Computer won't boot

Technology and Gaming Help and Support
#1

Alright, here’s the deal; My computer is broken. It won’t boot up properly, the fans go full blast, the HDD light stays on, and no signal goes to the monitor. It’s been doing this since yesterday (Monday) and there have been no recent hardware installs, no driver updates, and the last thing I installed was OpenMPT, about a week ago with no ill effects. I have tried:
*Disconnect the power cord and hold the power button in for a minute to drain all stored electricity (multiple times)
*Take out and reinstall the GPU
*Do the same with the RAM, but run in between to check for beeps. (there were none)
*Take out and clean the Processor heatsink (might as well since I’m digging around in there anyway)
*Yell at the computer for not working

My vital specs are:

Any ideas?

#2

Start taking out things that are not required. Take out some ram, rom drives, HDD’s video cards. Keep doing this until the system posts. Attempt to start the system even with the devices removed. Also remove the CMOS battrie.

#3

Well, sounds like what my computer did. YOUR POWER SUPPLY LINE TO SOMETHING IS LOOSE. Just plug it back in.

First, it was my cpu (GOD I WAS STUPID).

Then it was my hd 6970 fucking me over in the ass.

#4

If your computer wont start…

How are you talking to us? :what:

#5

he was probably using another computer or his smartphone

#6

My computer won’t start, the crappy family computer I use for internet will.

#7

Have you tried another monitor? Also make sure that everything is firmly plugged in. I had a friend who moved his computer and didn’t seat his monitor cable all the way in.

#8

Ok, the problem is your bios isn´t posting (that´s why fans are on full, they dont regulate until post).

I doubt it´s the GPU, if it was, you would either hear a bip or it would post regardless, granted you wouldnt see it, but the fans would regulate.

I doubt it´s the ram, as again you´d hear a bip.

I think your best bet is, either PSU or, mobo is done for.

#9

Maybe the bios is corrupt. That would explain the fans since the fan speed is controlled by the bios. It would also explain why his computer doesn’t post.

#10

Are you sure the iPad is connected?

#11

This. As someone else mentioned, you can also try removing/re-inserting the CMOS battery (or replacing it with a new one). But the bottom line is, something is preventing your BIOS from even loading, which is either faulty power (bad PSU, loose power connections - make sure the 20/24 pin and 4/8 pin cables are secure on your motherboard), faulty BIOS or motherboard - either of those cases requires a swap of the mobo.

#12

I have had this problem in the past, generally it is caused by either the screen arsing about, or the cable going into the screen (E.g mines a DVI-D)

What you could try is either while the computer is starting up, wriggle the wires a bit, try a different screen for a conclusive result, or after turning on the computer, turn it off again, unplug it and leave it five minutes, this will let the RAM clear it’s cache. Failing that, open it up and reset the bios via the bios reset switch. (if worst comes worst, reinstall windows…)

NOTE: It can easily be caused by a loose wire (either in the pc or to the screen, check the wires…)

Hope this helps!

–

afterwars

#13

Yup pretty much.

Please try a different PSU asap, with just one stick of ram, and integrated graphics if the mobo has any, and if not a gpu, all this outside of the case with nothing else connected to it, just to see if the mobo posts. As mentioned, for what its going to cost you, change the cmos battery.

If no luck, as it has been said, it´s either corrupted bios or bad mobo, either case unfortunately requiring a new mobo or RMA your current one if still under guarantee

#14

It wouldnt have anything to do with screen, cable to the screen or the likes, as bios would still post regardless of a screen being connected or not, it doesn´t care about that.

#15

Alright, there is a computer downstairs with a PSU that will fit, I’ll see if it’s 450W or higher (450 is the minimum for my GPU) I also know a guy at school who took a comp eng course, and he thinks it might be the PSU, but he has to review his notes from last year.
I really hope it is the PSU, because I really don’t want to have to install a new motherboard.
EDIT: Nope, the basement computer’s PSU is 300W. Damn.

#16

Do you have onboard video just so you can test the computer with the other PSU? If you do, you can just take your graphics card out for the time being and just see if you can boot.

#17

even if your GPU doesn’t get enough power it should boot up (with reduced clock speed), you still need to have the 6pin molex connected to it though.

#18

EDIT: Alright, the cause has been confirmed as PSU failure. I got my spare PSU out (the one that came with the case but wasn’t powerful enough for my GPU, and which I forgot about) and hooked it up, and sure enough, it ran. Going to have to go into town and get a new one, because literally nothing I use my personal computer for can run with integrated graphics. Anyway, thanks for all the help. (except the guy who posted about the non-existent ipad)

A cursory look at the manual for my motherboard reveals it does in fact have integrated graphics. I guess I’ll give it a try.

EDIT: I just realized my brother’s old PC is lying around not being used. The PSU on that is probably more powerful than the one from the downstairs comp.

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.