anyway.
Thanks again for suggestions.
Major

 

Clear as mud .........
Glad you are running .........