Computer has power but won't load windows.
Started by
Spidar
, Jan 07 2006 06:12 PM
#1
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:12 PM
#2
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:16 PM
Remove all the power leads to the PC
Open the case and check you did not dislodge any other wires when you removed the card
Avoid touching metallic parts (to the point of not touching them)
Open the case and check you did not dislodge any other wires when you removed the card
Avoid touching metallic parts (to the point of not touching them)
#3
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:20 PM
power supplies supply three different levels of voltage....12, 5, 3.3volts
Your motherboard will then adjust the levels required for various componants as needed
Sometimes, a power supply will partially die and your PC will appear to be starting, ie, the 12volts supplies anything with a motor so if you hear drives or fans spinning, it is working.
The 5 volt supplies the power switch and not too much else these days (used to supply the old video cards)
The 3.3 supplies voltage for CPU, RAM, motherboard, lights, etc.
So, your 3.3 rail could have blown and this would manifest itself as you describe...it may only be supplying X volts which is enough to registered a signal, but not enough to start your video card.
The restarting would also agree with this scenario, as a power supply with irregular voltage can cause your system to reboot.
It could also be a blown cpu, which in some cases will pass power to the rest of the system, but won't do anything.
that video error info would help
Your motherboard will then adjust the levels required for various componants as needed
Sometimes, a power supply will partially die and your PC will appear to be starting, ie, the 12volts supplies anything with a motor so if you hear drives or fans spinning, it is working.
The 5 volt supplies the power switch and not too much else these days (used to supply the old video cards)
The 3.3 supplies voltage for CPU, RAM, motherboard, lights, etc.
So, your 3.3 rail could have blown and this would manifest itself as you describe...it may only be supplying X volts which is enough to registered a signal, but not enough to start your video card.
The restarting would also agree with this scenario, as a power supply with irregular voltage can cause your system to reboot.
It could also be a blown cpu, which in some cases will pass power to the rest of the system, but won't do anything.
that video error info would help
#4
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:32 PM
I can't remember the exact error info, but it said that I should update my video drivers, which I did, or check that everything is fit securely, which I also did.
So I guess it's the power supply from the looks of it. I'll probably borrow a friend's power supply to see if it helps. Is there anything else that can be suggested in case the new power supply does not solve the problem?
So I guess it's the power supply from the looks of it. I'll probably borrow a friend's power supply to see if it helps. Is there anything else that can be suggested in case the new power supply does not solve the problem?
#5
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:33 PM
I forgot one more part, my reset button didn't work at all either if that helps anything.
#6
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:38 PM
did the reset button ever work? This is sounding more like a bad cpu, because I think the reset button works off the 5volt, which is working since pressing it tries to start the computer.
I would definitely borrow a PSU, though, since you can test a system without even installing it by just hooking the power supply to the motherboard and plugging it in and sitting it next to the pc case...you do not even have to remove the old psu to test.
Takes less than a minute to test a PSU
I would definitely borrow a PSU, though, since you can test a system without even installing it by just hooking the power supply to the motherboard and plugging it in and sitting it next to the pc case...you do not even have to remove the old psu to test.
Takes less than a minute to test a PSU
#7
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:42 PM
Yeah, the reset button definitely used to work because I've used it a few times when the pc would freeze. I'm running a fairly good machine and its only about a year old so I'm suprised that cpu would crap out on me so soon.
#8
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:51 PM
CPU will crap out if they are running too hot...a bubble in the heat-transfer compound will do it.
I'd test the power supply first though
I'd test the power supply first though
#9
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:53 PM
All right, I probably won't be able to get it tested today however, is there always someone on staff 24/7 or is there a peak hour that would be best to reply at?
#10
Posted 07 January 2006 - 07:24 PM
Well, staff is kind of a pleasant thing we like to call ourselves
We're all volunteers. I can say that there is almost always someone around....if you post and no one responds, feel free to PM me a heads up
We're all volunteers. I can say that there is almost always someone around....if you post and no one responds, feel free to PM me a heads up
#11
Posted 07 January 2006 - 10:28 PM
I was asking a friend about my problem and he asked if there were any beeps when the computer started up. So I checked this out, and there were no beeps which are supposed to correspond to a POST check. Is it probably that the computer doesn't even get to perform the POST check or is this indicative of something?
#12
Posted 07 January 2006 - 10:31 PM
if the motherboard is not getting power (3.3 volt rail), you will not get beeps
If the CPU is dead, you will not get beeps
If the CPU is dead, you will not get beeps
#13
Posted 07 January 2006 - 10:33 PM
All right thanks.
#14
Posted 07 January 2006 - 11:24 PM
Okay, new information. So I plugged the power supply of the broken computer into the one that I'm using to make this post, and it says that the operating system was not found. I plug in the normal power supply for this computer and now I'm making this post. Conclusion: my power supply is broken for the other PC? - or am I assuming too much?
#15
Posted 07 January 2006 - 11:25 PM
Another note, it was sitting idle like the broken PC did. I didn't check if the drives worked because I forgot.
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