help me! computer boot problems - Page 2

[joytech22]

ok verify that the surge protector is still good. also check the outlet it is plugged into, try plugging into a different wall outlet, if you still have a problem it still could be a bad PSU you should test it they can be bad from the factory, if every thing checks out then it just might be a bad mobo

done and done, i plugged the surge protectior into another outlet, then just the computer into another outlet. both are OK. PSU is ok because i tested with 2 different ones, Factory default and a codegen 530W. i recon its the mobo. still doesnt quite explain not detecting PCI-E problem even though its obviously the motherboard. in about 10 mins il replace the mobo and check back.

[joytech22]

ok im back, a bit early because my new test mobo had been waiting at the door for about the whole day. turns out the new mobo only fixed the booting problem until i restarted it a few times. it didn't fix the PCI-E problem

[compdoc]

have you tried to just reinstall windows if you have over 200 viruses that could be the problem right there, if you have a boot sector virus you will have to reformat the drive

[joytech22]

the viruses are hsitory, no boot sector virus has attacked the drives and i have already inserted a drive with a clean install of windows xp. besides, does this have much to do with the pc not getting past POST sometimes? cause i really have no idea =-\

[compdoc]

I'd like to stay and help but its late, Im going to bed, I'll check back tomorrow

[compdoc]

ok

[joytech22]

ok bye

[compdoc]

when the computer starts it will go through POST (power on self test) thats programmed into the BIOS

[joytech22]

ok thanks, its definately not doing that properly on startup as it gives no error beeps and the screen just idles

[compdoc]

sometimes a computer will become unstable if the ram istalled is incorrect, even though your software said its compatible I would still check the mobo book for compatible ram

[joytech22]

and the fans keep maxing out until i can get a sucsessful POST and bootup

[compdoc]

that usually means wrong or bad ram, bad cpu or bad psu

[joytech22]

it says it supports up to pc something 5600 ect...

[joytech22]

does it also concern a dying mobo?

[compdoc]

with an unstable computer the fans will still run but if thats it I would check the ram

[compdoc]

oh yea a dying mobo can act just like that

[joytech22]

i have checked the ram by taking them all out then putting one in back at a time, same result...

[compdoc]

ok I hope this helps some but Im goin to bed know

later

[joytech22]

ooh dang, mobo might be a pretty long wait for me.

[joytech22]

ok thanks bye

[compdoc]

hey joytech this issue is keeping me up

this didnt click till now, in an earlier post you were able to get the computer on with the hard drive disconected, so maybe you do have a good mobo.

ok start from the begining and document everything you do so you know what you have tried and not tried.

1. disconect everything
2.install your fans, ram, and if you have video on the mobo use that, if not install the video card.
3. connect the monitor
4. turn the computer on
does it work, turn it off and on serveral times make sure,
5. assuming the computer works go into BIOS and set the defaults and save the changes
6. now connect the hard drive if you are using a 40pin IDE cable make sure that the red strip is facing pin 1 on the drive and the mobo, make sure the jumpers are set correctly on the drive make sure you have the correct end of the cable connected to the mobo and to the drive.
there are several pictures all over the internet if you need help with that.

7. if you are sure that everything is correct at this point and the computer does not boot then there are several options to take from this point.
a. the drive is bad, replace it
b. the MBR is corrupt, fix it
c. one of the files needed to boot windows is corrupt, copy new files from cd.
8.if you can boot from a cd then it might be possible to fix

you could repair the MBR by running the FIXMBR command from the recovery console

or you could try to copy some of the start up files from the cd to the drive such as NTLDR

to verify that the mobo is good swap the drive with a known good drive with an operating system on it if you have one if the computer boots then you know for sure the mobo is good, if it does not boot then the disk controller might be bad and you will need a new mobo

this all I can think of for now, follow that step by step let me know what happens.

off to bed for sure
later

[joytech22]

wow didnt realize you posted again until i checked my mail a few hours later. i tried all of the above, the same happens even when no hardware is connected, just the basics to ensure proper functionality to enter the bios. i even replaced one ram stick at a time, paired them, had one in at a time ect... im starting to asume a dead mobo. bad news for me as it might take a few weeks to get.

[bobbyraw]

please help me. i have had my computer for just over a year now and when i went to turn on my computer after school, its fans went to max rpm and only no input signal appeared. then after a few attempts to reboot, it was working again. but it's doing this every time i try to restart or turn on after shutting down.

i know its not a PSU problem because i replaced it with a 300W one that came with my pc. (took out the 8800 first of course)

also these problems started when my pc would not allow me to use a PCI-E card like my 8800 anymore it just started using onboard

here are my specs, (what i know)

Mobo: some sort of ASUS AM2
CPU: AMD Athlon X2 +5200 Dual-Core (2.7GHz each core)
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 800GTS BFG OC
PSU: Codegen 530W
HDD: 2 IDE hard drives (80GB) (40GB)
RAM: 1.7GB 600MHz
OS: Windows XP Home edition x32
Fans: 2

I personally think this might be either a POST, CMOS or motherboard error but no error beeps are excreted by the internal speaker.

