Help diagnose my desktop PC problem?

[Komag]

I hadn't turned off my desktop PC in months, but finally the other day I decided to give it a rest. Now I turned it on but I get nothing on the monitor, not even boot up junk, as if the monitor cable was unplugged. So I check the cable, it's fine. I try plugging in my other monitor, nothing shows up. I try connecting to the DVI output on the vid card instead of the VGA output, no dice. So I tried forcing the computer to turn off (holding power button for four seconds) and turning it back on to "jump-start" the monitor connection, no help.

 

This is when I noticed that I don't hear lots of hard drive grinding (which I normally expect to hear, with everything like Windows loading up). But anyway I figure I'll try the vid card, so I pull it and dust it off (it's pretty clean already), re-insert it, turn everything on again, no help. (and again, no hard drive activity).

 

With my limited PC knowledge I try to think it through - I figure if the hard drive was dead the monitor would still show SOMETHING, so maybe the vid card is bad and the PC insists on having a good vid card in place before it will load anything, thus explaining the lack of hard drive activity.

 

So I try a different vid card I have, no help at all. I also noticed no lights on my keyboard though! Usually the keyboard "Lock" lights flash when starting up the computer, right? But no, nothing. So I try plugging in a PS2 keyboard and restarting, nothing. So I try the USB keyboard again but in a different USB port, nothing.

 

All of this leads me to the terrible conclusion that it must be a whole bad motherboard, causing multiple failures in everything - no hard drive activity, no video signal, no keyboard, nothing.

 

Am I crazy, or am I unfortunately right?

 

The thing is, all the lights in the PC case are working right (such as a red light on the motherboard, a light in the ethernet port, etc), the vid card fan spins, the case fans spin, the USB ports give power (optical mouse red laser lights up when plug in). the computer sounds like it's on and running, so everything SEEMS fine. But those things that seem fine are mostly power related, so I figure the motherboard could still be bad and it's just the power supply making all the stuff run.

 

Any ideas or help?

 

Thanks!

 

(I'm working on my laptop right now, I don't use my desktop for much so it's actually not such a big deal for it to be out of commission right now)

[HappyCheeze]

Three Possiblibities

possibilities I can think of.

 

A.) Mobo could be the problem

This should be last resort dianosis. Lets try some other troubleshooting to make sure we've covered some bases.

 

B.) Powersupply could of gone bad

edit:If you have any spare psu's laying around swap em with your current psu, see what happens.

 

C.)Sometimes with a bad ram stick the computer just won't do anything at all. Trying taking out some ram and see what happens. I've had that happen to me where one bad stick causes my whole computer to be dead.

EDIT:Now its logical to think that might give you a beep code but either beep codes are obsolete or this ram problem is really bad, that is if it is the ram.

[HappyCheeze]

Another thing to try is removing all but the necissary components, so take out stuff like PCI cards.

 

The key to troubleshooting in narrowing down possiblilities.

 

Also, does your mobo have onboard video?

 

EDIT: Sorry if I'm cramming all this together, If you need more help lemme know.

[Unstoppable]

read manual listen to beeps that should tell u. lights also

[Komag]

I'll try the memory next...

[Crispy]

RAM or part of the motherboard are definite possibilities. The only other thing I can think of is that your CPU might not be seated properly. Doesn't seem probable, as it's likely you would have noticed that before rebooting. Might be worth checking it out before replacing the motherboard though.

[Mr Retarded]

I had this very same problem only a couple of months ago. I got various suggestions on how to possibly fix the problem, the RAM one being the most common, but someone also suggested that it could be something to do with the bios and that I should try using the jumper on the motherboard to flatten the battery before I went out and replaced it. Quite a few people said that had helped them in the same situation.

 

Unfortunately for me, it didn't work. But give it a go before you buy a new mobo or anything.

 

Good luck.

[Baddcog]

That sucks.

 

I'd say it's not the PSU. I burnt one up in my work computer a few months ago. The screen did go black, but the PC went dead and wouldn't start. This happened while working.

Then there was a bad smell in the room

 

Put a new PSU in and it started fine.

 

I'd think if it was bad you'd smell smoke and nothing on the comp would work.

----------

I'd also be suspicious of Hard Drive, maybe mostly of it.

 

First, Windows isn't starting (on your HD), that sends signals for monitor to turn on right? (Windows boot sends signal I believe).

 

Also, the main reason I'd check that first is you've probably got an old spare (or someone does) that already had an OS on it. It's an easy 10 min swap and that'll tell you right away.

-----------

The Mobo does sound possible, alot of the little lights, hard drive, etc... are plugged directly into the PSU. So if they are getting power the PSU works.

-----------

Good luck

[HappyCheeze]

That sucks.

 

I'd say it's not the PSU. I burnt one up in my work computer a few months ago. The screen did go black, but the PC went dead and wouldn't start. This happened while working.

Then there was a bad smell in the room

A psu doesn't always burn out. It can just stop working, dead, with no smell or charring to see.

[Baddcog]

Well, Komag did say his lights and fans all work along with USB. So it can't be PSU.

 

Unless some strange annomaly allows power to go through it to those parts only.

 

I just built a tower and even though all the components have their own wires to the PSU I think everything would stop working if it died, unless of course one wire went bad.

[Komag]

There's pretty much no way it's a PSU problem, since "everything" seems powered just fine. I haven't worked on it today at all, sorry to those trying to help! I'm going to try the memory, then maybe the hard drive (though it seems to me that with a bad drive there would still be some sort of something on the screen, a bios or something)

[Komag]

Whoa, today I just tried turning it on again before trying anything new, and I got a nasty screaming continuous beep! Sounds like MB problems!!!

 

...

[Tels]

Whoa, today I just tried turning it on again before trying anything new, and I got a nasty screaming continuous beep! Sounds like MB problems!!!

...

 

Yep Watch that the MB doesn't fry more components, tho.

[Komag]

actually I feel somewhat retarded, it was due to me not plugging in the power to my video card (I think it was the card screaming). I plugged it back in and no more beep, but still same probs as before of course.

[Komag]

I just tried fully clearing the CMOS (unplugged power, removed battery, switched CMOS jumper to "discharge" for a while, then back to normal, returned battery, plugged back in power), but no help, same problem...

[Komag]

I just tested each memory stick in all the slots, no help

 

...

 

I'm SICK of all this testing crap! Besides, I need a new computer anyway, it was time for an upgrade a year ago already!

 

...going to the store...

[Tels]

I just tested each memory stick in all the slots, no help

 

...

 

I'm SICK of all this testing crap! Besides, I need a new computer anyway, it was time for an upgrade a year ago already!

 

...going to the store...

 

Before you rush out, please answer my question about the castle book

[Unstoppable]

Sounds like it's the MB then for sure. Look at the circuits and the batteries that look like mini cylinders. If a lot of them look swollen up then your motherboard is fried. Stop trying to boot system you can fry other things!

[Crispy]

It wouldn't be the hard drive, you'd definitely get stuff appearing on the screen in that case. A system can boot all the way through the BIOS's POST tests without a hard drive, you'll just get a message afterwards about there not being a system disk or something like that.

[HappyCheeze]

If you're planning on building your own desktop, stop by my favorite site http://www.newegg.com for good prices. Theres also Tigerdirect.com, but their customer service isn't too great.

 

If you wanna buy a premade one, you should look at dell's refurbished comps. Dell.com/outlet

 

My laptop is a refurbished and I saved like 300 bucks on it and it runs very good.

[Baddcog]

I agree with new egg. My new towers running pretty good and it was decently priced. Had a few rebates too but they took FOREVER to come in. (but that's not new egg)

 

I'd be wary of Dell. I've had some decent comps from Gateway and Compaq that are upgrade compatible.

 

There are a couple Dell's in the family and one of them is PCI so no decent card upgrades (that was when agp was becoming standard) and the other had RDRAM in it and that's still $100 or more for 512MB so that comp is basically un-upgradeable too. Just seems like they go down the road of compatibility problems.

[Komag]

I got some version of Acer Aspire, a cheap desktop floor model at Circuit City (cost me $400). It has an Intel Dual core E2200, 4GB DDR2 Ram, 500GB SATA drive, DVD combo burner, and on board video. It has Vista 64 bit, we'll see how that goes. Seemed like a good deal, and is upgradable (I think max 8GB ram).

 

So I finally now have a PCI Express video slot, so will get a new vid card (thinking of maybe a used GeForce 7800 or so, still powerful but old enough to be pretty cheap now).

 

I might use my main HD from my dead PC, or maybe just copy the contents I want to keep and not actually use it, dunno yet. I can sell off other parts (vid card, mem chips, other) and maybe make back up to $120 or so on eBay, help make the new computer even cheaper!

 

And thanks for the previous ideas and suggestions, they helped

[HappyCheeze]

and on board video

Make sure when you install your GPU, that you disable the integrated gpu in the BIOS, it will use your system's ram. I'm not sure if a pcie card will automatically override that or not.

[Tels]

I got some version of Acer Aspire, a cheap desktop floor model at Circuit City (cost me $400). It has an Intel Dual core E2200, 4GB DDR2 Ram, 500GB SATA drive, DVD combo burner, and on board video. It has Vista 64 bit, we'll see how that goes. Seemed like a good deal, and is upgradable (I think max 8GB ram).

 

You will only be able to use more than (4Gb - $whatever_your_video_card has) memory if you use 64bit, tho, so be wary of installing 32bit windows.

 

So I finally now have a PCI Express video slot, so will get a new vid card (thinking of maybe a used GeForce 7800 or so, still powerful but old enough to be pretty cheap now).

 

I can recommend a 7600GS, it has now fan so is silent and uses little power

[Unstoppable]

Wow 500gigs that is a sweet deal indeed. Also plenty of memory and processor speed.