blakep82
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 01:49 AM |
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weird PC startup problem
my mate had a PC built for music production. don't know the spec, but here's the problem
when you go to switch it on, all the fans start, mobo leds light up, cd drive spins up and led on the front flashes, and HDD spins up. but thats it.
it makes no attempt to start loading windows or read any data from the HDD at all. the monitor just says no signal. he's tried booting from the
windows CD but that doesn't work either
it will start once in every, say, 50 tries, and when it starts it works fine (but there;s a slight pink tint to everything on screen) and he can leave
it on for months without problem.
switch it off, and it won't come back on again.
any ideas? its a complete mystery to us... we suspect motherboard, but why would it work sometimes?
[Edited on 4/1/10 by blakep82]
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AndyGT
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 07:53 AM |
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Have you tried changing
RAM?
Graphics card?
Disconnecting all peripherals ?
This will eliminate MOST possibilities. If it has the same problem then yes CPU or motherboard...
Good luck
Andy
PS Low spec chips are cheap on ebay, maybe replace CPU and see...
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balidey
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 08:15 AM |
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could it be the switch on the front of the case? I had a dodgy switch a few years ago and it caused intermitent start ups.
There should be a 'switch on' procedure on the mobo, contacting something between two metal pins on the mobo that turns on the PC, so may
be worth trying that a few times, that would then tell you if its the switch or something more involved
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Daddylonglegs
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 08:36 AM |
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Have you tried BIOS settings? Might need the system to have the hard drive re-defined. If the BIOS back-up battery is shot then it will lose
it's memory.
HTH
JB
It looks like the Midget is winning at the moment......
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Benzine
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 09:22 AM |
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reset CMOS
The mental gymnastics a landlord will employ to justify immoral actions is clinically fascinating. Just because something is legal doesn't make
it moral.
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iank
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 09:56 AM |
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Colour tint could be the monitor settings. If it has a colour section in the monitor menu's try some others (or do a factory reset on the
monitor).
Mine has 9300 K (very blue looking for florescent lights iirc)
6500 K (which looks good under the lights I use)
Custom (where you can fiddle)
or sRGB.
It's unlikely to be related to the starting problem.
I'd be looking at a stuck down switch on the case, or it not being wired up to the motherboard correctly (the instructions are generally
confusing in that area).
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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britishtrident
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 10:11 AM |
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Sounds like its a resource conflict problem.
Remove/disconnect any card PCI cards or USB devices that aren't essential (including the mouse) check the mempry is properly seated and check
in BIOS the cpu type is correct.
Then try to boot.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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Humbug
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 10:22 AM |
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I had a similar problem... like balidey above it turned out to be the switch (only resolved after trying a new motherboard and a new case!)
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brianthemagical
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 11:43 AM |
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Has it got a graphics card? That'd be my first port of call.
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ian86
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 11:48 AM |
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+1 for graphics output. check the VGA/DVI cable and input of monitor and ouput of graphics card for broken pins. I had that happen before causing same
problem.
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Davey D
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 12:18 PM |
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i would say it is certainly worth checking the PSU, as they can behave like this when they are blown / on their way out. drives etc will power up, but
one of the other voltage lines that the motherboard uses will have gone
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 12:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Davey D
i would say it is certainly worth checking the PSU,
This would be my number one suspect, closely followed by failing electrolytic capacitors on the motherboard if it's more than a few years old.
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blakep82
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 12:28 PM |
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eek, a lot of very different answers there! lol
most of the possible solutions are beyond both of us.
power supply sounds a very strong possibility.
thanks guys, think he's going to have to take it to a computer repair place and see what they say
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 01:58 PM |
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As your monitor isn't working you can't be sure that the PC isn't starting correctly but unseen. The fact that the CD and HDD sound
like they're running suggests that it may (possibly) be ok.
Personally I'd have a really good look at the monitor's video cable - look for broken or bent pins. Or try another lead.
Failing that - try re-seating the graphics card.
Both are easy to do - then consider going to a service place, if that doesn't sort it out.
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blakep82
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 02:03 PM |
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no, the monitor does work, but isn't getting a signal from the PC, the hard disc spins up, but thats all, you can hear there's no data
being read from it, and when the computer DOES start, the HDD light on the front flashes. it doesn't do this when it doesn't start
monitor is only about 2 months old as the old one was replaced since this problem started, thinking that was the fault.
graphics card may be a problem, but i'd still expect the HDD to run properly and go through the whole thing of starting windows
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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Liam
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 03:41 PM |
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Nah - PC wont even get through POST if it detects no graphics. This sounds like your problem, especially as you report display error (the pink tint)
on the occasions it does start. Might be solved by re-seating the graphics card and giving the area a good blow while you're doing it. Then
again it might just be dead. If it's not a separate card, but built onto the motherboard, you might need a whole new board. Also try
re-seating the ram. If no joy with the above, have you got another known working graphics card you can try?
Liam
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RichardK
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 03:56 PM |
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I had a hp once that the monitor took its power from the towers psu, plugged the monitor into the wall using a proper kettle lead solved the problem,
seemed the pc's psu couldn't handle the pc and monitor together. Worth a try if its configured like that.
Cheers
Rich
Gallery updated 11/01/2011
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charlie_pank
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 04:27 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Liam
Nah - PC wont even get through POST if it detects no graphics.
How on earth do headless servers boot then?
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gottabedone
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| posted on 4/1/10 at 05:31 PM |
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I'd go for Ram personally. Take all ram out and put one strip back in and see what happens.
You say it starts fine - do you get the one long beep when it's finished POST?
Steve
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