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How to make a computer boot.... the archive.

S

scaryclownsarefun

Member
This post was inspired by my brush with terror this morning. I approuched my computer and turned it on, only to see a blank monitor. The fans all ran normally, but the hard drives didn't spin up and the motherboard didn't make it's signature beeb to tell you everything is ok.

I am sure that everyone has had this problem at least once, whether you are building a new computer or just running an old one, everyone is bound to incounter the black menace of a blank monitor.

For when this happens, this is what you do:
1) Remove the ram, clean the contacts, and put it back in.
- about 50% of the time this has made my computer boot when it wouldn't before.
2) Disconect the CD drives.
- you have no idea how many times the CD drives have spun up and spun down while my computer waited for them. if this is the case, disconnect them.
3) Remove the Video card and put it back in.
- i don't know about the rest of the world, but my video card likes to slip out of the AGP port just a little bit when i move my computer around. poor video card contact will give you a blank monitor in no time.
4) Reset the BIOS.
- every time some crappy power surge comes through my PSU, my BIOS seems to get erors, and won't let me boot. if all of the above fail, reset the bios.
5) Check and replace hardware.
- After so many overclocking/ modding experiments, componets can break. if none of the above get your computer booting, break it down to it's indevidual parts, check for burning/ scratches, test the hardware in another system, and if it doesn't work, break down and replace it.

Edit: If you have any suggestions to add to this list please post them.
 
check motherboard is not shorting out on the little case standup brass things - boot outside of case
 
its always good to check every connection, disconnected monitors are very common, and they make you hit yourself if you rip your system apart just to realize you forgot to plug in your monitor.
 
I have a dual PPro Tyan board that likes to play this game. It's like something doesn't get the bootup signal and holds up the rest of the line. Maybe my power switch sucks. Usually making sure it's off by flipping the PSU switch then turning the system back on works for me. I have no monitor or keyboard hooked up to it so I have to sit and listen to it boot to make sure all systems are go. The memory hint is nice, I hadn't thought of that. When I bring it down for Thanksgiving break I'll clean the contacts.
 
Another one...Be sure the cpu hsf is connected to the proper header. Many board will not boot without this.
 
try a different power outlet (a friend of mines computer 'died' and i told him to try another one and it came back to 'life')
 
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