(Crap) PC Wont start! Please help if you can! (1 Viewer)

[Adam Sanchez]

Hey all.

Need some help please. Ugh...this is just what i DIDN'T need!

I came home this evening about 3 hours ago. Turned my PC on as usual, surfed the web for a moment and then left the computer. I was out of my room for about 45 minutes, came back and my desktop was off.

Not thinking much of it, I went to power it back on. Nothing. Crap! It wont start. I can see the MoBo is getting stand by juice, as the LED on it is always on, even in standby as is the 2 digit readout. Whenever I press the power button the system gets power for a split second. The front panel light flashes on real quick and the fans get a jolt to spin not even 1/10 around and it stops.

I have no idea how to troubleshoot this.

I have a good power supply, not even a year old 500 watts X Connect. Those ones where you use only the wires you need. My system is pretty full. 2 Optical drives, 3 hard drives, a 7800 Video Card that needs a feed from the PSU.

I would love any suggestions. I hope my pc isn't dead! Could the front panel switch be bad? How could I even test something like that?

Thank you in advance.

Adam

 

[Stacey]

I do not think that the front panel button is the problem as when you press it the computer does attempt to start. It almost sounds like the motherboard is shorting out, though if you've not moved the computer and it was working fine up to this point it sounds unlikely.

The most probable culprit could be the power supply gone bad or the CPU overheating, both which will cause these symptoms. If you are comfortable opening your computer you might want to try unplugging everything from the power supply like extra drives and unplug everything from the back of the PC except the basics (keyboard, mouse, connection to your monitor). It wouldnt hurt to also clean out any dust bunnies that might cause overheating as well).

If the computer still does not start, you could possibly try taking a household fan and set it to blow on the CPU area to cool it and again try to start the computer (if it finally starts, you'll want to shutdown pretty fast as at this point it really could be bad CPU cooling).

I hope this helps.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Thanks.

Since I posted I got ahold of my friend who knows computers well and he was talking me through some things.

I am use to computers and comfortable with them, I built this one in fact.

Far was we can tell it IS the power supply. The current one is 500 watts, I happened to have an old one that is 380 but I hooked uo JUST the motherboard to see if would start and it did, the fans started and everything.

However, plugging in the basics now present a NEW problem. I have plugged in only 2 hard drives because 1 has my OS and another has my program files. Those, and my Video card, since it requires it. I didn't even plug in my optical drives.

I have never used this PSU with this video card, so that could be a problem but the boot does get past the Video Card BIOS... however it does seem to take awhile to kick on the monitor.

But now I get this error:

Award BootBlock BIOS v.10

Copyright Xxxxxx

BIOS ROM Checksum Error

Detecting Floppy drive A Media...
INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

When I first got that it wasn't seeing my Keyboard. My keyboard is USB and Bluetooth, so I went and grabbed an old PS2 one and plugged it in to get rid of that error now i have the current one. My floppy isn't even powered OR plugged into the Mobo so I am not sure why it's asking for a disk.

Going to double check that I indeed have my hard drives plugged in. But what else can I do? I plan on getting a new PSU tomorrow...but...hell should I bother?

Oh, and when the checksum error BIOS came up, I did reseat the jumper like my manual says to reset it. But the problem remains.

To make sure I did that right. I moved the jumper to the reset position according to the manaul and turned the PSU ONLY on from the back, giving the MoBo Idle power. Is that how you do a BIOS Reset? Or does the system need to be turned fully on while the jumper is on "Reset?"

 

[bobbyg2]

Do you have all of the hard drives hooked up?

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Yes, 2 of the 3 I use. One has 2 partitions for programs and games, the other has Windows and other partitions, like multimedia and storage.

My 3rd drive, which plugs into a SATA Card I did not plug in, and I also removed the SATA Card.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Had to give it up last night and get to bed. Hoping for some more suggestions today.

Thank you.

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

I've never seen "bios checksum error" myself but that clearly seems to indicate a problem with your motherboard (as well).

I would probably download the latest bios version for that motherboard and try flashing it onto the mobo, but I take no responsibility if you fry the motherboard entirely, do it or not as you choose. I don't see if you have many options though, without an intact BIOS you will most likely not see that motherboard work again.

Powersupplies do burn out. I had a really nice Antec Phantom that went nuts myself, and it was not cheap.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Talking to my friend today again. We're both thinking maybe when the PSU went out, maybe it surged and fried my Motherboard.

I dont know how I could flash it. I cant even get to POST. All I see before the error is my video card Bios, then it immediately goes to the error I mentioned above. It's not even beginning to boot, which I've never experienced.

