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Problem with our home computer

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by deeda

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I am looking for some help with our home computer.
What it does is when I start it up I get no Post beep, my hard drive light says lit, and my monitor wont turn on. What happened was my brother-in-law tried to put more RAM (regular) in the PC andwell it turned on but the RAM didnt change so he took it back out(this happened when i wasnt home) and then that is when the montior didnt work. It did this before but it hasnt done it since we moved it to a different room. Any ways I have tried everything i can actually think of. I have checked to make sure the cables are correct on the motherboard, bought a new video card, tried different slots, tried the monitor on a different computer & it worked. the only thing i can figure is my boardmight be dead--but would my computer still turn on and stuff?? Also the computer is kind of old only about a 4 gig hard drive. I need to get stuff off the hard drive, if i cant get it to work and well not too sure how to exactly do that?? Please if anyone has any input, questions, or comments for me please email me dmartin@lssdata.com
Thanks
Deidre

35 replies

by drb63

Have you tried to clear the CMOS? If not, pull the system battery (generally it's a CR2032) on the system board. Turn on the computer and then turn it off. Put the battery back in and then try again.

by deeda

I tried this but it did the same thing. I took the battery out-booted it up and then shut it off & put the battery back in and booted it again and it just does the exact same thing.
thanks for your imput though

by maxwell edison

The symptoms could point to a video card that is bad or isn't properly seated or a motherboard that failed. But since the RAM was removed and re-installed, I'd suspect that the RAM is indeed the issue.

First of all, if there are more RAM slots available than RAM modules, there is an order in which the RAM modules are inserted. With three slots, but only one RAM stick, for example, the single RAM stick should go into the first slot, the second RAM stick in the second slot, and so on. The slots are numbered starting with either 0 or 1. See your manual for the numbering scheme in your case. If you don't have the manual, usually - but not always - the first slot is closest to the processor.

In addition, make sure the RAM is properly andcompletely seated into the slot.

Either of these oversights could cause your symptoms.

by deeda

I checked to make sure it was seated correctly and even pushed it just incase & it is in the slot closest to the processor. It still does the exact same thing. Do you know how to tell if the system board is bad?

by maxwell edison

The symptoms could point to a video card that is bad or isn't properly seated or a motherboard that failed. But since the RAM was removed and re-installed, I'd suspect that the RAM is indeed the issue.

First of all, if there are more RAM slots available than RAM modules, there is an order in which the RAM modules are inserted. With three slots, but only one RAM stick, for example, the single RAM stick should go into the first slot, the second RAM stick in the second slot, and so on. The slots are numbered starting with either 0 or 1. See your manual for the numbering scheme in your case. If you don't have the manual, usually - but not always - the first slot is closest to the processor.

In addition, make sure the RAM is properly andcompletely seated into the slot.

Either of these oversights could cause your symptoms.

by sue t

I don't think your problem is with your monitor, it sounds more like something got changed when he installed the memory. Are you sure you are using the memory that came with the computer. Have you tried removing the memory and then reinstalling it? Also check your motherboard book and make sure the memory doesn't have to be in certain slots. Ask your brother if he changed anything in the BIOS. Also, make sure the hard drive ribbon cable is connected correctly (on most computers the red stripe on the cable should be towards the power connectors red wire, also check the connection on the motherboard. Good luck.

by deeda

I ruled out the monitor too-- I actually tried another monitor and it didnt work. I tried removing the RAM and reinstalling it but it still wont work. I also made sure all the wires were correctly installed and seated right. Thanks for trying to help let me know if you have any other suggestions

by neos

If you turn on the computer and don't get post beeps....then you can stop troubleshooting... the problem is the motherboard... a simple way to test this is unplug everything except the power cable... and turn on the computer... if no beeps...then you know what you problem is....MOtherboard

by deeda

I did that and you are right that i didnt get any beeps--But even with the stuff plugged in it still didnt beep. so do you think my motherboard is dead or fried or do you think something on my motherboard is just not right?
Thanks for the input!

by deeda

If my PS died could my system still get power? The CPU is seated, its never been taken out of moved?

by deeda

I am wondering about my CMOS-- if my battery is dead would that cause this??

by connectknee

Hi,

I seen this problem before. What we found out was the cpu was fried and by replacing it the computer started right up. Hopefully your computer is not to old and you can find a replacement right away.

Good luck,

Paul

by deeda

Thanks for the input--we are planning on getting a new computer now. But i think i might still mess with this one and maybe just rebuild it with a new motherboard & processor just to have a little fun!
Thanks again

by help desk guru

If you unplug everything and boot and dont get a beep during the post, your motherboard is a cripsy critter. It's only function now is to be a serving platter for a pizza. Sorry. :-(

by deeda

Thanks for the input--we are planning on getting a new computer now. But i think i might still mess with this one and maybe just rebuild it with a new motherboard & processor just to have a little fun!
Thanks again

by oneonlysupermouse

I'm pretty sure this won't be of much use but it wouldn't hurt to check if your system speaker is plugged in. It might have gotten unpluuged durring the ram up grade, also did try to install a different type of ram?

by deeda

I didnt have the speakers plugged in--but the post beep should come from the system board not the speakers, i think anyways.

by william jay

Howdy,

If the drive light comes on and stays on, then the ribbon cable is backwards on one end. . .

by deeda

I have checked all the cables and they all seem to be seated correctly and the red stripe is on the correct side.

by maggot

Did you ask your brother-in-law to do this?? If you didn't he owes you!!

If proper protection for static discharge wasn't taken during the memory switch then possibly a static discharge damaged the mainboard or a component on it.

You can save the hard drive if it isn't damaged and slave it to (your next computer) and retrive the data you want.

Bummer!!

by deeda

Thanks for the Info, it is actually my brother-in-law's computer-but usually he doesnt do this stuff unless i am around

by gkheart1

Hi,
Just because you don't hear any audible beeps
doesn't mean the main board is faulty. A problem with the cmos can cause this type of problem and
you won't hear any beeps. You say the hard drive
led is just staying lit. Is the cpu fanrunning
if your pc has one? Is the power led lit? And when you try to boot it does it light the leds
on the cdrom or the floppy drive at all? Also is
this a compaq pc?

by deeda

Yeah the CPU fan i running, and the led lights for power is lit, but it doesnt even look to the cdrom or floppy, its almost like in the boot sequence it stops at the hard drive. and lastly this is not a compaq--its a no name one that some guy built for my brother-in-law.

by colin_mendonca

try to remove and fix back the video card.Do the same with the RAM cards.check the wire of the speaker if it is connected.check all the cables for any loose connections.
if the problem still exists then try replacing the cmos battery.
All the Best

by vintron

You said this happened after it was moved would suggest that you check that there is not a motherboard mount shorting out the board. As these are installed into the case before the motherboard it is not uncommon to have them installed in the wrong place and over time they short parts of the board to ground.

by deeda

Thanks for the input--we are planning on getting a new computer now. But i think i might still mess with this one and maybe just rebuild it with a new motherboard & processor just to have a little fun!
Thanks again

by yelhsa3840

ok listen he skrewed with the ram if you have 72 pin simm ram only use 2 of the sticks also try different ram

by deeda

Thanks for the input--we are planning on getting a new computer now. But i think i might still mess with this one and maybe just rebuild it with a new motherboard & processor just to have a little fun!
Thanks again

by donmars

Dead battery should still at least run the 'POST' Anything else happen such as drive motor sounds? you may not be getting a "POWER GOOD" signal from the Mother Board to the power supply. To get stuff off the drive install it in another computer but make it "SLAVE" to the "MASTER" that drive being the working drive already in that computer so you will have two drives. with the jumpers on the pins next to the data cable connection plug (ribbopn cable)The settings are usually marked on the drive itself. Sounds like you are better off getting a new unit since you said it is an old computer, and installing the drive as a second drive so you can get stuff off it.

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