PC wont boot!!

geordie_joe

callansdad wrote:

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

What do you see on the screen? When you usually boot up do you see the POST info or just a blank screen, or Makers splash screen?

Does the monitor light go green or orange?

geordie_joe

Tallymanjohn wrote:

But if the video card is not installed you would get POST error beeps

That depends on the bios. for an IBM Bios no beeps means No Power, loose card or a short.

For most other bios the quote below is true

"If the computer does not pass any of the above tests, your computer will receive an irregular POST. An irregular POST is a beep code which is different from the standard, which can be either no beeps at all or a combination of different beeps indicating what is causing the computer not to past the POST."

No beep is also used to indicate certain problems.

callansdad

Have tried removing all drive cables as well as power cables. Unsure of where video card is Still getting nothing on monitor and no beeps either. Hard drive sounds like its making a ticking noise. Only get amber light on monitor. Very close to puting whole machine in bucket !!

geordie_joe

callansdad wrote:

Have tried removing all drive cables as well as power cables. Unsure of where video card is Still getting nothing on monitor and no beeps either. Hard drive sounds like its making a ticking noise. Only get amber light on monitor.

An Orange light means the monitor is not recieving a signal from the vidio card.

If you look into the computer you will see several cards stuck into the motherboard.

The easiest way to find the video card, if you don't know what one looks like, if to follow the cable from the monitor and see which card it plugs into.

Once you have found it, give it a push. It may have just poped out a bit. Then try switching the computer on again.

If this doesn't work then remove the card and then refit it. You have to remove the monitor cable first.

Also check the monitor cable is firmly screwed into the card before you switch on again.

callansdad wrote:

Very close to puting whole machine in bucket !!

bucket, that's what all my scottish friends call the bin!

callansdad

Have taken computer to bits. Still cannot find video card. Monitor cable goes into 9 pin slot and there appears to be nothing connected to that. The only card type objects are what appears to be 512 MB of Ram and another card which seems to be attached to nothing. It has the word "PCTEL" written on a chip in the middle. The ticking noise i mentioned earlier is coming from somewhere near what i think is the Bios Chip. ( This message has been dictated , over the phone , to my mother - in - law. She canna be as bad as i thought.. HE HE ! )

geordie_joe

callansdad wrote:

Have taken computer to bits. Still cannot find video card. Monitor cable goes into 9 pin slot and there appears to be nothing connected to that. The only card type objects are what appears to be 512 MB of Ram and another card which seems to be attached to nothing. It has the word "PCTEL" written on a chip in the middle. The ticking noise i mentioned earlier is coming from somewhere near what i think is the Bios Chip. ( This message has been dictated , over the phone , to my mother - in - law. She canna be as bad as i thought.. HE HE ! )

Sounds like you have onboard video.

What is behind the 9 pin slot on the inside of the computer?

Is there just a small "box" that is fixed onto the motherboard.

When you look at the motherboard do you see any empty slots. I don't know whay motherboard you have, but it should have some empty slots and they are often either white or brown.

It might be an idea to post the make model of your computer too.

geordie_joe

callansdad wrote:

Have taken computer to bits. Still cannot find video card. Monitor cable goes into 9 pin slot and there appears to be nothing connected to that.

I am really tempted to say "That's it, someone has nicked the vidoe card over night" :rotfl:

callansdad wrote:

The only card type objects are what appears to be 512 MB of Ram and another card which seems to be attached to nothing. It has the word "PCTEL" written on a chip in the middle.

PCTEL is a modem chip. I think if your Mother-in-law spotted a modem card then she would have spotted a video card too.

callansdad wrote:

The ticking noise i mentioned earlier is coming from somewhere near what i think is the Bios Chip. ( This message has been dictated , over the phone , to my mother - in - law. She canna be as bad as i thought.. HE HE ! )

I hope she hasn't been poking her head inside the computer with it switched on!

If she's daft enough to do that, ask her if the processor fan is going round.

Don't worry, she can stand 3 feet way from the computer and see the fan going round.

albertross_2

Are you sure the ticking noise isn't the HD, did you remove all cables from it? There are 2 cables, ribbon and power, try removing them, to see if anything comes on screen.

callansdad

The 9 pin slot is attached directly to the motherboard. There are 4 spare slots on the motherboard, 2 white and 2 brown. Fans are both working. The PC is a Time computer , unsure of motherboard model , it might be MS-6340 Ver5.

callansdad

Have removed all cables. Its 100% not HD. The ticking noise is coming from the area beside the Bios Chip but cannot pinpoint it precisely.