PC wont boot!!

callansdad

Hi all, i was busy all day yesterday tidying up files on my pc, then after updating all spyware and virus stuff and running full scans with each one i went to defrag the thing.

Went to bed and left to defrag overnight, Got up in the morning pc was off. Switched on at power button, the pc seemed to be starting up (fan kicked in etc) but nothing happened. The pc sounded like it was on but we never heard the usual beep. The HD light is stuck on, the dvd drive light flashes a couple of times but nothing happens other than all this.

Have tried unplugging for a few hours and trying again but keep getting the same result.

Please help .... i'm currently stuck at mother in laws using her pc (not a good place to be !!!) lol

albertross_2

try unplugging the hard disk and DVD rom from the motherboard, to see if anything comes on screen

callansdad

is that easy enough to attempt? im not an expert by any means but i did install the dvd drive myself

Browntoa

I reckon safe mode

http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml

then system restore to an earlier date

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx

geordie_joe

Browntoa wrote:

I reckon safe mode

http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml

then system restore to an earlier date

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx

A bit difficult to do if the pc isn't even starting!

I would try booting with a floppy disc or CD.

But it sounds like the defrag has "gone wrong"

Browntoa

doh...me bad...not read properly

Tallymanjohn

If nothing at all is appearing on the screen I doubt whether it's a problem with defrag - you would at least get to the point of the drive(s) being listed. You need to start by unplugging it, remove the cover & check to see that everything is seated/attached properly then try it again. If still no joy, remove any non-essential cards - modem (its amazing how many times that causes a problem), network card, soundcard etc. - just leave the graphics card in and unplug all USB connectors and try again. If still no joy then remove the memory chips & see if you at least get a BIOS error beep. After that it's getting a bit more involved.

HoofeHearted

callansdad wrote:

is that easy enough to attempt? im not an expert by any means but i did install the dvd drive myself

1. Power off the PC
2. Open side-panel
3. Remove the IDE ribbon cable from the back of the CD/DVD drive(s) and also from the Hard drive. (If it is a SATA drive, remove the thin SATA cable.
4. Remove the power cables as well, in case one of the drives is drawing too much power from the PSU.
5. Power on the PC and see if you get any splash screens on the monitor or and system info (like you get when you normally boot up).
6. Look for lights flashing on keyboard and listen out for any beeps.
7. If you get non of the above, then the PC is not even carrying out the POST (Power On Self Test). This means one or more of the following
o PSU is dead/dying
o Mother Board is dead
o Processor is dead

I had a PC like this the other week, that someone gave me to fix. It was the Motherboard. The reason why this happens in a lot of purchased PCs is the crappy PSUs. The one I was repairing only had a 250W PSU which is useless.

8. If the POST works ok (Google for POST and Beeps to find info on errors discovered during POST), then it sounds like one of your drives has died. Power off and reconnect the Hard Drive and see how you get on.

Good Luck

geordie_joe

HoofeHearted wrote:

o PSU is dead/dying
o Mother Board is dead
o Processor is dead

If the PSU was dead or dying there would be no lights coming on
Ditto for the motherboard.
Ditto for the processor,
I've had PCs delivered where the processor hasn't been seated correctly and the PC "appears" to be completely dead when you switch it on. The only clue is the green light on the otherboard comes on but nothing else happens and no other lights come on.

I would start with reseating the video card. If the video card is not seated right, faulty or dead the processor won't allow the computer do do anything.

However, it will allow electricity to get to the drives etc. so there lights come on.

Tallymanjohn

But if the video card is not installed you would get POST error beeps & as this isn't a new pc, the seating of the processor shouldn't be a problem. Also, not all motherboards have diagnostic LEDs on them.

Start with the easiest options already mentioned & then post back with the results - good or bad.

geordie_joe

Tallymanjohn wrote:

But if the video card is not installed you would get POST error beeps & as this isn't a new pc, the seating of the processor shouldn't be a problem. Also, not all motherboards have diagnostic LEDs on them.

Start with the easiest options already mentioned & then post back with the results - good or bad.

The first thing the cpu does is check the video card, if there is something wrong with that then it does not go any further.

This PC is not getting as far as checking the HD, so unplugging it isn't going to help!

Nothing is coming on the screen because nothing is going into/coming out of the video card. Even with no HD installed the computer would still start, then attempt to boot from another device. If there was no other device then it would say so on the screen.

Look at your pc when it boots up, without the makers splash screen turned off if it has one. The first thing it tells you is what video card you have. This is because it is the first thing it checks for as it considers the video card to be it's primary output source.

If the OP is right and nothing is happening, this means the cpu hasn't found the video card, or it is faulty and the cpu can't use it.

Then again, I have seen people "i switch it on and nothing happens" when they mean "I switched it on and when it got to the Starting Windows point noting happened".

The PC may not be new, but if it has been left on over night with defrag running then the processor pins and socket could have overheated and expanded, causing the processor to become unseated.

I don't this has happened as the CD lights come on.

Personally I would try giving the video card a push first. It's pins and socket may have expanded, causing it to become unseated. Giving a push back into position may cure it.

Of course, it may have become to overheated and been damaged, or died, but lets start with the simple things first. And what is more simple than giving the video card a push.