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Boot problems


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#1
DA9

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Hello everyone, I'm new to this board. I am having problems booting up my computer. I turned it off yesterday morning, and when I came home and tried to start it up it wouldn't boot properly. My cpu, psu fans will spin, but my monitor will go on power save mode. My cd writer or dvd writer tray won't open or close. The led on my power button no longer lights up.

I've tried talking out the video card and install the monitor to the onboard video, but no luck. All the connections seems to be plugged in. I don't know what the culprit maybe.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Specs:
Win XP Home
P4 2.6GHz
512MB PC3200 DDR
LG CDRW 52x32x52
NEC 3500A DVDRW
ATI Radeon 9200
300W PSU
Floppy Drive
80GB Hard drive

Thanks,
Mike
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#2
Samm

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Could be any number of things I'm afraid. I assume the system doesn't beep at all when you turn it on?

I know you said you checked the connections but have you also checked the soft power connector? ie the one that runs from the on/off switch on front of case to the front panel pins on the mobo?
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#3
DA9

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Could be any number of things I'm afraid. I assume the system doesn't beep at all when you turn it on?

I know you said you checked the connections but have you also checked the soft power connector? ie the one that runs from the on/off switch on front of case to the front panel pins on the mobo?

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Yea it usually beep once, but it doesn't at all now. Yup I have already checked that but nothing seems wrong there. I can turn on the pc from the power button, but it won't power off when I hold it for 10 seconds.
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#4
Samm

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Do the keyboard lights (caps/num/scroll lock) flash up just after you turn the system on?

Also, try booting it again using the onboard video but this time :-
- remove all AGP/PCI cards first
- disconnect all the IDE ribbon cables from the motherboard & remove the power connections from all drives
- unplug all external devices except keyboard & monitor
- and then Clear the CMOS for 10 secs.

Try & boot again
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#5
DA9

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Do the keyboard lights (caps/num/scroll lock) flash up just after you turn the system on?

Also, try booting it again using the onboard video but this time :-
- remove all AGP/PCI cards first
- disconnect all the IDE ribbon cables from the motherboard & remove the power connections from all drives
- unplug all external devices except keyboard & monitor
- and then Clear the CMOS for 10 secs.

Try & boot again

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Nope none of the light on the keyboard light up when the system is turned on. I just did all those things you mentioned to do but no luck. Now the led on the mobo doesn't light up as well.
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#6
Samm

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Check you PSU next then. Do you have another PSU you could test in your system? I would recommend this approach rather than testing the suspect psu in a different computer, just in case....
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#7
DA9

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I just took the psu of my brothers computer. The psu is about 2 weeks old. I plugged into my system and got the same problems, but now the led light on the mobo is lighting up. Other than that same thing as before. Think the culprit is the mobo?
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#8
Doby

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Hi,

Try removing the ram and power on to force a post error (beep) no beeps indicate bad mobo or cpu hard to tell witch. If it does beep this usually indicates the board is good

Look at the mobo very carefully, look for bulging or leaking capacitors.

You may also want to pull the hs and take a good look at the cpu but be prepared to reinstall the hs you will have to clean and reapply thermal past.

Rick
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#9
Samm

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Opps, sorry wrong thread. Just deleted this post & moved to correct place

Edited by Samm, 19 April 2005 - 05:56 PM.

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#10
DA9

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Hi,

Try removing the ram and power on to force a post error (beep) no beeps indicate bad mobo or cpu hard to tell witch. If it does beep this usually indicates the board is good

Look at the mobo very carefully, look for bulging or leaking capacitors.

You may also want to pull the hs and take a good look at the cpu but be prepared to reinstall the hs you will have to clean and reapply thermal past.

Rick

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Okay I tried it out, and I didnt get any beeps. Same symptons as before. What is the hs? The mobo seems fine nothing seems to be loose or bulging. Just odd how i turn it off and a couple of hours I turn it back on and the problem arises.

BTW Thanks Samm and Doby, for helping me to try to locate the source of the problem.
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#11
Samm

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hs = heatsink
Doby has already said this but I'll repeat it as it's important - if you do remove the hs for whatever reason, you must clean it & reapply thermal paste (pea sized blob in the centre of the hs only) before reinserting it. NEVER switch system on without doing this first.

It is starting to sound to me like either the mobo or the CPU has blown.
Unless Doby has any other ideas, then the last thing to try is this (kind of a combination of all the things we've already suggested) :

Remove the mobo from the case, this will eliminate the possibility of anything shorting it out & give you a better chance to inspect the board as Doby suggested. Be careful with it though - wear a static strap & handle as little as possible.

Place board on sheet or cardboard or pile of matt paper. Have only the CPU, HS+fan, RAM, keyboard & monitor connected. Use the onboard video. Remove everything else including cabling. If possible, reconnect the internal speaker so you can hear any beeps.

Remove the 3v lithium battery if you can (for about 10 mins). If not, clear cmos again using jumper.

Reconnect the ATX power supply - don't forget about the 4pin CPU power connector from the PSU to the mobo, as well as the 20pin atx main connector.

Pay attention when removing mobo as to which pins the soft power connector connects to. If the soft power switch doesn't reach the mobo outside of the case, then to power the system up you need to bridge these 2 pins briefly using a flat bladed screwdriver. Be careful obviously not to make contact with anything else on the mobo etc.
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#12
Doby

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Nope no other ideas here,I agree with Samm take her advice and follow it to the letter, its the next step

Rick
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