computer won't start, HELP PLEASE

[hobbesl115]

there's something wrong with my brother's computer. almost every other time i start it, it doesn't even get to video card test. it powers up, but it just stays black, and hangs there. before the drive test, before the mem test, the graphics card test, before the bios even seems to start. the optical drive rattles.. (i dunno if that's supposed to mean something)

sometimes, rarely, if i leave it on for anywhere between 15min - 1hr it starts out of nowhere. but whenever i restart it manually (soft off or pwr button in back) (reset button doesn't do anything) it goes to the bios screen, saying something about how my cpu hung at an improper speed before i shut it off, and asks me to choose cpu speed that conforms to my cpu specs. so after i choose my correct cpu speed, and restart it again, it hangs again.

i happened to install a new hard drive (after i noticed the problem), so i know that's not the issue. i'm guessing mobo..? mayb chipset? i dunno, please help.

specs are:
asus a7n266, athlon xp 1900, msi geforce4 mx440, maxtor 120gb, windows xp (not that it matters, still hung when i put the new empty hdd in)

 

[mechBgon]

Welcome to the Forums What brand & model of power supply is running the show there, and what brand & model of RAM does it have? Might also be time for a fresh CMOS battery.

 

[Geniere]

You might have the same problem I have with my AMD setup. I've learned to live with it. In my case it is necessary to hold the front panel reset button for 5 to 10 seconds to get it to post. It may be that the MoBo is incorrectly sensing somthing wrong with the cpu fan rpm or low voltage...

 

[ironique]

Check that your the FSB setting in bios is set to 133 and not 100. Check your RAM. Also try using another DIMM, if you've got an extra one. Your RAM could be faulty. Does the PC beep when it gives you a blank screen? If not, it may be your RAM.

 

[hobbesl115]

when it hangs, the pc doesn't beep.
i use antec 400w ps
i have 2 crucial ddr pc2100, and one generic-looking one :b (it just says ddr 266); 512mb total. i forgot the speed, but it's a little old.
but i checked the memory slots, tried all different configs, and it didn't seem to be the mem that was screwed up.
it's been working fine until now, a little over 2 years..
i just tried the reset thing, (i dunno if i did it correctly) but it didn't work
how do i know if it's the cmos battery?
could it be anything else that's wrong with it?

 

[hobbesl115]

AHH sorry my motherboard is NOT a7n266, it's A7V266
sorry for the mixup
when the computer starts it says: "asus a7v266 acpi bios rev 1007"

 

[hobbesl115]

one more thing, the computer tends to reboot out of nowhere. like, when i launch a program, or go to my network places, when i tried to install a certain driver, etc. no noticeable pattern, just out of nowhere, randomly, reboots.

 

[resStealth]

well the psu and the two crucial dimms are probably ok. id think it was the generic dimm. id try both crucial sticks by theirselves to see if thats the problem. also id check for blown or leaking capacitors on your motherboard, and id also check my cpu, chipset, and bridge temps with a probe of some sort. could be an overheating issue.4

 

[hobbesl115]

i already tried different configs of mem sticks, and it didn't help.
what do you mean, probe? blown or leaking capacitors? sorry i'm not an electrician.. :b could you be a little more specific?

 

[hobbesl115]

please help, my problem hasn't been resolved yet :b
anyone else have any other suggestions??