Takes many attempts to boot and getting worse

I cannot find a Forum for power supplies but this may well be a Bios problem anyway.

Computer is an EI(Advent/PC World rubbish)I bought two years ago. Even when under warranty I had a boot problem but they refused to see to it under the so called warranty. Every so often the machine would not boot but the green on light would stay on and I tried taking all the leads out and pressing the switch for ten seconds but it did not work as PC World telephone "support" told me it would and they got nasty when I told them it did not work suggesting I did not know what I was doing..

At first, this only happened every few days and usually after the computer had been off for some hours. It has been getting worse and the only way I can now boot and it has to be precise timing is to depress the switch at the same time as putting the power cord in. Once booted I can use the reset switch as much as I like and the machine operates normally. It has taken me hours today to boot!

I took the covers off this morning and could find nothing wrong and the switch seems OK so far as I can tell. I cleaned the machine and used some switch
cleaner. I noticed the PSU is only rated at 200w maximum and for a 2.2GHZ P4 that seems a bit low.

I have been into setup and been through everything but it all seems OK there.

I am running XP Home OEM with SP1 and formatted the drive and reinstalled XP a few weeks ago. I have the system partition running XP Home and a Data partition.

Could the problem be a corrupt instal of NAV or Zonealarm (usually use the free version but at the moment am using a trial of Pro).

It's not the power cord or my electricity supply because my other, dual boot, machine boots perfectly every time.

Computer is 2.2GHZ P4 with 512MB RAM, 80GB Seagate HDD, 64MB Nvidia
graphics and onboard sound and the LAN and USB 2 cards were installed later by myself. Motherboard is Microstar.

Where should I be looking for the problem so I can set about fixing it? I am planning to buy a better machine but need this one for running Server 2003 wetc for my MCSE course.

Sounds highly likely to be a power supply. 200W is not enough for yours or almost any modern system. New 300 or 350W power suplies are not expensive. In my opinion it's worth replacing even if it's not the problem because of the pathetic 200W rating.

Now the question for you is...

"do you want to get your hands dirty and replace the power supply"?

(it's a piece of cake)

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Originally Posted by gazzak

Sounds highly likely to be a power supply. 200W is not enough for yours or almost any modern system. New 300 or 350W power suplies are not expensive. In my opinion it's worth replacing even if it's not the problem because of the pathetic 200W rating.

Now the question for you is...

"do you want to get your hands dirty and replace the power supply"?

(it's a piece of cake)

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Thanks Gazzak. I do not mind getting my hands dirty but I have poor eyesight and am scared of electrcity, despite being a radio ham :eek2:

Here's a guide on how to do it. The first thing they say is "Replacing the power supply can be relatively easy and safe if done correctly", so you won't have a problem in my opinion.

To be sure you get the right one to replace it with take out the current one before you buy the new one and take it with you. This way no mistakes will be made and whatever shop you go into will see that you know your way around a PC.

How much power do you really need? Try this page as a guide. Then add 50 to be safe.

Good luck if you go for it!

EDIT: I just ran the wattage calculations based on what you've posted and a few guesses using the minimum value on each and it tells me you require MINIMUM 250 Watts!!! It's power supply all the way.

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Originally Posted by gazzak

..New 300 or 350W power suplies are not expensive.

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Neither are 400s or even 450s really, it about getting a "good 'un" though - so I like morex, tagan, enhance, well a few, any recommends ?, even an under peak watted psu that can maintain supply is ok 'really' ;), though that not happening of course makes it do what you said :thumbs2:

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Originally Posted by confus-ed

Neither are 400s or even 450s really, it about getting a "good 'un" though - so I like morex, tagan, enhance, well a few, any recommends ?, even an under peak watted psu that can maintain supply is ok 'really' ;), though that not happening of course makes it do what you said :thumbs2:

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Couldn't agree more, and after running the power calculator would have to go for 350W minimum now. Personally I've never had any problems with any brand at home, but for work will always spend a few extra pounds of the companies money for a branded one.

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Originally Posted by gazzak

Couldn't agree more, and after running the power calculator would have to go for 350W minimum now. Personally I've never had any problems with any brand at home, but for work will always spend a few extra pounds of the companies money for a branded one.

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Thanks for the advice but I really cannot do it myself as I have far from a steady hand and even with glasses I have problems with close work and I am very clumsy. I am stressing really badly at just thinking about this particular job but I don't mind installing cards, drives or memory. Sorry but I am absolutely petrified of electricity and of my clumsiness. I have a friend whose son does repair jobs and I will buy the unit and ask him to do it next time he is up here or I might take it to a little shop in the town and tell them I bought the part and then found I could not do it. I will buy a good one and go for 400w if I can find one.

One question. Why is it that once I have powered up/booted I can run the computer as long as I like? Does booting take more power than just running?

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Originally Posted by MorseLady

..One question. Why is it that once I have powered up/booted I can run the computer as long as I like? Does booting take more power than just running?

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Booting usually induces peak load depending on the timings of spin ups for drives etc, so yes booting takes more power than just running .

While I agree that the powersupply may be insufficient for the PC that you are running, you may also want to take the following troubleshooting steps.