if you like, i will be on MSN most of the time and will be listening to any suggestions

[e-mail]

thank you for the help, i shall try the RAM swapping. but theres a problem, i forgot to list i have 3 512MB sticks and a single 256MB stick.

and that i have had these RAM stick's at minimum for 8 months

AND its hard to start the pc at all because 70% of the time it doesn't POST. just displays no input signal as soon as i go to turn it on, the above post tells of the fans at max RPM until i restart it enough times in order for it to POST and boot up, one mistake i made was with my AMD Athlon X2 +5200 (2.7GHz each core) i forgot to plug in the fan. but it works out well because im using the same CPU to post this message.

by the way... Safemode shall not prevail in a hardware error ='-S

wow didnt realize you posted again until i checked my mail a few hours later. i tried all of the above, the same happens even when no hardware is connected, just the basics to ensure proper functionality to enter the bios. i even replaced one ram stick at a time, paired them, had one in at a time ect... im starting to asume a dead mobo. bad news for me as it might take a few weeks to get.

base on the issue i have highlighted in red, those are the items you need to pay close attention to.
first are all the ram stick the same clock speed and compatible with each other.
next are you using 300W PSu or 530W. what PCI-e card do you have attached to the pc.

remove the ram stick, clean each and user Only the 256 to boot the pc. then shut down and do the same for ONE of the 512. (Remove the 256 first) next verify you PCI-3 is getting enough power. if you remove all item and start up bare bone then the problem points to you MObo. let us know what happened

[compdoc]

ok joytech

now we have established that your computer will not work with just the essentials

your next step should be to take all the ram out and install them back one at a time. so install just one stick and turn the computer on.

does it work?

if not that stick could be bad try another one.

if it did work leave it in and install one more and then turn the computer on.

repeate this process to identify if you have bad ram

if the computer still does not work after that the only thing left is the mobo it will need to be replaced

[joytech22]

ok joytech

now we have established that your computer will not work with just the essentials

your next step should be to take all the ram out and install them back one at a time. so install just one stick and turn the computer on.

does it work?

if not that stick could be bad try another one.

if it did work leave it in and install one more and then turn the computer on.

repeate this process to identify if you have bad ram

if the computer still does not work after that the only thing left is the mobo it will need to be replaced

ok i have run through all of my RAM, they are all ok. i even tested them in another machine i had lying around with a VIA chipset, very odd that it supported DDR2...

I am getting very worried that our asumptions of my motherboard might be right, i live in Sydney N.S.W and even here it may take weeks to get another motherboard.

Perhaps dust? Also i have been hearing a clicking sound from behind the CPU, maybe the back isnt sheilded and some dust is causing arching thus causing a short?

when i get the approperiate tools i will get back to everyone.

[joytech22]

base on the issue i have highlighted in red, those are the items you need to pay close attention to.
first are all the ram stick the same clock speed and compatible with each other.
next are you using 300W PSu or 530W. what PCI-e card do you have attached to the pc.

remove the ram stick, clean each and user Only the 256 to boot the pc. then shut down and do the same for ONE of the 512. (Remove the 256 first) next verify you PCI-3 is getting enough power. if you remove all item and start up bare bone then the problem points to you MObo. let us know what happened

Heres the story in a little bit of detail:

RAM: All the RAM sticks are compatiable with each other, secondly they do NOT have to be paired on this motherboard as it has to with most others, third yes they are all the same clock speed and are designed to be run at 633MHz, the mobo just underclocked them for more stability.

PSU: so far, i have taken out the 530W PSU and 8800GTS, the PSU currently installed is powerful enough to power the system, 300W.

PCI-E: none currently installed b/c mobo not detecting it. not even my 7600GS!

Bare bone results: i have tried this twice, looks very bad on my end. still had to hold down the power buttons about 20 times just to get it to POST so i could enter the BIOS and check everything there.

looks like my mobo. i will find out at the end of the week when i go to price a new one, perhaps buy one.

thanks everyone for the tips!

[compdoc]

yeah dust will kill a mobo. well if you are positive that the ram is good then it has to be the mobo. best of luck

[joytech22]

yeah dust will kill a mobo. well if you are positive that the ram is good then it has to be the mobo. best of luck

since im using the same mobo and pc to post these messages, maybe the dust hasnt actually "damaged" the mobo, just disabled some features of it.

like sometimes how i go to turn on the socket and all of a sudden the pc comes to life.

are they linked to dust arching electricity to a power thing that turns on the pc? but also at the same time related to PCI-E problems?

maybe just maybe, the mobo is fine and the dust is just causing some hickups. i havent cleaned the back of the mobo since i baught it.

[compdoc]

dust can conduct electricity, and it could be possible that is why your mobo is acting like that, but at the same time it doesnt take much to damage a mobo so even if you clean it you still might have the same problems if the mobo has been damaged

[joytech22]

il clean my mobo when i get some tools, hopefully the dust was just arching most of the voltage from the mobo to the case (Earthed) thus causing power draining during POST sometimes and causing problems.