Computer boot problem

Joe T

Joe T

Joe T

Soldato
Joined
1 Apr 2003
Posts
11,890
Location
Northamptonshire
Hi all

My Dad's PC which I built for him has developed a rather serious problem.

When you hit the power button nothing happens (at all). You can hit it a few more times with the same effect. However, several presses later (and some time elapsed) there is slight hum from the PSU. A couple more presses and the PC seems to start. Fans start whirring and there is definitely power to the CD drive. However, there is no output to the monitor nor is there any POST beep of any kind.

Very weird!

I'm hoping it's just the PSU as that's reasonably easy to replace. However, I'm think I might need a new CPU/motherboard/RAM?

Any thoughts?

Thanks all :)
 
Try the PSU from your computer in his to rule out the issue of CPU / Mobo / Ram?

Oh and yeah, I had an issue like that before and I got told to clear the cmos via jumper on the Mobo, worth a try I guess worked for me atleast :)
 
Thanks for the reply.

We have tried clearing CMOS and also replacing the CMOS battery.

I will try the PSU when I get the time.
 
Another thing i've just thought about.

How much ram does the computer have?

I had one stick of ram go down once and that stopped it from booting, guy in a computer shop told me it was the mobo, I denied his info removed one stick of ram and boom. Worked fine.
 
marc69 said:
Another thing i've just thought about.

How much ram does the computer have?

I had one stick of ram go down once and that stopped it from booting, guy in a computer shop told me it was the mobo, I denied his info removed one stick of ram and boom. Worked fine.
Click to expand...

It has 2 1gb sticks of Crucial ordinary. I might try this if the PSU doesnt solve the problem. Thanks.
 
Sounds very similar to a problem I had a while back when my motherboard broke. I ended up buying a new PSU assuming that was the problem only to find that it still wouldn't work. I eventually replaced the motherboard and had a working system again.

Test your memory as above, but also try and get your hands on a cheap PSU tester so you can narrow it down a little more.
 
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