Similar PC problem to Jen's...advice please!

kinetic (Steve) · #1 14-03-2009, 09:45 AM

Hi,

I have a similar problem to Jen's but it seems to be pointing towards
maybe the motherboard or RAM or power supply?

Symptom 1.
Sometimes on switch on there is no BIOS...no message on screen, just black.
The boot up doesn't start.
There is power to the board though, the keyboard lights are on, laser
mouse has power, and the DVD drive LED pulses as it does a read.
Turning off the little power switch(rocker switch) behind the Power
Supply , then back on causes a successful boot up.

Symptom 2.
When a startup does begin, it gets maybe 5 mins into a successful
complete startup, windows functioning fine, then windows freezes.
Mouse won't move, CTRL ALT DEL won't work ...reset button works but
there is no POST beep and BIOS startup from that point on.

Out of maybe 10 startups nowadays, 5 are the first description and
there is maybe one freeze.

They seem to be getting more frequent too.
System is Win XP registered ver, 2.8Ghz, 512Mb RAM, service pack 3.
System has worked faultless for many years.

Any help or suggestions welcome.

Steve

Kal (Andrew) · #2 14-03-2009, 09:54 AM

If I had to hazard a guess, I would think that it was a power problem. This would explain both the failure to power up properly at the POST stage, and also the post-boot crashes.

Do you have another power supply lying around that you can try in the machine?

Do you have the machine on a power board with multiple other devices? (Maybe try it direct to a power point for a while?)

kinetic (Steve) · #3 14-03-2009, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kal

If I had to hazard a guess, I would think that it was a power problem. This would explain both the failure to power up properly at the POST stage, and also the post-boot crashes.

Do you have another power supply lying around that you can try in the machine?

Do you have the machine on a power board with multiple other devices? (Maybe try it direct to a power point for a while?)

Thanks Andrew,
I haven't actually done any of that but I will do it right away.
I think the PS in this unit is +/- 12v, 5v, and CPU 3.3v rails.
I think they call it a mini ATX? case PS?? not sure.

Not sure if I have a spare PS with those rails, but bugger it, can't hurt to
have a spare.

Cheers,

Steve

Jen · #4 14-03-2009, 10:57 AM

good luck Steve i hope you get it all fixed soon
Its very frustrating isnt it?

Baddad (Marty) · #5 14-03-2009, 02:25 PM

I agree with Andrew. Change the power supply module.

Often when computer units are sold they have a PS with just the capacity to handle the load. After a while if extra units are added or just age the PS becomes unstable and the puter exhibits those symptoms.

When you get to replacing it. Take the old one along to the shop, as sometimes the physical dimensions may differ a little. Also go for a bigger capacity output.

Marty

BerrieK · #6 14-03-2009, 02:32 PM

I had a similar problem (ie no bios or startup intermittantly, but power to keyboard but mouse not playing nicely) with a Sony Vaio laptop a few years ago.

Turned out to be a faulty cable to the hard drive.

I am no IT specialist, but have simply had a similar prob.

Good luck solving the puzzle.

kinetic (Steve) · #7 14-03-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BerrieK

Good luck solving the puzzle.

Cheers people

Hardly even a puzzle to solve Berrie, thanks to the selfless advice of
a really good bunch!

Steve

kinetic (Steve) · #8 27-03-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BerrieK

Good luck solving the puzzle.

Puzzle solved , I think....

New power supply, 650W replaced a 400W.
Thanks to the people who suggested the PS because
it hasn't missed a beat yet.

No freezes and no Dead on power-up/ no POST
behaviour.

I did notice a week ago before I had done the changeover
that doing a right-click on MyComputer/Properties
showed the CPU as a 1.8Ghz and I know for sure it
is a 2.8Ghz because I have seen it there in the past.
I'm not sure about ATX power supplies but isn't the 3.3V
for the CPU?...maybe if that had failed or was intermittently
failing, the loss of CPU voltage settable clock speed was
showing up as incorrect (in Properties) and showing me
all along?!

Computers!......

Steve

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #9 27-03-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinetic

Puzzle solved , I think....

New power supply, 650W replaced a 400W.
Thanks to the people who suggested the PS because
it hasn't missed a beat yet.

No freezes and no Dead on power-up/ no POST
behaviour.

