PC doesn't post all of a sudden - no monitor output, no beeps

[Overlord44]

I've been fixing up a PC for my grandfather - setting internet settings right, getting printer set up, etc.

I'd just finished, and decided to restart the machine to make sure all of my settings had taken to OK. On restart, the machine got half way through the process, did a BSOD and automatically restarted. However, it locked up at a certain boot point. I hit the reset button - and it hasn't booted at ALL since, with the exception of 3 occasions when it's gotten to the BIOS and frozen at 3 different points.

Any ideas what's up? The machine was working just peachy before, and all of a sudden it's stopped working. When I power it up, it either:

(a) Starts up HDD motors, checks CD as usual, powers all fans up, flashes keyboard lights, but does NO beep or monitor output (the most usual happening)

(b) Does above, but beeps, shows output and freezes at various parts of the BIOS (has happened about 3 times out of the 50 I must have tried by now).

 

[BadBigBen]

Hola,

I would check for

1. loose connections/connectors on the Mobo, HDD, CD etc.

2.) try another PSU...

3.) reseat the Memory, GFX-Card, CPU HeatSink...

4.) if MEM was added to the PC, take it back out, it may not be compatible...



Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[Crowley16]

so you can't actually get into the bios?

sounds like ram failure...

--------------------
Procrastinate Now!

 

[Overlord44]

No physical changes were made to the PC at ALL, this is the oddest part.

I've reseated everything short of the CPU heatsink, as I have no thermal paste to put it back again with, but I don't see how that could be a problem as it hasn't been touched... I've also checked all the connections, they seem OK.

I'm thinking PSU might be a possibility. The machine has a history of running hot&heavy apparently, it's just odd it chose to act now.

As for the BIOS stuff - no, I can't get in that far. But the thing is I've tried with each of the RAM sticks individually, surely all 3 can't have gone?

 

[garebo]

No, but i imagine that if one stick of ram went bad it could cause enough problems on its own.

Try booting with only one stick of ram at a time, with each of 3 sticks and see what happens.

I would also suspect the power supply as well. However, one thing sort of stands out. YOu mentioned that you just got done settings and such. Based on that, i would still do the one stick of ram at a time test but before you do that disable and unhook the printer and other items you dont absolutely need, including optical drives and pci cards that arent needed to boot up. If it boots up then try the ram one at a time, then add back in one item at a time til you find the problem.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Overlord44]

My booting the machine for the last 30 test or so has just been the PC, lol.

And I have tested the RAM sticks individually, as I said in my last post.

I think we can eliminate the PSU though, I have a different one in the machine now and it still isn't working.

I also tried removing all the RAM sticks - it isn't even giving beepcode errors.

 

[garebo]

Still, i suggest you and unhook everything you dont absolutely need as it seems to me that either a windows setting or driver caused problem, based on what you said in your first post. I would think its a hardware problem, perhaps a driver that windows doesnt like or didnt install properly.
Simply unhooking a peripheral doesnt do it, you need to uninstall and re-set your bios as well. Check your mobo mfgr regarding reset as it does differ, although most of the time its a matter of unhooking all power to the mobo and taking out the battery, moving the cmos jumper on mobo from pins 1 and 2 to pins 2 and 3. Leave it a few minutes, then put all back where it was and try and boot.

You may have to re-set your bios a few times. I do think its a driver issue but you should be able to take out all you dont absolutely need, all pci cards and all peripherals, reset bios, finally get into windows and only then, of course, can you actually uninstall your drivers.
But based on what you first said, i think thats what you are going to have to do to have a stable computer down the road.
Also, if you have a video card, perhaps you could try another, different video card. That is, if you dont have onboard video.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[BadBigBen]

Double check the HS fan, of the CPU, most boards will not POST if the Fan is connected wrong, or doesn't get a signal from the sensor on the fan...

clearing CMOS is important and should be looked at...

take a close look at the CPU (if it is an older one ie. AMD K7 or PIII) take a look at the DIE real close, look for chipping or cracks, if this is the case, the CPU is a gonner...

if the mobo is one of the newer versions, the one with the extra 4 pin Plug (2 yellow and 2 blk) make sure that it is inserted, otherwise the MoBo will not POST either...

the PSU you have as a replacement, did it function before (or New), if not try another... just stating that you have another PSU and it can't be that, is a wrong assumption, I've build systems where I had to toss 3 PSU's to the bin because they did not work correctly, ie. one of the 5v rails was dead and all others worked...

good hunting...

Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[Overlord44]

It isn't a Windows driver issue. The machine isn't even POSTing. The other PSU works just fine, yes. I'm thinking it is the CPU or the mobo - the CPU especially seems to have gotten very hot. Could be this room was warmer than the usual place it's in and that finally fried it...

 

[Overlord44]

OK, we got a replacement machine. Turns out the CPU is fried. Thansk for the assistance.