Windows XP wont load

[mayamanako]

hi guys, can you give me some suggestions?

i have an old desktop with xp on it. last night when i was using it, it just froze and wont restart or turnoff, so what i did was i turned the switch off. then when i turned it on again, xp wont load now. the monitor is just black, there's no boot screen whatsoever, no letters or numbers etc. but it's running, i hear the hard drive running, saw processor fan running etc.

so i tried to isolate the monitor, i hooked up the monitor with the laptop and its fine.

i disconnected the harddrive and connected my other known good drive, but still with the same black screen.

i took out the ram and replaced with my other spare known good rams and still didn't do it.

i tried to touched and tighten everything thats connected to somewhere hoping that it's just a case of loose connection or something. but then, it still didn't do it.

do you think, it has something to do with my motherboard or perhaps my processor?

thanks for any advice

 

[vacunita]

Maybe the video card died.

Is it built onto the motherboard? Or is it an add-on?
In either case you'll need a new add-on one to test out.

Do you get any beeps when the machine is turned on? If you do, those beeps usually mean different things.

You'd need tour manual to see the exact meaning of the beep codes.












----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[goombawaho]

If no beeps and the video is integrated into the motherboard, a PCI video card would be helpful to check to see if the video card has died (as mentioned above).

 

[mayamanako]

hi guys, thanks for your reply.

when i turned it on i don't hear any beeps.

video is integrated into the motherboard.

 

[kjv1611]

Beeps won't necessarily tell you for sure. If the PC speaker isn't directly on the motherboard, or else it's not connected to the motherboard, you won't know anything from beeps.

To double-check the PC speaker, make sure your computer is off - pull the plug if you have to, then open the side panel of the case, and look for the PC speaker. If it's not on the motherboard, but part up in front of the PC case, then look for a wire comming form it to the motherboard. If it's connected, and no beeps, then it most likely, it would beep at you if a problem where not booting/posting.

The PC speaker is a little round doohickie - like a regular speaker, basically, if you take away all the pretty wrapping... usually it's an inch or two in diameter - pretty small, whatever the measurement.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[mayamanako]

hi kjv1611, i tried to look for the pc speaker but i can't seem to see any speaker like what you've mentioned. could it be that it's tucked underneath the motherboard?

the computer is an old xp compaq presario 6150uk with motherboard n1996 micro-star ms-6553.

 

[mayamanako]

any more ideas guys?

 

[vacunita]

Have you tried an add-on video card yet That should tell you whether its a problem with the on board video, or the Motherboard itself.

If the add-on card works its likely a problem with the onboard video.
If it doesn't then its probably a motherboard issue.

As for the speaker, It may be attached to the inside of the front of the case somewhere. Or of course there may be none at all.




----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[BadBigBen]

any more ideas guys?

replace the PSU...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[mayamanako]

hi BadBigBen, from the description of trouble that i told here, why do you think that it's probably the power supply unit that's causing the problem? (it seems to be working and powering the harddrive, etc.)

 

[goombawaho]

I would NOT replace the power supply first if you have to BUY one. But if you have one you can borrow or just try for a minute, that would be okay to confirm whether it's the problem.

Better to buy a real cheap or used PCI video card see if that gives you any video output. If not, it's probably the motherboard.

The deal with the speaker is unfortunate because (in theory) you could remove all the RAM and fire it up and it should beep. That would tell you the motherboard is not completely dead since it "knows" it has no RAM.

 

[mayamanako]

The deal with the speaker is unfortunate because (in theory) you could remove all the RAM and fire it up and it should beep. That would tell you the motherboard is not completely dead since it "knows" it has no RAM."


hi goombawaho, i did that above. i took out my rams and turned the pc back on, the pc didnt complain at all, didnt beep that it doesnt have any rams on it.

 

[BadBigBen]

If any of the rails (there are at least three different rails in a PSU, e.g. +3.3v, +5v, and +12v) fails, e.g. in your case it could be the +3.3v rail, then hard drives and FANs get power but the mainboard is missing the 3.3 volts to fire up...

thus you will get the above symptoms in that the mainboard will not POST, will not BEEP when the MEM is missing, etc...

with that said, try another PSU, or borrow one from a friend...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[goombawaho]

^^^^^ That's all you can do at this point. I just didn't want you to purchase a power supply in case you have to dump the motherboard. Unless of course you're going to build your own system and the new power supply fits in with those plans.

 

[mayamanako]

ok guys, i will try it and will let u know the results.

thanks for your help.

 

[kjv1611]

Another thing to help in deciding if it's the motherboard...
Bulging/Leaking capacitors.

They seem to be a somewhat common problem on older motherboards - basically once a board has had a fair amount of use.

The capacitors look like little batteries. If one of them looks like it's bulging in the middle, or like something (looks a lot like battery acid) has leaked out of it at some point, then that could mean the motherboard is about to go. I've had a couple older computers just in the past 6 months to a year that had these same symptoms, and I was about to go ordering a new graphics card (to replace onboard video) and/or power supply, and noticed the capacitors.

You CAN replace capacitors, but I just don't personally think it's worth the time, tools, and effort.

Here's an article on the topic, which includes images:

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=195

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[bobw]

mayamanako,
A basic test of the psu can be done by removing the plug that attaches from the psu to the mainboard (20-24 pin) and jump the only green wire with any of the black wires with a paper clip. When you then power the psu you should hear it run. I have never touched the paper clip at this point and suggest that you do not.

note: This does not tell you if you will have the proper voltage going to each lead when the unit is under a load, but will give you a good idea if the psu is working.
Bob W

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail." - Abraham Maslow

 

[bobw]

mayamanako,
This procedure is complete with pictures at

http://www.overclock.net/faqs/96712-how-jump-start-power-supply-psu.html

which is a great site to add to your collection.
Bob W

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail." - Abraham Maslow

 

[kjv1611]

A basic test of the psu can be done by removing the plug that attaches from the psu to the mainboard (20-24 pin) and jump the only green wire with any of the black wires with a paper clip.

I was just about to ask, but you then said...

I have never touched the paper clip at this point and suggest that you do not.

I'd DEFINITELY agree! If anyone tries this route, do be careful, take precautions.. don't just stick a paper clip in there, please!



--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[BadBigBen]

but will give you a good idea if the psu is working.

Sorry, but that procedure is defunct already, in that the OP posted, and I quote:

but it's running, i hear the hard drive running, saw processor fan running etc.

which indicates that the PSU is running to a POINT, and that the aforementioned procedure wont tell you more than what is already known...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"