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Newish Computer Will Not Start - Help!

Z

Zeusman

Junior Member
Hi folks,

I'm a long time lurker, but I now have quite the computer problem I was hoping somebody could help me with.

While I was just sitting there on a single session of IE, the system suddenly restarted, and would refuse to restart. Even the front panel switches would be ineffective, I had to hit the switch on the back of the power supply. When the system was restarted, it would simply sit there with the IDE light constantly on, and the two optical drives would sit there seeking for something. Nothing will come up on screen, no post beeps, just the seeking forever.

When I unplugged the components down to the PS, cpu, vid card, memory and HD, it will again start, but noting will display on screen, no beeps, no post, no nothing. I have also done a CMOS clear (via jumper), checked all the cables, etc.

This system worked just yesterday and for a week before that.

Here are the specs:
Asus P4P800 Deluxe
P4 2.8C
2X512 Mushkin PC3200
Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB
Seagate 120 GB HD
Sony 16X DVD-ROM
Liteon 48X burner
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card
Antec 480W Trueblue PS

Can anyone help me out here?

Thanks,

- Zeusman

 
Z...

If you can provide the answers to the following, it would help us cater an answer....

What OS are you using?
Are you running all of your components at stock speeds?

Usually, what you describe can be heat related, or corrupt hard drives. You can potentially have a bad mobo, but that would have to be deciphered by switching processors, which many people don't have spares around.
 
I'll be more than happy to answer:

Using XP Pro, SP1

Everything was at stock. Was planning on overclocking but haven't had the time yet.

I suppose it could be heat related, but temperatures looked fine last night after I had been playing some games for a couple of hours. But I'm not ruling it out.

I don't believe it is the hard drive, as I should still be able to see some BIOS and POST screens, neither of which I get. All I get is fans spinning around and the hard drive cranking a bit, but nothing on screen.


- Zeusman
 
Zeus, do you have any otherkinds of memory sitting around? Try a different brand or something - might be RAM related. Try swapping for another psu(if you have one).
 
I would take out all the cards and reseat them too, and perhaps try just the video card, cpu, and ram when you start it up and go from there systematically.
It might be psu related, or it could be a card is not seated properly since it is a relatively new computer.
 
Well I've rebuilt the basics of the system on my desk (PS, mobo, CPU, video), and this, with or without the HD, will not produce anything on the monitor. And no post beeps of any kind.

So I'm guessing the answer in here is that one of these components has fried, yes?

Now its just a matter of getting somebody else to rip apart their system in the name of scientific troubleshooting (as I have no spare parts at the moment).
 
Try starting up the system with NO RAM installed. Does the board beep?? Make sure you have the case speaker plugged into the board.

If the board does not beep, then you've got it narrowed down to the board and CPU. FYI - Your board won't beep without a working CPU. But dead P4's are pretty rare. So it's more likely to be the board.
 
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