Clear the CMOS by either using the CMOS jumper on the mainboard or Removing the battery for a few minutes.

Remove an unnecessary device such as CD-ROM drive or other during the boot process and dtermine if the problem changes.

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Originally Posted by gizmo1_1

..Remove an unnecessary device such as CD-ROM drive or other during the boot process and dtermine if the problem changes.

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So doing this is what you do for no post, but of course it probably reduces the startup peak load too thus making it hard to decide what is happening - I had a few goes answering this, as all my replies wanted some 'diy' ;) - which Morse lady (who & btw I'm sure doesn't mind me mentioning, is a pensioner & retired if I recall correctly ?) has decided might be a 'touch' beyond her even though I think if she can change a drive she has skill enough for all this :)

Clearing cmos & or the NVRAM info (ESC data) by entering bios is a 'wise do before you spend' though ! :thumbs:

I have decided to leave the computer running in sleep mode when not in use and it was left overnight and was quite cool this morning and working well. I have rebooted as a matter of good housekeeping and the computer is running well. I have decided to buy my new computer ASAP and then I will address the problems with this one using the advice given on here. I have a number of domestic issues to sort out and my course and cannot risk not being able to boot to write a letter or to study. Regarding load at startup I did wonder about peripherals and whether I should boot with just the bare essentials and leave all the USB devices off by pulling out the USB leads and the modem lead too?

I have just had a thought. By installing USB2 and LAN cards last year have I overloaded the machine? The LAN is at present disconnected.

I did not go to class again last night, everything is getting on top of me because of domestic problems and constant headaches and I think I will drop out of not only the MCSE course but computer study altogether and stick to leisure activities because computers are beginning to annoy me and I am beginning to just regards them as a a tool. I do have to fix my husband's computer as I promised him. Is this a normal reaction to the tough Microsoft courses and exams? I think I would rather join an art class and learn how to use my oil, acrylic and watercolours properly.

Many thanks to everyone.

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Originally Posted by MorseLady

..I did not go to class again last night, everything is getting on top of me because of domestic problems and constant headaches and I think I will drop out of not only the MCSE course but computer study altogether and stick to leisure activities because computers are beginning to annoy me and I am beginning to just regards them as a a tool. I do have to fix my husband's computer as I promised him. Is this a normal reaction to the tough Microsoft courses and exams? I think I would rather join an art class and learn how to use my oil, acrylic and watercolours properly.

Many thanks to everyone.

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Welcome to the wonderfull world of IT!!! https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2006/04/1.gif

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Originally Posted by MorseLady

..I have just had a thought. By installing USB2 and LAN cards last year have I overloaded the machine? The LAN is at present disconnected..

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I wouldn't say overloaded, but its more power drain, so yeah potentially, sounds to me like they've been originally 'tight' with the psu ..

As for IT exams, well I got sick of them last millenium ! so you have my ( I should think 'our' ) sympathy as everyone gets burnout with them ;)

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Originally Posted by confus-ed

I wouldn't say overloaded, but its more power drain, so yeah potentially, sounds to me like they've been originally 'tight' with the psu ..

As for IT exams, well I got sick of them last millenium ! so you have my ( I should think 'our' ) sympathy as everyone gets burnout with them ;)

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I am 63, I am retired, I have a sick and disabled husband, so why the hell am I doing this IT exams thing to myself :confused: :sad: and to whom am I trying to prove what? Oh well, if the British Government do force us oldies back to work I will have a professional qualification :)

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Originally Posted by MorseLady

..Oh well, if the British Government do force us oldies back to work I will have a professional qualification :)

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Thats the way keep at it ;), but given all you've said, you still want to be enjoying it ?

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Originally Posted by confus-ed

Thats the way keep at it ;), but given all you've said, you still want to be enjoying it ?

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I emailed our trainer and was honest with him and he has suggested that because the class has done the first ten modules (in four weeks) I cannot catch up and have no choice but to pull out - nuts! That has fired me up now and I have told him I want to carry on and do what I can to catch up - yes, I know I must be mad but I am one of these people who get fired up by being told I cannot do something and I usually then suceed - do you think he was deliberately doing this to get me fired up again so I would not drop out? I am going to see him this afternoon for a quick chat but I have made up my mind. He admits the course is running faster than even Microsoft themselves and next year will slow down. He also wants me to try the Cisco Academy CCNA course next year which is what I nearly signed up for this year, it was MCSA or CCNA but not both.

I do have a problem with self confidence and the trainer says that is really all that is holding me back and that I am intellectually capable of doing it.

I WILL SUCCEED :devil:

Windrivers - I would like to continue this discussion on the Certification Forum. Can you move the appropriate posts from here leaving only the posts relevant to the boot up problem on here please? Sorry, my fault for not posting my Certification worries on the appropriate Forum in the first place :cool:

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..Windrivers - I would like to continue this discussion on the Certification Forum...

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Whilst not being 'himself' .. I dunno how Noo can split a post up & move just 1/2 of it ? (or not without a lot of pratting about I don't) so I'd say the simplest answer is for me to start a new topic requoting the salient bits !?!? .. so I went to do this for you ;) & discovered you had pretty much the same thought ! :D

Morseladies 'exam woes' are continued over here, Certification and Retired! :)