Windows Won't start

[JWorld]

Hi, everyone,

I have this HP computer with Windows XP professional installed working smoothly.

Yesterday, I opened the computer tower to do a little cleaning(removing some dust or other stuff). I did disconnect some wires from the optical or hard drives, but I put them back, CORRECTLY. I am pretty sure about that, and I have done this sort of thing several times in the past.

Unfortuantely this time the computer just died. I doubled check all the wires and connections, but the compter just won't start.

When I power up the computer, it seems that the only noise is coming from the the fan. The indicator on the keyboard won't flash, and the monitor first shows green indicator, which then quickly turns orange, which is the color for energy saving mode.

Usually the indicator for the floppy drive will flash for a few seconds as the system check for disk in the drive during the startup process, but the indicator dies too.

I am not sure what happened, what might cause those wired situation. I once suspect that there is possible no electric current going to the floppy and hard drives. But not sure how to comfirm that.

Really appreciate anyone giving any clue how to solve this.

 

[wasisnt]

What did you use to clean it? No video can mean a bunch of things like bad RAM, CPU, motherboard, video card etc.

Free Computer Help and Tips:

http://www.onlinecomputertips.com/

 

[linney]

Did your cleaning take you anywhere near the fan which sits atop the CPU? I fear it may be the Chip, the Motherboard, or both, I hope I am wrong and it is only a loose wire.

 

[G0AOZ]

Any beeps from the system speaker? How exactly did you do a little cleaning (removing some dust or other stuff)...? Vacuum cleaner nozzle, compressed ait jet, or what? If the former, then maybe you've given it a zap of static...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[wolluf]

usual approach in this situation is reduce hardwar to minimum (disconnect all drives - hard, optical & floppy), cards - except graphics and any external hardware. Then see if the machine will boot. if it boots, connect back items one at a time (you may have reversed the floppy cable - that's a common, easily made mistake, which on some boards can cause a no boot at all situation).

If it won't, try replacing the Power supply. If that's no good, looking at cpu and motherboard.

 

[Leozack]

I'd say go for the ram. I swear, 99/1000 times a pc gives a black screen and won't turn on, the ram, even if oyu didn't change it, has decided it needs to be reseated. Take the ram out and put it back in. I almost guarentee it'll work If it doesn't, then you can move on.

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[Leozack]

99/100 even. 99/1000 wouldn't be too hot Also, the floppy cable can usually be put in upside down without noticing. Though usually this just gives a floppy missing error during the POST. But something else to check there.

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[barny2006]

if this is a newer type mb, there is a power cord that goes into the cpu. this happened to me. it had the same symptoms. fan would work, all others would "start" to work, but nothing would happen, except the running fan. check the power cord going to the cpu.

 

[ncotton]

I solidly back up the two main suggestions about the cause, badly seated ram or the floppy cable. Both will give you the exact symptoms you are getting. However, so will not have inserting the MoBo power block properly and shorting it out, or your badly seated / knocked out of possition ram may have blown the modles, which normall shorts the whole board, and possibly anything on it.

Hardware troubleshooting for boot problems should always be done by stripping all device and leaving MoBo, Power, CPU, RAM, Graphics and Keyboard external. IF this works then you will get a No Boot Disk found message, and your system will be "working". Turn off. Add the HDD, reboot. If it boots, windows will load. Turn it off, add the floppy, red line of cable AWAY from the side nearest the power connectors (in most cases), unlike the standard red stripe on IDE Cables go on the side nearest the power plug. Keep adding your decives one by one, see where this gets you.

I suggest for this, as you had been "playing around" so to speak in there, remove everything, power, cpu, ram, GFX and replace them for the first boot.

WARNING
DONT FORGET TO PUT THE CPU HEATSYNC and FAN BACK ON

I always suggest removing all the hardware, especially if you have a good case that has removable backplates that let you remove the mobo without unscrewing it, and detachable drive racks.

If strongly advise against using a normal vacume cleaner with nozzle to clean a pc, you are too likly to knock a cap and break one of the legs, without even noticing it.

Always make sure you are not standing on carpets, or rolling around on a plastic wheeled and leged office chair.

Post back with results from above suggestions.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant

 

[JWorld]

Hi, all,

Tried minimizing the hardware first, and then putting back devices one at a time. It helped.

However, I still couldn't locate what might have caused the problems. I believed it should be a loose connection problem, just not sure where.

But at least it is up and running again.


thanks, all of u. Really appreciate your help.

 

[ncotton]

Don't thank us....PAY US! It's cheaper than PC Worlds' rates .

If you have everything back in, and it's working, then it must have been some seating problem, or the floppy cable.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant