hi guys,
i was opening my computer which runs on XP and to some unknown reason the computer wouldnt boot. the power light, motherboard light, monitor light, PSU light and everything was running but nothing showed up on the screen.

this is very strange and was wondering if anyone can offer help

Does the computer beep at all?

Most computers should beep once a few seconds after you turn on the computer, this means everything is fine. If you have no beeps you generally have a problem.

yeah i know
it usually always does, after the beep it will go to bios (when working fine)

but theres no beep...which is why nothing is loading...

kakashisen77 writes...

i was opening my computer which runs on XP

What did you touch/disturb/adjust when you opened it?
Try to trace your steps backwards and see how you go.

©£ONeST@® writes...

What did you touch/disturb/adjust when you opened it?
Try to trace your steps backwards and see how you go.

i meant open as in press the open botton :P

kakashisen77 writes...

but theres no beep...which is why nothing is loading...

Did you do/change anything inside your CPU? The same thing happened to me once, when I was changing my RAM - and it happened to be that my RAM was a bit loosely installed. I corrected that and it got fine.

kakashisen77 writes...

i meant open as in press the open botton :P

Open? still confused. Ill assume you mean you pushed the "on" button.

kakashisen77 writes...

i meant open as in press the open botton

8-O

oh sorry!

yep, its the "on" button ;)
sorry to confuse you guys hahaha

If I assume from what you are saying that you did not open your computer then either:

1. Power failure MOSFETS on M/B
2. PSU failure
3. Somethings toast?

Check all power connections and that nothing is loose. You desperately need to get that bios beep bootup signal. Do a full inspection INSIDE yes open it up do not have POWER ON!!! whilst doing this... IN FACT turn everything off and d/c plugs etc whilst checking...

Good Luck.

hmmmmm
i dont think its a PSU failure because everything seems to be running ok but i cannot say for sure as this is from observation only.

©£ONeST@® writes...

3. Somethings toast?

maybeee but whats really lame is that i burnt my toast at the same time and could smell something burning but couldnt tell what it was...talk about timing eh?

i know and so i checked all the cables leading to the computer and everything was ok~

i know...ill try again with the cables and then repost

kakashisen77 writes...

i dont think its a PSU failure because everything seems to be running ok

Umm, everything doesn't seem to be running ok, it doesn't boot! it could be the 12 volt auxilery PSU connector for the CPU that has died. If that has died all the other fans and etc will spin but nothing will happen.

Steve the (original) name pirate

Steve writes...

Umm, everything doesn't seem to be running ok, it doesn't boot! it could be the 12 volt auxilery PSU connector for the CPU that has died. If that has died all the other fans and etc will spin but nothing will happen

Now thats happened to me a few times. The 12V plug your looking for is a 4-pin square connector that should be somewhere around the CPU.

Sprooty writes...

Now thats happened to me a few times. The 12V plug your looking for is a 4-pin square connector that should be somewhere around the CPU.

oh ok
but how do i know if its working ok? or simply dead

Matt's quick hardware guide.
No beep- but power light, mother board light and psu light.
1) Its not video as has to be a beep then nothing to suspect video.
2) its not related to ram as then you get beeps, incescant beeps.
3) Abscence of beeps indicates fundamental error.

I'd like to know if the PSU fan is coming on, if its not, then down a different path.

1) disconnect optical drive, Hard drive, Floppy drive and try again. If it works, its one of those.

If it doesn't,

1) dead PSU or
2) Dead Chip or
3) dead board.

Abscence of PSU fan indicates incomplete circuit to boot.
Hope this helps

Mattgnik writes...

I'd like to know if the PSU fan is coming on, if its not, then down a different path.

yep, the fan is spinning and the blue LED light is working fine

kakashisen77 writes...

yep, the fan is spinning and the blue LED light is working fine

From this distance, its going to be the board.
But, before you buy a new one, do test existing by disconnecting hard drive, floppy, optical, seperate video if you have one, any PCI cards, USB devices.
Just leave the CPU, power supply, and ram. Obviously don't disconnect the front panel on/off switch, hard drive lights etc.
I've just spent a few minutes googling and it really does seem likely its mobo.

I'd add..
reset CMOS/bios 1st, then reseat all components if reset bios doesn't help.

Mattgnik writes...

From this distance, its going to be the board.
But, before you buy a new one, do test existing by disconnecting hard drive, floppy, optical, seperate video if you have one, any PCI cards, USB devices.
Just leave the CPU, power supply, and ram. Obviously don't disconnect the front panel on/off switch, hard drive lights etc.
I've just spent a few minutes googling and it really does seem likely its mobo.

i disconnected everything except the CPU, PSU, ram and video card. Still no beep occurred.
but when i disconnected everything (including d/c video card), but left the CPU, PSU, and ram, there was a beep but the beep was weird because it isnt the usual beep you get, as though it was two beeps joined together.

is this normal?

Looks like video card is a gonner...

©£ONeST@® writes...

Looks like video card is a gonner...

serious?
are you positive?

because i just bought this card like 2 months ago...

kakashisen77 writes...

there was a beep but the beep was weird because it isnt the usual beep you get,

If you look in your motherboard manual it will tell you what the beeps mean, it makes sounds for a purpose, to help figure out what the problem is.

Steve the (original) name pirate

Remove the mobo battery for about 5 mins and then try it.

kakashisen77, I had nearly the exact same situation about a month ago. Only difference was that I could not get any beeps out of the PC at all. If you can, try all your components in another similar PC. I worked out that my motherboard was the culprit in the end (the CPU also died later, but that's another story).

If you have lights, fans, etc starting up, but no POST happening, then I'd really suspect the motherboard.

Mozzi writes...

Remove the mobo battery for about 5 mins and then try it.
here here.. was gonna say this.. except i usually out the battery back in :P sorry mozzi..! :)
try replacing the battery or swapping it from another pc too before you buy a new board.. id say its the mobo.. but try the battery first.. also try the reset or clear cmos.. but then again the battery pull will prolly do that anyhows.. :) good luck

1derdog writes...

here here.. was gonna say this.. except i usually out the battery back in :P sorry mozzi..! :)

'out the battery'?

I did say to remove the battery for about 5 minutes.
I DID NOT say remove it permanently.

Sheez ... English grammar 101 would help you here.

Mozzi

I knooowww.. it was an opportunity to have some fun.. did you? :)