Boot Problems (Gateway)

[Winchester]

I have a Gateway 900c (thin tower PC), no PS/2 ports, everything is USB, and everything is onboard and I cant try other video cards etc since it is half-height PCI slots.

The problem is that sometimes it will boot, other times will not. boot = monitor turn on
I have changed the ram, try different monitors, keyboards, mouse, etc.
Sometimes if I turn the computer on, then the monitor, then plug in the keyboard/mouse then it will turn on.


What seems to be the problem?

 

[DaTT]

I had the same problem once, and it turned out to be a loose connection from the video card to the monitor. Check the cable connections first.

 

[Winchester]

I even wiggled the VGA cable, nothing.

 

[OverVolt]

Did it ever work right? And what happened that made it stop working? You ca try calling the nice ppl at gateway in India

 

[Ryan]

Did you by any chance get an extended warranty on your 'puter.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: OverVolt
Did it ever work right? And what happened that made it stop working? You ca try calling the nice ppl at gateway in India

No, Gateway still has support facilities here in the US. You're confusing them with Dell.

 

[snowdogg187]

by chance is the top usb port screwed up, meaning the 3rd one.

sometimes they bottom out and short out the mobo. let me know as I know a little about gateways.

 

[Winchester]

yeah, the top one is missing the male connector part on the inside.!

 

[Winchester]

Any way to fix it?

I got it for free, this might be why!

 

[Winchester]

It doesnt do it all the time, but I usually have to spend 5-10 minutes tinkering with it before it will go!

 

[snowdogg187]

Yeah, man. Thats why you got it for free. Something like a mouse was put in the port upside down and it grounds out the mobo. You will need to take a needlenose and pull out those pins and make sure it works then. It has worked for me on a few of those machines.

Make sure to have everything unplugged and be careful. I will not be held responsible for any other harm either

 

[buleyb]

Nice call Snowdogg

 

[Winchester]

Yesterday afternoon I turned it on and it said that the HD and CDROM could not be detected. It is still doing this.


I took out the 4 pins in the USB slot, (they broke off at the base), but it still is doing the same thing.

Something that I noticed: Sometimes when I press the power button, the LED does NOT come on, but it turns on (never does the monitor turn on etc, nor does it seem to boot)
and sometimes the LED does come on which then it may or may not turn on (if turn the comp on and off several times it might come on after a few times) even when I dont change anything.

 

[Winchester]

I took the USB housing apart and removed the pins all the way to the solder, but it still does not solve the problem. Since it seems to be a faulty mobo I might just take out the back USB ports and leave the front ones.



Does anyone know where I might get a replacement mobo for this, or a similar one that will fit the same case and handle a celeron 900?

 

[Winchester]

another addition:

When I do get the computer to turn on and go into BIOS or whatever, and then restart it, it doesnt restart, goes back to the problem again. This is without touching or moving anything!