VS9 Trial Over...and computer will not boot

msheldon · Post by **msheldon** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 4:15 pm

Hi,

My VS9 trial ended yesterday and now my computer will not boot. I don't know if the two are connected, but thought I would ask.

I know that my monitor, keyboard and mouse all work because my work and home computer share each of them via a splitter. I did connect each directly to my home computer, but nothing.

I cannot even use a boot disk. The computer doesn't appear to even read the A: or E: drives. The screen is blank...just the hum of the fans.

Any thoughts?
Regards,
Mark

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 4:46 pm

That's definitely a hardware problem.

Do you see the POST (Power-On Self Test) screen and/or hear a single beep that should be audible before the system tries to boot?

msheldon · Post by **msheldon** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:49 pm

No beep. How sad am I?

Post by **Ron P.** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:05 pm

Mark,

Is this a laptop? I would think that it was since your system specs say no sound or video card...
Do you have access to another computer, where you could put the hard drive in as a secondary to see if you can access the data on it?

However my first guess would be something happened to the mother board, like the bios took a hike...

Ron P.

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:13 pm

It could be a bad processor, something that fried because of dust or static, or a bad power-supply.

Since the system was working when you shut it off, my guess would be that something died during the strain of powering up. Even though you hear the fan(s), the PSU can still be dead because there are multiple rails that supply different voltages to components in your system -- the motherboard, processor, disk drives, fans, video card etc. all require specific input voltages.

Unless you have spare components that you can swap in and out and feel comfortable doing this, I think it's time for a trip to the doctor, or outright replacement of the system if it doesn't make economic sense to keep it.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:22 pm

Have to agree with Torsten. I have had this problem twice in the past two years: first time it was the power source, which was a relatively low cost replacement. Next time, though, it was my motherboard, which had just come out of its warranty period! That was a more painful and expensive replacement -- painful because in effect I could not get the same motherboard anymore, and so had to completely reformat and rebuild all the programming...

msheldon · Post by **msheldon** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:18 pm

Wow, thanks for the info. I just got done swapping out the RAM and it works in another computer. The RAM from the other computer (which is my work computer) does not help.

My computer is a desktop, which I rebuilt last year. I just added more RAM and a DVD Burner a month ago. I did not, however, upgrade the power supply when I rebuilt my system. Do you think that the power supply from 2001 finally gave out?

I'll try testing the hard drive next...

Thanks,
Mark

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:38 pm

msheldon
Step 1. Turn your computer off and remove the power lead from the socket on the wall. leave it off for at least 30 seconds.
Restart the computer and look for the message that tells you to press a certain key to "Enter setup" - press that key.
This will take you into the system BIOS.

Now check that the System BIOS is reading your Hard drive(s) and floppy drives. If not look for an option to detect your hard drives - this varies from one computer to another, in some cases you simply press the ENTER key but on other computers there may be an option to detect the hard drives.

If your system can see your hard drives, the next step is to attempt to start the computer in SAFE MODE.

To start the computer in safe mode
You should print these instructions before continuing. They will not be available after you shut your computer down in step 2.
Click Start, click Shut Down, and then, in the drop-down list, click Shut down.
In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Restart, and then click OK.
When you see the message Please select the operating system to start, press F8.
Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press ENTER.
If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access using the arrow keys, and then press ENTER.
Notes

In safe mode, you have access to only basic files and drivers (mouse, monitor, keyboard, mass storage, base video, default system services, and no network connections). You can choose the Safe Mode with Networking option, which loads all of the above files and drivers and the essential services and drivers to start networking, or you can choose the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option, which is exactly the same as safe mode except that a command prompt is started instead of the graphical user interface. You can also choose Last Known Good Configuration, which starts your computer using the registry information that was saved at the last shutdown.
Safe mode helps you diagnose problems. If a symptom does not reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and minimum device drivers as possible causes. If a newly added device or a changed driver is causing problems, you can use safe mode to remove the device or reverse the change.
There are circumstances where safe mode will not be able to help you, such as when Windows system files that are required to start the system are corrupted or damaged. In this case, the Recovery Console may help you.
NUM LOCK must be off before the arrow keys on the numeric keypad will function.
Related Topics

That's enough for starters, please reply with results of the above.

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:43 pm

That's quite possible.

Many systems ship with PSUs that are barely able to provide enough current to all the stuff the box ships with, and once you add more RAM, a DVD burner, a high-end video card etc., you might really be pushing it. If you are lucky, the PSU dies outright; if you are not, you experience inexplicable system lockups or program crashes wile playing your favorite game or burning DVDs that can't be cured by uninstalling utilities you have come to depend on or by using System Restore, which some guy claimed would solve your problem "for sure".

Still, I don't want you to run out and get another PSU and then discover that that wasn't the problem. It may be time to let a shop take a look at it.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:05 pm

Just noticed you have a blank screen at startup so may not get as far aas step 1. I also see you appear OK with taking your computer apart.
Do you have a spare IDE ribbon cable, if so try swapping the IDE cable.
Also try connecting the hard drive to the second IDE slot on the motherboard.
Disconnect any other IDE devices whilst testing the hard drive in this way.

Have you a spare hard drive somewhere, If so you can plug that in to see if it is detected by the BIOS. If not can you plug the hard drive into someone elses computer?

You mention the keyboard lights up - was that on this computer or another?

msheldon · Post by **msheldon** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:04 am

Well, I bought a new power supply and I am sad to say it was not the problem. I have trouble-shooted everything except the mobo/cpu and the hard drive. At this point, I am hoping for the mobo because I have not be diligent about backing up my data.

So, I have tested the RAM and Power supply.

My work computer is a slimline Dell, so I cannot hook up my hard drive because it only has one power supply source and I do not want to unhook the main hard drive and risk screwing up my work computer.

Should I take my hard drive somewhere (where?) to have it tested or should I buy a new mobo/cpu or should I just go to Fry's and get a new system...?

Thanks for you help.

Regards,
Mark

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:13 am

You could put the internal drive into an external drive enclosure that connects via Firewire and/or USB2, depending on what ports you have available. I prefer an enclosure that supports both interfaces, Firewire is faster, but USB2 is a good fallback option when I need to hook the drive up to someone else's system. Decent external enclosures can be had for as little as US$ 30.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:55 am

You should have two IDE slots.
Is your DVD burner on the same IDE cable is the Hard Drive?
If not then use the IDE cable connected to the DVD burner to test the Hard Drive - and use the second slot.
Disconnect any other IDE devices so that there is just the Hard Drive connected.
Anything?

Another thing to try is there is a jumper usualy next tothe battery (Your battery might need changing) the jumper has 3 pins, the jumper currently connects two together.
Turn off the computer, remove the power lead from the wall socket. move the jumper so that the other pin and the one in the middle are connected.
Move the jumper back to the original position. Now turn the computer back on again.
Anything?

daniel · Post by **daniel** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:06 am

It is not your hard drive.
This would still let the computer go into the BIOS tests and display a message to the effect that there was no bootable drive found.

I'm not an expert. Just my thoughts.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:39 am

daniel wrote:It is not your hard drive.
This would still let the computer go into the BIOS tests and display a message to the effect that there was no bootable drive found.

I'm not an expert. Just my thoughts.

Alas that is not always so. A faulty bit of hardware (Harddrive included) can prevent the BIOS from starting up correctly. Take it from someone who's fixed several dozen broken computers.

What you can do to test out the above suggestion though is to disconect everything except the RAM and Video card.
Minimum requirements to get a POST screen are
Power
RAM
Processor
Video Card

It won't do anything else but it will startup and display a BIOS screen.