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Running 98 se
Press the power button the computer start running the green light comes on as does the orange light. The orange light goes out about 2 second later.
There is no beeps but you do hear it try to boot for a second. Nothing shows up on the monitor. You hear the computer running. Now what is running I'm not sure. I got it to boot up once then it froze up while using it.:confused:
Will it boot with a Windows install disk in the cd/dvd ? Can you get into Bios?
One of the first things that comes to my mind is the power supply judging by the symptoms.
That or the video card is dying.
I have the same monitor running on another computer.
OK, so assuming the monitor cable is not separate, that means that the monitor and cable are good. That leaves the video card, or power supply or motherboard or... well you get the idea. You need to start eliminating one thing at a time. Are you up for dismantling your pc?
Sure...Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
Do you have a process on how I should tackle it. If the computer comes on shouldn't the power supply be working?
Let's talk about the power supply (psu) first.
Just because a psu supplies some electricity to the motherboard for it to apparently start, doesn't mean it's working properly. A psu takes in voltage from your socket in your house - 110, 220 or whatever depending on where you live... it then converts that power into 12v and 5volt outputs with a given amount of amps/watts. If the power supply is failing, it may not output the voltage and watts in a steady reliable stream but may under supply or over supply.
For a non technician, the only way to test this is to replace the psu with a similarly rated new one.
The process on how to tackle taking apart your computer is reasonably simple. You need a bench to work on with power you can turn off. You need a little pot to put the screws in or if you are worried a sheet of paper and sticky tape. You tape the screw to the paper and write next to it where it came from.
First challenge is taking the case apart. If it's a branded computer, it could be a lot of fun figuring out the release mechanisms or getting the right screwdriver end (star/torx) to fit. Standard computer cases of this age were towers, had 4 screws in the back and both sides and top of the case are pulled back slightly then lifted off. Some had the panel on the sides that could be removed separately.
So what have you got ?
Taking it apart is not a problem. I usual every so often open up the computer and clean it out. About 4 yrs ago I replaced the video card with a ATI Rage. I've replace parts in other computers too like Ram and Hard Drives. I was wondering how I can tell which part is bad in this one as I'm taking it apart. Do I turn it on as I take each part out or what?Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
Old technique I was taught long ago. Similar to what you are saying is this.
Turn off the PC. Take one piece out. Turn it on. See if it works. If not turn off again and take another piece out. Repeat until you get results. When it starts working again set aside the last piece you took out. Put the other pieces in one at a time and only remove them if they make it stop working.
BE SURE TO ALWAYS HAVE THE POWER OFF WHEN TAKING OUT OR ADDING A COMPONENT. You can damage 1 or more components if it is on when you add or remove them.
Also if you take all the memory out you won't get farther than a bunch of beeps and a black screen.
OK, so first thing to do is replace the video card. When a card is dead, you get 3 beeps if it's award bios... but I have seen cards that partially die - only the video output dies (and they have always been ATI cards that do this).Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigs
As for visually spotting a broken component - it is possible, but more often than not a chip has fried with no external clue.
Examine the mainboard with a good light, you are looking for signs of burning and also look at the upright cylindrical things attached to the motherboard. These are capacitors and can bulge and leak. Look at the tops, they should be completely flat and clean.
Before you close it up again, ensure that all ide cables and other cables are securely attached by pushing them evenly but firmly into place.
I did a quick glance. This weekend I can dive into it better.Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
I open up the computer then turn it on. I have three fans in the unit ( one for the processor ,one for the unit and one in the power supply). They were all running. I turn it off then I unplugged two of fans and left the one on the power supply running beings I could figure out how to unplug just the fan for it. I turn it back on and listen to the HD. I could hear like a high pitch sound and I could feel a light vibration like maybe the HD spinning. Then I turn the unit off and unplugged the HD with the two fans still unplugged. then turn the unit back on and heard only the fan on the power supply running. Then I turn it off again and to out the Video card and put it back it to make sure it was seated ok. There was pretty much no change. I will do what you say and try replacing the video card. I still have the old one that I took out when I replaced it with the ATI that is in it now.
Do you think by the little info I gave you that the HD is working?
Really want to thank you for taking the time to help me with this.
You have always been a great help to this greenhorn.:confused:
It sounds like it is, but like most things, it's not that simple. The motor of the drive may make it spin up, but the electronics may prevent it from communicating with the computer.
Just one thought. Go into bios and check the setting for the video card is set to AGP. Sometimes it will reset to PCI and then the computer is trying to output the video from a non existant source. Did this computer have onboard video as well?
Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
Now this is where I really get lost. How do I get into Bois. Will it show up on the monitor? How does it show up on the monitor if the video card is dead?:confused: :confused:
Then not sure on what you mean on onboard video. There is a video card plug into the mother board is that it??:confused: :confused:
This computer was made by Tiger Direct about 8 yrs about.
Right, not thinking, if you have no video, how do you get into bios... duh. Sorry dropped the ball there.
OK, onboard video is exactly that, a video output directly from the motherboard and not from a separate video card. Have you tried plugging the monitor into the onboard video and see what happens?
The motherboard is about 6-7 yrs old. Would it have onboard video. If it does where is it located on the board? Will it look like a male VGA cable end?:confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
It will look the same as where you plug the monitor into the ATI card, except it will be directly attached to the motherboard. If you know the model of the motherboard, I can be more specific.
I believe it a SOYO SY-6BA+Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
your motherboard does not have onboard video, so you are left with changing out the video card.
Thanks for this info.Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
I found a working Stealth 64 Diamond video card from a 95 computer. It fits in the PCI slot. The one I took out fits in the AGP slot. So I'm not sure if this all works or not. But what I did I took out the ATI and put in the Daimond card and hook the computer up to a working montior only. Turn it on and nothing more happen. Still got the green light on and the orange light on for a couple of seconds. I'm thinking of taking the HD out and swaping it out of the 95 computer to see if the HD is really working.
What do you think? :confused:
OK, just unhook the drive... in fact unhook all the drives and try and start the computer without them.
With the Diamond card installed?Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
yes, if you don't install a video card of some description, you will get beeps when you try to boot... which at least tells you that the motherboard is trying!
Will I hear beeps if I don't have speaker hooked to the computer?Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
Do I need to unhook the two CD drives and the A drive?
There should be a speaker in the case that is hooked to the motherboard - if not, you won't hear the beeps.
Yes unplug the drives from the motherboard end and remove the power cables.
This was due to BIOS problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
Ok I'm leaning toward a new power supply. But I'm not sure what watt to get for this old machine. Will 250 watt be ok? There is no label on the old one.
To update you on what I did today with this saga:
I took out the HD from the 98 computer and put in in a working 95 computer. The computer booted up to a I/O replace disk screen error. I also could see that the name of the HD showed up on the boot up menu.
So would you feel that the Quatum HD is not dead? Also to let you know the Quatum HD had a 1999 date on it. So I'm thinking I might of replaced the HD at one time with this 1999 one.
OK, if the quantum hard drive came from the computer that wouldn't boot up and you put that in a working computer and the bios recognised it, then the quantum hard drive is not dead... but it might not be alive either - can you give more details about he "I/O replace disk screen error" please?
As for the psu, if you are talking about the soyo board, yes 250watt should be fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
Sorry not sure what more detail I could tell you. It booted like a computer usually does by showing bois and checking itself then stops at the message I/O replace disk screen error. then hit any key to continue. Kind of like when you leave a floppy disk in the A drive when you try to boot up.
I was going to get a new power supply to see if that solves the problem.
Talking to other Gurus like you they all seem to think it's the power supply.
Right so, although it can't read the drive, it does recognise it. Now it may mean the drive is ok, but just lost the boot files or it may mean the drive is corrupt. You need to put it as a slave to a known good drive and then see if windows can see the drive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
Think I should do this first before putting a new power supply?
Yes, then you can see if there is anything worth recovering off the drive.
Do you understand what I mean about slaving the drive?
I think so. I will have to do something with the jumper pin to make it a slave ..right?Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
Also off the subject a second.. Would you know why I have to log everytime I want to respond to you. Seems like this just happen today. I have remember me checked.
Think I unchecked something when trying to fix the website problem I'm having on the other post?
Yup... settings are here just find your model on the page - you may want to save the picture and open it so you can zoom in a bit.
Got it.... Got to run...Quote:
Originally Posted by NooNoo
help!!!!
Operating System not found!!!!!
I have a laptop computer windows xp professional 1-2cpu panasonic then it doesnt boot up it has a brontok virus then I enable the registry then it restart itself a message shown up it goes something like this....
For Realtek PTL8139(x)/8130/810x PCI Fast Ethernet controller v.12 (010817)
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE - MOF: Exiting PXE ROM.
Operating System not found....
Please help me with my problem!!!!!
Sounds like Windows is toast. Pull out the restore CDs. Maybe you can do a "non-destructive"/Repair install of Windows to get your files back, but judging from your description it sounds like you need to do a full restore.
please help me step by step because this is the first time I encountered this problem.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnaro123