Computer Will Not Boot - HELP!

My best guess would be that something is wrong with the mother board. Check all the connections. If the drive works okay in another machine you are going probably have to buy a new mb or machine.

martin

Have you tried a different monitor?

When you say the computer starts up, what specifically do you mean?

Does it sound like it is loading Windows?
Or do the drives just run their power on self tests and the fans run?

If Windows loads, then the monitor itself is the likely culprit.

If all that happens is the drives startup and the fans run, you do indeed have a system problem.

Start by removing and re-seating your RAM modules.

Next, remove any extra plug-in cards. Especially any modem or NIC cards.

If it still does not give you video for at least the POST, then it is likely the CPU or motherboard.

Chas

Point value changed by question poster.

There is a lot of things you can try and look at. First try another monitor, yours could have gone bad. Try replacing the monitor power cord, they go bad too. If you hear and see your computer boot up I.E. the lights on the drives come on and you hear a beep or two, it could be that the monitor is bad. You can buy a new one for $150.00 or so or a used one for $50.00. It could be the video card but you would hear a lot of beeps most of the time.

The only thing left is the power supply.
Replace the power supply.
If the computer still does not boot, You have more than one component that have failed.
Keep the known good power suupply and replace the CPU with a known good one.
If it still does not boot, replace the RAM with a known good one.
If it still does not boot, replace the motherboard.
If it still does not boot, buy a new system.

Now, please bear with me. You never mentioned ifyou were getting any noise from the PC speaker (that crappy little one inside the computer)

Now, if you are getting something (ie, the 'beep') then there is a problem with the monitor.

If the beep is Long-Short-s-s then the Video card has died.

If all you get is a continuous beep, the RAM has died, or become unseated somehow.

If you get nothing at all, then there is probably something fishy with the motherboard/ CPU. Check by reseating the CPU,that may help...

Other than that, it has died. Replacing the M/B and CPU may be the only option, but think of it this way... its cheaper than maybe getting that old system up and running.... (hehehe, makes it easier to deal with, ne?)
Anyway, finally, if you can be a tad more detailed, then I can help you more. Email me (robert@keato.zzn.com) with more details, if mine are not completely illogical, and I will help all I can.

Maelgwyn

There is nothing wrong with the motherboard.
There is nothing wrong with the RAM.
There is nothing wrong with the cards.
There is nothing wrong with the monitor.
This usually is the power supply +5 volt line failing.
The reason you hear the fans, hard drive, etc. is that they are all 12 volt. (Different line)
Get or borrow a volt meter. (Any cheap $6 one from Radio Shack is fine.)
Grab any unused power plug.
Put the red lead of the meter in the metal contact that has the red wire.
Put the black lead of the meter in a metal contact that has the black wire. (Either is OK of the two.)
Read meter.
You can verify that the meter is working by checking the yellow wire contact. It is the 12 volt. (Use the red lead. It is for the hot wire.)
IF it is not the PS, check the CPU fan. It may have frozen and thus overheated the CPU. Not likely.
Check the Power supply first.
Regards, Chris

you really need to put more info in your post beep code and info on the type of H/W is very imformative,but you did say that your pc froze so i would say that the 1st thing i would check is you ram try another stick also (very simple)try a 98 boot disk and see if you can get to the dos prompt if you can then you know video/mon are good and if not try another monitor as posted above you say you tried the H/D so maybe you can take you ram and try it in the other pc.
These are very basic steps but it's tough to answer a question with very little to go on

You said a boot disk , did not work? Just to make sure do you remember if you had BIOS set to look for a boot disk? Since you cant check now.

Im leaning towards a motherboard problem.

ok,u tried different ram,monitor,video and boot disk(with the bios set to boot to floppy A:)Then the only other things is your CPU and your MOBO.
I would say your MOBO is toasted because you do not even have a post.

BEST OF LUCK

The minimum requirement for a computer to boot is

1). Power supply,
2). Motherboard,
3). CPU/CPU fan,
4). RAM,
5). Video card, and
6). Monitor (to see the screen)

You really need to replace each component with a known good one to find one or more bad components that may cause your boot problem.
You do not replace all of them at once but one at a time.

If you had followed all the answers given to you, you should have resolved the problem already.

Keep your mind open. Assume all the above components might be bad and it is your job to verify it.

My personal gut feeling is the Power supply, CPU, and Motherboard in that order.
Your power supply may be weak or faulty.

Good luck.

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