Help....!!! Computer Won't Boot!

[MattStone]

Okay...so I'm sitting at my computer playing Half-Life...I refresh the servers, and bam, the machine appears to go down. Only it was still on...the hd lights were on, etc...you could hear the hum, only the monitor light was flashing like there was no video signal. I had to shut it down by pushing the power button...and when I turned it back on, it wouldn't boot. I could hear the hum...and see the hd lights flashing like it was booting, but the monitor light still flashed like there was no signal. Does anyone have any ideas???

 

[MattStone]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!

 

[NelsonMuntz]

Do you have a way to start checking things? a second computer you can put parts into to test? I would start with the monitor, then the video card. if those both check out, try the CPU. Were you overclocking? If so, I would hazard a guess at the CPU.

 

[MattStone]

First, no I do not have another computer to test the parts on. I have a cheap old p1 laptop that I'm using now to post this...but that's it. As far as overclocking, no...I'm not ocing the chip, and I never have. This exact same thing happened to me a couple of months ago, but after an hour the computer turned back on. Here are my specs

MSI K7TPro
1000mhz T-Bird
Voodoo 5
384 Megs Pc133 Crucial
14 gig IBM 14GXP
60 gig IBM 75GXP

I'm just confused...I suppose I'll take it to a computer shop, to get it looked at.

PS...does anyone have the D-Led codes for the MSI K7TPro? Mine is down at my apt...

 

[Dufusyte]

It sounds like the video card burned out.

When you allow it to boot up, it is probably booting into safe mode (so you do not hear the windows Start Up Sound).

To test it, you would have to borrow a spare video card from someone and pop that in instead of the V5, and see if it displays normally.

To test the monitor, you might try plugging the monitor into you laptop (if your laptop has the right adapter).

I'm betting it's the video card though. The BIOS is probably telling you "no video card detected." Try taking it out and reseating it...might work.

 

[Dufusyte]

btw, you can get a cheap trident video card for like $25, just to test it out. Don't you have any old vid cards lying around from your last upgrade?

 

[MattStone]

I took it to the computer shop...and they told me that I had a bad mobo, but somehow I don't think so. I'll try to get my hands on a cheap video board...

 

[BlakkIce]

take it to your local compusa they can fix anything lol

 

[jkings]

Matt:

Don't take the computer to another shop! If you haven't already learned how to troubleshoot your computer now is an opportune time. With this particular situation there are a number of possibilities as to why you are experiencing this problem (i.e. Bad vid card, mobo, cpu, power supply, etc.). The first thing we need to know is are you hearing any type of beep at POST? Are you hearing a beep or series of beeps when you start the computer?


JK

 

[MattStone]

First off...I get no beeps, and it won't even get to POST. Furthermore, I have learned to troubleshoot computers, and I came to the same solution, because I was getting 4 reds on my MSI DLeds...which means...power on, ie, that's as far as it's getting. I figured it'd either be the Mobo or the Chip, and I had no way of checking the chip so I took it to the computer shop...which is a good shop, because I hang out with everyone that works there, and they are all really intellegent. They tested video, cpu, power supply...and they were all fine. My monitor is fine...so, that would lead me (them too) to believe that the mobo is bad. I'm gonna call up MSI later, and try to RMA it, becuase I believe it is still on warrantee, as I bought it last October.

Thanks for the help guys...I love this forum!

 

[jkings]

Matt:

Sorry if I offended you. It appears as though you have done your homework. It just seems strange that a mobo would die like that. I'll admit, though, i haven't seen may mobos die without user error. they really do make those things well these days.

Best of luck and again i am sorry if I was out of line,

John

 

[MattStone]

Don't worry about it...I wasn't offended...I just feel that I had to explain myself better after a day of screwing with it. Yesterday...I nervously jumped the gun, and came off sounding reletively amateur. I'm not great with computers personally...but I'm usually good at diagnosing the problem.

This mobo thing confuses me too...I've had a fried mobo problem before, but that happened, afer I actually modified something in the case. I've never had something happen to me spontaniously while I was just playing a game. It sure seems strange to me.

Oh well...I'll call MSI later, and see if I can RMA it.