HP D5000T desktop won't start

[sandwedger]

Came home to find computer running, but not responding. Monitor dark. Powered off with manual switch. Tried to power it up again but the thing makes some noise for about five seconds, shuts down, then tries to start for about five seconds, then shuts down, and this repeats endlessley until I pull the power cord off the back. Could this be a defunct battery (I hope!), power supply (argh) or worse (expletive deleted) ???

 

[goombawaho]

If it's a desktop (which by model stated, it is) the CMOS battery is not an issue. It's probably the power supply. Can you try another power supply in it. You don't have to put it in and mount it, just connect everything up and let hang off to the side.

Worse - it could be the worst (motheboard), but you wont' know until you try a power supply.

 

[sandwedger]

Thanks ... that would have been my next step, but fortunately a new battery saved the day. Usually the thing just beeps at me to let me know it's bad, but this time was weird. There may be more to this than just the battery. If any more weirdness evolves, I'll let you know.

 

[goombawaho]

You're telling me that replacing the CMOS battery in a DESKTOP computer caused that behavior and that replacing it stopped it?? Just confirm that for me.

The only way I can figure that is that the BIOS was scrambled. Did you reset to defaults after changing battery.

 

[sandwedger]

This desktop is prolly three or four years old, so I figured the battery was about due. As soon as I popped the new battery in, the problem was resolved. All I had to do afterwards was reset the time and date, which is normal for any battery changeout. I did not enter BIOS, nor reset to defaults. I was just lucky.

 

[goombawaho]

Otay - thanks.