I did notice a week ago before I had done the changeover
that doing a right-click on MyComputer/Properties
showed the CPU as a 1.8Ghz and I know for sure it
is a 2.8Ghz because I have seen it there in the past.
I'm not sure about ATX power supplies but isn't the 3.3V
for the CPU?...maybe if that had failed or was intermittently
failing, the loss of CPU voltage settable clock speed was
showing up as incorrect (in Properties) and showing me
all along?!

Computers!......

Steve

well done you !!

i see this kind of thnig all the time, most modern day PC's especially those with more powerfull video cards need something with a higher ampage on the 12V rail, or dual 12V rails to begin with.

Jen · #10 27-03-2009, 03:59 PM

welcome back Steve

Baddad (Marty) · #11 27-03-2009, 06:24 PM

Puzzle solved , I think....

Welcome back Steve.

. I hate the low quality gear that some retailers put forward to the public. All to sell a product cheaply.

Ya' back and that's what counts most.

Kal (Andrew) · #12 27-03-2009, 09:32 PM

Good to hear Steve. I remember 6-7 years ago when I built my pc I thought a 350W power supply would be plenty. Last year I upgraded it to a 750W unit (so I could upgrade my video card).

kinetic (Steve) · #13 05-04-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinetic

Puzzle solved , I think....

New power supply, 650W replaced a 400W.
Thanks to the people who suggested the PS because
it hasn't missed a beat yet.

No freezes and no Dead on power-up/ no POST
behaviour.

I did notice a week ago before I had done the changeover
that doing a right-click on MyComputer/Properties
showed the CPU as a 1.8Ghz and I know for sure it
is a 2.8Ghz because I have seen it there in the past.
I'm not sure about ATX power supplies but isn't the 3.3V
for the CPU?...maybe if that had failed or was intermittently
failing, the loss of CPU voltage settable clock speed was
showing up as incorrect (in Properties) and showing me
all along?!

Computers!......

Steve

I spoke too soon.

The last two days the symptoms returned!

If it's not the power supply, then next on the list of maybes
was faulty RAM or motherboard?

If it's any help, the last 2 of 6 times it's frozen while up and
running I was doing fairly memory intensive stuff (having a go at
the SPSP processing challenge).
Also the symptom of no POST/BIOS on switch on happens.
So , exactly the same problem.
Would that point to the RAM?

Advice appreciated!

Steve

Jen · #14 05-04-2009, 09:22 AM

oh no Steve thats not good at all hope you find the problem real soon
How u been anyway

kinetic (Steve) · #15 05-04-2009, 09:24 AM

Good thanks Jen,

Hey when did you turn green?...or don't say my bloody monitor's
buggered too!

Steve

Jen · #16 05-04-2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinetic

Good thanks Jen,

Hey when did you turn green?...or don't say my bloody monitor's
buggered too!

Steve

no Steve ya monitor is fine
There is few people in here are trying to convert me into watching Star Trek so im just seeing what its like to be a Star Trek chic but i just cant do it i cant watch it it makes me go to sleep LMAO

kinetic (Steve) · #17 05-04-2009, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinetic

I spoke too soon.

The last two days the symptoms returned!

If it's not the power supply, then next on the list of maybes
was faulty RAM or motherboard?

If it's any help, the last 2 of 6 times it's frozen while up and
running I was doing fairly memory intensive stuff (having a go at
the SPSP processing challenge).
Also the symptom of no POST/BIOS on switch on happens.
So , exactly the same problem.
Would that point to the RAM?

Advice appreciated!

Steve

<bump>

Steve

Glenhuon (Bill) · #18 05-04-2009, 10:10 PM

I'd say your right on with the RAM. Try removing and replacing it after giving the contacts on the modules a clean. If that fails, replace it.
One question I forgot, when it fails to post does it give any beeps. There is a beep code that can give an indication of which piece of hardware is faulty.

Cheers
Bill

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #19 05-04-2009, 10:30 PM

what motherboard, CPU, ad RAM are you running?

kinetic (Steve) · #20 06-04-2009, 06:40 AM

Hi Bill, Duncan,,

Bill, no beeps.
Only time it beeps is when a normal POST/BIOS startup
happens. Then it's just the one beep.

Duncan,

Sis 661 FX Chipset

'661FM2' for Intel Pent 4 Processors.
512MB RAM

Win XP service pack 3 (genuine owner)

2.8 Ghz Intel Celeron processor..

Just to eliminate a few other suggestions earlier in the
thread I have so far:

1.Run the PC direct from the power point instead of
on a 4-way powerboard.
2.Changed the laser mouse over to another mouse

No freezes so far but it's only run for maybe an hour
since I did those.

Steve