Honeymoon & Wedding coming up....this is not good timing.

I already estimate I would need about $400 to make a working computer again. The only thing I could bring from my old board to a new one is probably the processor. My computer is old school. 865PE chipset, DDR1 memory, AGP video card. (Nice one too.)

Lesigh. Still gonna get the PSU tonight if I can. And just pray.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Was just looking online and found someone who had had a simular problem. One of the suggestions was to replace the MoBo Battery.

What do you all think? Could it be that simple?

 

[Kamokazi]

It's worth a shot but not likely. I am thinking PSU as well. X-connect is not that great of a brand. They make a flashy PSU but it's not necessarly packing quality under the hood. With all the drives you have and the 7800 you're likely approaching the limit of the PSU anyway, and it may be starting to go bad, as to not be able to deliver enough juice for everything, or it's just shot entirely, Have you disconnected everything? except the mobo and video and tried it?

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Yeah I did that last night, albiet it was with my "Old" PSU that I was using for Testing purposes. It's only a Very basic 380 Watt RaidMax.

I fear the MoBo is gonna be fried. I mean I doubt just because I have a new PSU and plug everything in it's going to Bypass that Bios Rom Checksum Error. That seems to be to go way beyond the PSU. The PSU caused this and while of course I need a new one, it seems it may have taken at least my motherboard with it in the process.

If I may think outloud for a second.

I had planned on building a new "Current" computer at the end of the year, after my wedding in November. It will be over 3 years since I made this computer and I just feel it's time.

From my own research this morning, finding a straight replacement Motherboard that will let me reuse almost all my core components (which when I say that I mean the DDR, CPU, and AGP Vid Card, is going to be damn near impossible. Even a search on Ebay yeilded almost nothing so you know they are going to be a bitch to find.

Upon a trip to NewEgg, I did find a motherboard to my surprise that is "current" and will take the new processors, but still takes DDR1 and even an AGP Video Card. The downside to this is it only takes 2 sticks of RAM, where as I currently have 4 x 512. So to keep my same amount of memory, I would need to also buy a 2 x 1GB set. But in all, this would let me salvage most of my current components for under $200.

Now keeping in mind I wanted to do a full upgrade soon. I wouldn't want to spend that just to turn around and replace everything in 4 months.

Just for fun I picked out the pieces I would need to get a current system. Not top of the line by any means, but what I need. (Which is what my current system was built based on.) Getting a current Motherboard with DDR2and PCIe Graphics, 2 GBs of matching memory, and a PCIe Video Card (8600GT) would run me about $400 or so. The only thing I would keep from my old system is my Pentium 4 3.2Ghz processor, which I would replace later.

Again, just thinking outloud.

Regarding power supplies. I have heard a brand called FSP Group is extremely reliable.

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

There are several good PSU makers. I tend to recommend that people check out, among other sites, http://www.silentpcreview.com to get a good, powerful PSU that is also quiet. I chose to go with Corsair myself (a rebadged Seasonic) which has so far done well. Buy something in the 500watt range or better, just for future-proofness.

If the motherboard won't even allow you to get to a mode where you can reflash its bios from a floppy, then in all likelyhood it is toast. It does apparently ask you for a boot disk though - the motherboard manufacturers site should have a page with downloads for it, including the latest bios and instructions on how to put it on a floppy.

 

[Kamokazi]

Xclio has been my choice lately. They use the same OEM as Antec (CWT), and all reviews I have seen rate them as top notch. Hiper also has some lower end ones that aren't too bad on price.

A good place to find old motherboards is www.motherboardpro.com

They are a newer site but all the feedback I've seen on them is extremely positive, and I ordered a used Socket A board from them for a friend and it came quickly and it was packed well, included all accessories, and was very clean.

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

People often tend to foolishly buy cheap when it comes to PSU's, but it is one of the most important components in a PC. Clean, stable and ample power is absolutely required if you want a stable computer in the first place.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

I'm sorry I completely forgot to come back this thread.

After alot of research and such, starting with GOOD PSUs and thier importance, I actually ended up ordering parts for a new PC. I order a brand new P35 chipset Abit motherboard, Compatible RAM, and a new 8600 Video Card. The only thing I am keeping from my old system for now is my Pentium 4 CPU, to be replaced in a few months.

I could of gotten a new motherboard that would of taken all my components (Ram, AGP card, etc) but planned up upgrading my system soon anyway so...eh...no time like the present.

I can ebay my old Video Card, it's in great shape and an XFX, and my friend wants to buy my DDR400 from me, so wont be losing out on alot of money in the end.

Parts should be here today. I'm exicted.

I am getting a GOOD PSU this time, a Fortron.