System won't boot

[cyberscriber]

I have this problem for the past few days. When I power on my computer, nothing happens but the hard disk LED(red) glows continuously.
But after some restarts ( power on and power off), it starts normally. Once the system is started and when I try to restart from windows, it restarts normally.

What could be the problem? any ideas?

 

[Rogodin2]

It may be a failing power supply.

Rogo

 

[cyberscriber]

no. power supply is fine

 

[mechBgon]

If your power supply can't get the system enough power to POST and boot, it isn't fine. Have you tried a different good-quality power supply that has ample wattage for the system, as a fact-finding step?

Also, look over the motherboard for failing capacitors. Both ends should be flat, like a can of soup, not bulging or leaking.

 

[cyberscriber]

Thanks for the reply,
I was using the same power supply for almost an year and have not added any new hardware. So that could not be the problem.
Will check the capacitors.

 

[cyberscriber]

capacitors are also fine. Its takes too much time to boot now. the cpu usage is also maximum ( the cpu fan is at maximum speed ).

After I press the restart button some 10 - 20 times, it starts normally. What could be the prob?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: cyberscriber
Thanks for the reply,
I was using the same power supply for almost an year and have not added any new hardware. So that could not be the problem.

Power supplies can fail after working fine for any amount of time. They can also get flaky. I'm not a magician or a psychic, but I do have over 25000 posts here and have some reasons for suggesting you try a different, good-quality power supply with adequate wattage for your system.

Also, if you want to help people come up with more suggestions, post your specs in detail. Example of top-notch detail level below:

• CORE HARDWARE
  • Power supply Antec TruePower 430
  • Motherboard Asus K8N-E Deluxe
    • Revision 1.03
    • BIOS 1005
  • CPU Athlon64 3000+
    • Core 130nm Clawhammer
  • Memory (2) 512MB Corsair XMS 3200C2 modules
    • Voltage Manually set to 2.7 volts
    • Timings AUTO, results in 2-3-2-6 @ 200MHz
• CARDS
  • Primary video card ATI Radeon 9800Pro AGP 8x
  • PCI slot #1 (top) empty
  • PCI slot #2 empty
  • PCI slot #3 LeadTek Winfast TV/FM tuner card
  • PCI slot #4 Creative Audigy 2 ZS
  • PCI slot #5 LSI Logic Ultra160 SCSI
  • PCI slot #6 (board only has five PCI slots)
• DRIVES
  • Boot drive 160GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Serial ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 SATA controller
    • Jumper setting not applicable (SATA)
  • Additional hard drive 40GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, primary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Additional hard drive 18GB Seagate Cheetah 15k.3
    • Interface SCSI
    • Controller hosting this drive LSI Logic U160 card
    • Jumper setting SCSI ID 01
  • Optical drive #1 NEC 3500A DVD burner
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Optical drive #2 Lite-On combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Slave
• OS AND SECURITY
  • Operating System WindowsXP Professional
  • Service Pack SP2
  • Internet connection Cable
  • Hardware firewall Netgear RP614 router
  • Software firewall WindowsXP firewall
  • Antivirus Norton Antivirus 2004

 

[cyberscriber]

# CORE HARDWARE

* Power supply 400 watts ( dont know the name)
* Motherboard Intel D915GAV

* CPU Pentium 4 2.66 Ghz

* Memory 512MB DDR 400 Mhz

# CARDS

* PCI slot #1 Internal dialup Modem
* PCI slot #2 empty
* PCI slot #3 empty
* PCI slot #4 empty
* PCI slot #5 LAN card
* PCI slot #6 empty


# DRIVES

* Boot drive 160GB Seagate 7200.7
o Interface Serial ATA
o Jumper setting not applicable (SATA)

* Optical drive #1 Sony DVD burner
o Interface Parallel ATA
o Jumper setting Master

* Optical drive #2 Samsung combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW
o Interface Parallel ATA
o Jumper setting Slave


# OS AND SECURITY

* Operating System WindowsXP Professional
* Service Pack SP2
* Internet connection ADSL
* Software firewall Norton Internet security 2007
* Antivirus Norton Internet security 2007



I dont have another power supply to test. Can I disable any hardware? Monitor has direct power connection.

 

[mechBgon]

You might have to bite the bullet and pick up a decent-quality power supply to test with. Historically, if systems don't want to POST, the PSU is quite frequently the culprit. possible PSU to get If you anticipate a high-end video card in your future, then consider this one with 500 watts and two 6-pin PCI-Express plugs. Fortron is a decent-quality brand that should hold up for you.

 

[cyberscriber]

Today I got the system started with a few tries, but the hard disk LED is glowing continuously ( without flickering ) even after the system is started. Its not like this before.
Still power supply is the culprit or could it be the hard disk itself? I'm asking this because i dont want to buy a new PSU just for testing..
I tried cutting off power supply to the cabinet fan and the two optical disks. Still I have the same problem.

 

[Trashman]

" i dont want to buy a new PSU just for testing"

I can understand that, nobody wants to tell people to buy something they "don't " really need. But when it comes to diagnostic problems with these computers of ours, you need tools and parts to problem solve.
Thats what forums like Anands are for, computer techies and such, that, for the most part build and fix computers themselves.
Just like any other hobby, you have spare parts around, if your going to atempt to problem solve your computer, yourself, then you have to invest.
If not, take the computer to a shop and pay someone to fix it, not sayin you directly here, just people in general, hope ya hear what i'm tryin to say.

hope ya solve your problem

 

[cyberscriber]

If I really do need a new PSU i'm gonna buy it. Im just trying to make sure that there are no other probs

 

[cyberscriber]

Just now I brought a new PSU (500 watts).
But the same problem persists

 

[Rogodin2]

It's probably your board. Troubleshootings is a process of elimination. I have hardware diagnostic software that we run from a floppy, this software checks all aspects of the hardware and tells you what's failed. You don't have this luxury so you have to replace items to elinimate the potential causes.

Goodluck!

Rogo

 

[cyberscriber]

The problem was RAM.
This info may be useful to any person who comes across this thread