[computer_idiot]

I have a Gateway 500se computer. 2 weeks after I bought it, I shorted out the motherboard trying to fix what I thought was a ram problem. The computer has sat for months awaiting me to getting another computer or something.

Anyway, today I got another motherboard and put it in.

Now when I push the start button it does not start. The fans turn but then stop. I never had any issues with the power button before. Actually the only problem with this computer ever had been the "ram" issue. Anyway, so I have messed with it several times. When I keep pushing the power button it will eventually come on, but that is it. No sounds, nothing on monitor, etc. The power button light does light up. The cd rom does not work, etc. Then I looked more and looks like my hard drive is missing, so I went to turn it off to put another hard drive in (I took it out because I bought a larger one and must of not put the old one back). Anyway, now it will not shut off. I have to pull the plug. So I plugged in my harddrive and tried it again. Same issues.
Anyone have any idea what is going on? I am really getting sick of this computer. I had it for 2 whole weeks before it quit working..
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Samantha

Edited by computer_idiot, 27 February 2008 - 04:34 PM.

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Do you hear any beeps from the computer? Can you get to the POST screen?

Example of POST screen:


If not, I would suggest double checking ALL connections, even ones that you have double checked. I would especially make sure RAM and power connections are seated properly.

If you have done all of this and still don't get a POST screen or beeps, I would take out all RAM except for one stick and all peripherals except possibly for a video card (if your motherboard doesn't have onboard video) and try booting then.

Edited by stettybet0, 27 February 2008 - 05:12 PM.

[stettybet0]

Do you hear any beeps from the computer? Can you get to the POST screen?

Example of POST screen:


If not, I would suggest double checking ALL connections, even ones that you have double checked. I would especially make sure RAM and power connections are seated properly.

If you have done all of this and still don't get a POST screen or beeps, I would take out all RAM except for one stick and all peripherals except possibly for a video card (if your motherboard doesn't have onboard video) and try booting then.

Edited by stettybet0, 27 February 2008 - 05:12 PM.

[computer_idiot]

HI,
I get nothing. Now before I go unplugging it all, does any of these really have anything to do with the computer button (when I push it the fans go but then stop)?
Thanks,
Samantha

[stettybet0]

The fans spinning and then stopping and you not getting any POST sounds are pretty strong indicators of a hardware problem. Since all of your parts are from a working system (except for the motherboard), it seems logical that your problem would be in the wiring of cables or the seating of components, or a faulty motherboard. To save you the hassle and expensive of getting a new motherboard, I am suggesting you check the wiring and seatings first.

[Rocknrollcows]

Hmm...

I had this problem on my Mom's computer.

the fans would spin but then nothing...

In my Mom's case, the MOBO was fried. but power still went to the Power button and fans..

I would try taking out all of the parts except

CPU
MOBO
PSU
1 RAM stick
HDD

all of the things needed to post.


EDIT:

did you remember to ground yourself before touching the MOBO?

Edited by Rocknrollcows, 27 February 2008 - 06:49 PM.

[computer_idiot]

Ok, I am totally confused on this.

I did unplug the cd rom, floppy drive and something else.

I left in both sticks of ram. I only have 4 things plugged in not incuding what I think the cpu fan is.

Anyway, I am still having trouble with the start button, BUT it did come on and the cd rom is working. Before it would come on but the cd rom did not work.

And it takes longer to power off, but it did.

SO now what?

Thanks,
Samantha

[Rocknrollcows]

It may be your power switch is having issues.

check to see if there are any loose connections from your front panel to your motherboard.

please clarify your problems!

put in list format please!

[hfcg]

Hello,
Do you have a known good power supply that you can use for testing?
First lets take the front cover off of the case so that we know the power button is not sticking.
Look at all of the connections and jumpers on the motherboard (you may not have any jumpers), are they correct?
connect the power to the motherboard only. We do not care about the CD right now.
Try to boot.
Tell us what happened when you tried to boot.

[stettybet0]

The power switch simply sends a signal to the motherboard telling it to power on. What happens after that is for the motherboard to decide. Again, this suggests that wires are either in the wrong place or not connected tightly enough, or that the motherboard is faulty. Another possibility is that the motherboard may be incompatible with some of your parts. Which motherboard is it, and what parts are connected to it? The more specific you are, the more help we can be.

[hfcg]

If the power button is sticking in the closed position it will cause these symptoms.

Occam's razor (sometimes spelled Ockham's razor) is a principle attributed to the 14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar William of Ockham. The principle states that the explanation of any phenomenon should make as few assumptions as possible, eliminating those that make no difference in the observable predictions of the explanatory hypothesis or theory.

Edited by hfcg, 27 February 2008 - 08:29 PM.

[computer_idiot]

I have no idea what motherboard it is. I just know I have to have a certain motherboard that fits in my tower.

I have a Western Digital Hard Drive

The computer is a Gateway 500se which ran XP SP2 on it before it quit. As far as I know the hard drive works because I used it in the computer I am on now.

Anything else?
Thanks

[computer_idiot]

Hello,
Do you have a known good power supply that you can use for testing?
First lets take the front cover off of the case so that we know the power button is not sticking.
Look at all of the connections and jumpers on the motherboard (you may not have any jumpers), are they correct?
connect the power to the motherboard only. We do not care about the CD right now.
Try to boot.
Tell us what happened when you tried to boot.

I am certain the power supply works. It worked just fine then and it works now, I am just having issues with the computer not working right.

I do not know how to take the front case off.

When I push in the button, you see the button light (in back) come on, you can hear it click and then the light goes off.

I am not sure about any connections. I drew a diagram of how the wires were hooked up, I labeled each wire with a number to match the diagram and put them on the new mobo that way. So it should be right unless the computer guy I took it to just stuck them on there.

The computer is coming on, only when I don't have anything hooked to it other than the things in which I have no idea what they are so I am not removing them.

I just cannot get it to come on screen but when I try to put the plug on the mother board it does the samething. I am tyring to look up on line on which slot is the correct slot for the hd.
Thanks

[hfcg]

I am certain the power supply works. It worked just fine then and it works now, I am just having issues with the computer not working right.

I do not know how to take the front case off.

When I push in the button, you see the button light (in back) come on, you can hear it click and then the light goes off.

I am not sure about any connections. I drew a diagram of how the wires were hooked up, I labeled each wire with a number to match the diagram and put them on the new mobo that way. So it should be right unless the computer guy I took it to just stuck them on there.

The computer is coming on, only when I don't have anything hooked to it other than the things in which I have no idea what they are so I am not removing them.

I just cannot get it to come on screen but when I try to put the plug on the mother board it does the samething. I am tyring to look up on line on which slot is the correct slot for the hd.
Thanks

If the power button is not sticking.
The power supply is good.
Than your motherboard is at fault.
The hard drive, and CD drive have nothing to do with this issue.
You would get an error messege on the screen, and be able to enter BIOS set up.
You may have gotten a bad board, or it was damaged some how.
Just because the power supply worked yesterday does not mean it is working now.

[computer_idiot]

How can the computer be "on" if the power supply is bad?

So you are saying something will come up on my screen without the hard drive being attached?

Samantha

[computer_idiot]

Motherboard is a Gateway Essex