Start Up

[slick133]

When starting up my computer nothing happens, i press the power button and it seems the computer starts up like normal but nothing is displayed on the monitor. The monitor just sits there with the orange light showing (standby) and nothing happens no matter how long you leave it. THe monitor does work and it is plugged in the tower was tryed at another house and the same thing happened. Win xp was just recently installed if this information helps. Any help as soon as possible would be muchly appreciated. THanx

 

[bcastner]

It start and you hear an initial beep, and the drive light starts flashing, and you can hear the fans going?

 

[bcastner]

Stick the XP CD in and boot from that. Same thing?

 

[wolluf]

If nothing is happening, try disconnecting all hardware (except graphics & keyboard) from the motherboard & see it it will boot to a POST screen. If not, swap out the motherboard and/or memory (or try each memory stick on its own). If you get to POST screen, add hardware components back one at a time.

If not - sounds like mobo/cpu issue - overheating? fans working ok?

 

[slick133]

i tried booting up witht he win xp cd in and it didn;t do anything i heard the cd starting in the drive but the screen was still blank. Also the cpu fan is on and so is the num lock light on the keyboard but i don't really hear any inital sounds.

 

[wolluf]

so have u tried the minimal approach i suggested? (also, you give no history on this - what happened between it working and this situation?)

PS - I meant swap out graphics card - not motherboard.

 

[shaner66]

Does the computer actually POST?
Like do you hear a beep come from the machine?

If so, chances are it's the video card, but could also be the MB.

Try reseating the video card, and remove all unnecessary hardware components (CD drives, hard drive, floppy, sound card, modem, NIC, etc.)

Try booting again, see if you get anything on the screen?

If the computer is not posting, try removing the RAM from the MB and see if you get a no memory beep code.