Computer won't boot

el · Joined: Nov 14, 2006 Posts: 221

Hello,
I noticed someone posted a rather similar post recently, but I still want to ask specifically to be certain.
We have a computer, which won't boot up (as the title suggests). It was packed away for almost a year.
When we first unpacked it, connected it (only the power cable, mouse, keyboard and monitor), and turned it on, the front light turned on, and the fans could be heard. Nothing else. The monitor didn't get a signal. We turned it off again (using the front power switch), and started it up again. Same problem. So we shut it down again, and turn off the back switch, disconnect everything and reconnect it again.
We try booting the computer up again. And nothing happens. Absolutely nothing. The computer appears completely dead. We try the reset button, which doesn't do anything either. So we try the 'battery trick'. Taking out the old lithium cell battery, leaving it out for a while, and putting in a new one (and while looking inside, it turns out that the reset cable isn't connected). It didn't help at all.
We thought, maybe the power switch at the back is defect (whenever connecting the power cable, it crackles, whether the switch is on or not). After leaving the computer connected to the power supply for a few hours, without doing anything, and then booting up again, we are suddenly where we were at the beginning again. The computer powers up, but doesn't boot.
Looking inside, I can see that the CPU fan and the cooling fan at the back are running. And the front light is on. It can be that other things are running too, but I cannot see anything that is, and nothing other than the fans is to be heard.
So what now? We fear the motherboard is broken, but are there any other options?
All I know about the motherboard is that it's a Gigabyte GA-81848P-G motherboard. Almost next to this information was the following number: D33006. I don't know what that number means, but I thought I best mention it.
El

kida · Joined: Apr 03, 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Texas, U.S.

When you were able to turn the PC on, what screen were you able to get to?

My first guess would be a faulty hardware. Which one it is we will try to find out as soon as you provide more information. Can you also list your computer specs?

el · Joined: Nov 14, 2006 Posts: 221

The computer didn't get to any screen at all. It didn't react to the computer starting up. When I turned on the monitor power manually, it displayed a message saying 'no signal input. Go to power save mode'.
The motherboard is as I said above.
RAM: 512MB
HD size: 80GB
OS : Windows XP Service Pack 2
Processor: Intel...(there are numbers written on the processor, which I can write if needed. I can't remember how many GHz it has).
If I've forgotten any details, please let me know, and I'll give them if I can.
I'm just wondering, as I happened to read that XP needs to be reactivated if the HD is moved to a new computer. Does XP have to be reactivated if the motherboard is replaced?
El

clhenry

Since you seem to have power running through it, see if you can get into the bios. Not knowing what computer you have, try hitting the Delete key after powering up. If not that, then try either the f1 or f2 key. Also are you hearing a beep when first powering up?

goretsky

Hello,

Was the computer exposed to wide temperature variations while in storage? If so, perhaps some of the internal connections loosened from thermal expansion and contraction cycles.

Have you tried opening the computer and reseating all of the internal cables and expansion cards? If so, did that make any difference?

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

el · Joined: Nov 14, 2006 Posts: 221

THe computer was definitely exposed to temperature variations, but I don't know how wide. I've now pushed in all the connections I could find anywhere in the computer. And, after I reconnected the power cable (at the back), it didn't start at all again.
Ten minutes later it starts up by itself, but just like in the beginning. Still no booting. I did forget to add, the computer does beep whenever I press the power button at the front. And a second light, which is behind the front cooler, is also on. I'm not sure if this happened before too, but after a little (30 seconds or so) the HDD light (front light) turns off.
I can't get into the bios. The monitor still gets no signal.
El

clhenry

since it beeps, and fans are running, HD activity light shows progress, and then stops. It sounds to me like it is booting. Have you tied a different monitor??

el · Joined: Nov 14, 2006 Posts: 221

I now tried another monitor, with exactly the same result.
I was just told that the computer had once been to repair shop because it wouldn't boot, and that there was a problem with the motherboard, which could, however, also be solved (postponed?) by buying a new graphic card (instead of a new motherboard).
El

goretsky

Hello,

If the problem is with the existing video card and not with the Gigabyte GA-8I848P-G motherboard then try replacing it. Do you have a spare video card you can temporarily use with the computer for testing purposes?

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

el · Joined: Nov 14, 2006 Posts: 221

We brought the computer to a friend, for him to have a look at it, and the power supply was the problem. He replaced it, and it is now up and running again. There is also a little problem with the OS, it takes unusually long on the boot page (with the XP logo). But we have to format the HD, and reinstall, anyway.
The only remaining problem is the Ethernet Network Adapter. It does work, if I uninstall it, and then reinstall it (it's a plug and play device), but as soon as I shut down the computer/restart it, the problem returns. I have to uninstall and reinstall again. And so on. What could be the cause of this, and how could I solve it?

El

goretsky

Hello,

Perhaps it is a problem with the device driver software used by the network interface card. Have you checked with the manufacturer of the chipset used by the network interface card to see if newer device drivers are available? If so, installing those may restore the NIC to normal functionality.

Failing that, since you are planning on reinstalling the operating system, you save a copy of the updated drivers to a CD-R or USB flash drive and then install them once you have finished reloading Microsoft Windows XP.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

el · Joined: Nov 14, 2006 Posts: 221

Thanks...I'll look if there are newer drivers for the adapter.
El