Computer Failure - I need advice

[JudgeDredd]

I am a software engineer, and I've built all my own computers but for my very first one in 1993...but I'm a bit stuck.

My computer has just failed on me.

Here are the symptoms...

I went on holiday for a week. When I came back, I switched the PC on. Nothing happened. Got ready to go to the shops and about 10 minutes AFTER switching it on, it fired up. I switched it off again, and then turned it on...same thing...nothing. Eventually, about another 10 minutes or so, it fired up again. This time I left it on and used it all night.

Next day, when I swiched it on, it fired up straight away and I've been using it ever since. Until tonight.

I fired it up and it started. About 30 minutes after using it, I switched it off. Later when I tried to start it, I got the same symptoms...NOTHING. Eventually it came on, but now I'm getting no graphics output.

The fans are firing up. I think I can hear the disks spinning (certainly the DVD drive).

I've unplugged the CPU fan from the motherboard and I'm not getting the warning horn (that tells you the fan isn't working).
I've taken ALL memory out, and I'm getting no warning noise.
I've taken the graphics card out...no warning noises.

Basically, the motherboard is giving me no feedback at all.

Now the fact that I'm getting no warning noises from the board when I remove the memory or the graphics card makes me think the motherboard was knackered.
However, because the disks appear to be spinning and all the fans seem to be working (CPU and case fan are powered by the motherboard), then I'm thinking the graphics card could be shot.

Any ideas pls?

Thx
Billy

[Dan Verssen]

I had a computer that was also delaying 5 to 10 minutes to start up. At one point, it was turned on and quietly turned itself off. It never turned on again. I received the computer as a gift from a friend who warned me that its power supply was failing and would one day fail completely.
 
One guess would be your power supply did something bad and killed your motherboard.

[Peter Fisla]

Yeah it could be the power supply. I also build my computers since 1991 and what I do to debug hardware propblems is, I remove as many hardware cards/components as possible and start with bare minium.

[06 Maestro]

This is an odd problem. I assume that your screen remains black. It seems odd that if the graphics card was completely shorted, that you would not get the on screen message of "no signal". I have never had a monitor go bad on me, but I suppose it is possible.
Have you tried a boot disk to fire it up after a failure?
It might help to thoroughly clean out the pc and re- seat everything. If that doesn't do it, then bang the mb around a bit-if that doesn't do it, then bang the mb on the table...[:D]
Good luck-oh, and, no charge.

[Mr. Skullduggery]

Before you do anything else, replace the power supply.  My PC would POST and then die, everything spinning.  I replaced the MB everything fine, for a week.  Same thing happened.  Finally, just to see, replaced the PS.  Everything back to normal, using the old MB and new MB.  Just me suggestion.

[Gem35]

It could be the power supply, it could be the graphics card or it could be the power switch on your computer case or it could be a short on your motherboard.
Best thing would be to borrow a friend's power supply, take everything out of your computer case and place your motherboard on a flat surface with cardboard underneath.
Use one stick of RAM, the graphics card(or again, a friend's if possible)and your friend's powersupply.
Process of elimination works best.

Good luck.[:)]

[JudgeDredd]

Thx Skullduggery.
 
Trouble is, I don't have any spare kit. I might be able to get a graphics card from work to try, and I'll take my PC into work tomorrow to try this. I doubt very much I can get a power supply...I need a 550 watt minimum.
 
I'll try and get what I can from work when I get there tomorrow.
 
Thx for the input.

[Erik Rutins]

Certainly makes me suspect the power supply too.

[cdbeck]

Wait... before completely replacing the Power Supply, you should check the CMOS battery on a battery power tester. This is basically a watch battery that is part of the motherboard itself and that keeps the CMOS always on in order to keep your time and CMOS settings constantly saved. When these go out, things can get really odd and wonky. This sounds a little like the issues you get with this, and will be far less expensive than an entire power supply.

Here is a page that explains the best way to do this:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000239.htm

Anyway, it is the first and less expensive thing I would check.

SoM

[JudgeDredd]

K thanks all.
 
I know about the insides of computers...built them for years. CMOS battery is evident and I'll have a look at that tomorrow also, thanks for that idea SoM.
 
I just hope I can get the spare kit at work tomorrow to see what the problem is...not gaming rig is my worst nightmare...you don't understand, without a gaming rig, I may well get a divorce...because I'll have to have "conversations" with her!!! [:D][:D]

[panzers]

My gf has a similar problem and it definately was the power supplt in her case, and I think it may be yours also. One thing I am not is a computer wiz, so plz don't take that to the bank, but it does sound all to familiar especially if the screen is black.

[e_barkmann]

I'd concur as well it's the PS, having had similar experiences over the years.

cheers

[Capt. Harlock]

Does your motherboard have built-in graphics? If you can connect the monitor and bypass the graphics card, you might be able to get some feedback.

[panzers]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Does your motherboard have built-in graphics? If you can connect the monitor and bypass the graphics card, you might be able to get some feedback.

Don't all motherboards have some kind of basic graphics?

[NefariousKoel]

I'd be willing to bet money it's a motherboard failure. While power supply is suspect, in my experience when this kind of power switching problem happens it's the motherboard.

Check the voltages on your power supply - especially before popping a new board in. If the PSU is screwed up - you don't want to put a new board in there with the PSU having too much or not enough voltage coursing through it. It could be both. I had skipped checking it with a new board once and, sure enough, the 5V rail was putting out 7+ volts. Fried the new replacement board in about 30 seconds.

[Jeffrey H.]

I would never unplug the CPU fan, those things will fry in SECONDS without the fan.
 

[Marauders]

It could be the power supply.
 
This also sometimes happens when the BIOS is bad or the memory slots have gone bad.
 
The machine may be trying to POST at a bad memory multiplier or speed.
 
I had this happen recently.
 

[SemperAugustus]

You should get beep codes from the motherboard if it can get it started and there is something wrong with it.

I have had issues with the graphics card failing which also caused similar issues, the motherboard fan being very, very quiet on start up. In my case the issue was with the graphics card fan failing.

Other possibilities is the old favourite: dust. Unplugging everything and cleaning it up and plugging it in again.

[JudgeDredd]

Thx all.

I've got it in work this morning, so I'll take it apart and give it a good clean out and reseat everything. Then hopefully I can find some parts to do some fault finding.

[Gem35]

In order to get beep codes you are assuming his PC has a speaker connected.[;)]