Computer fails to start

Strychnine · 26 Nov 2010 at 23:49

Hello, Overclockers

I came home today to discover that my PC has... died?

I press the power button and everything begins to start up, then everything dies, the furthest I have got into the start up process is windows telling me it did not shut down properly, which I guess is due to the power failure.

My PSU is around three years old now, could this be the problem? I did a little research and that is what every link said, although some friends of mine said it could also be my hard drive or motherboard? But in that case I would imagine I'd get somewhere in the startup process, please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm no expert when it comes to computers.

My PSU is 630W, and I've never had problems with it, I'm not sure of the make or model of my mobo.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance!

- Mitch

SeraphX · 27 Nov 2010 at 00:16

take any extra ram sticks out, leaving only 1 in the first slot on the motherboard

remove extra gfx card and run off the onboard graphics if your motherboard has onboard,

also, what is your motherboard, and general spec, cpu, ram? make and model of the psu would be useful too

Buchanan0204 · 27 Nov 2010 at 00:21

If you are getting to the "Windows did not shut down corrently" screen and then it cuts out. It's either the psu or the hard drive.

Try running a live linux disc from the cd drive. This will eliminate the hard disk straight away. Download a linux cd around 700MB and boot from it. If it runs well then you know the psu is fine.

Also in the linux desktop, depending on the distro you use. I reccomend ubuntu. There is a disk utility which will warn you if you hard drive is failing or about to fail.

Once in the linux desktop, you should maybe back up any files you have on your hard drive to an external device. Incase it doesn't last much longer.

If you can't boot into linux and it keeps cutting out. My money would be on the psu.

Keep us posted.

Strychnine · 27 Nov 2010 at 00:44

Mobo: ASRock AliveNF7G-FullHD
HDD: Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 500GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ 3.0GHz
GFX: nVidia GeForce GT240
RAM: Corsair TWIN2X CM2X1024-6400C4
PSU: AXP powersupply ATX 630W SLI SATA 20+4 pin

Tried removing a stick of RAM and using the onboard graphics, no improvement, as for the second reply, would I have to use linux or would my windows disk work alright?

Thanks for your help so far guys, I hope I can get this fixed soon.

EDIT: This time my monitor didn't even switch on, my system switched off after a couple of seconds, earlier on it stayed on for longer but with no power to the monitor, any idea what this could mean?

Buchanan0204 · 27 Nov 2010 at 03:08

Strychnine said:
Mobo: ASRock AliveNF7G-FullHD
HDD: Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 500GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ 3.0GHz
GFX: nVidia GeForce GT240
RAM: Corsair TWIN2X CM2X1024-6400C4
PSU: AXP powersupply ATX 630W SLI SATA 20+4 pin

Tried removing a stick of RAM and using the onboard graphics, no improvement, as for the second reply, would I have to use linux or would my windows disk work alright?

Thanks for your help so far guys, I hope I can get this fixed soon.

EDIT: This time my monitor didn't even switch on, my system switched off after a couple of seconds, earlier on it stayed on for longer but with no power to the monitor, any idea what this could mean?

You would have to use linux. It's free to download. Although after what you said there, it's switching off after a couple of seconds. A faulty hard drive would definitely not cause the system to lose power after a couple of seconds. My money is definitely on a dodgy PSU. It would be ideal if you could get a spare one from another computer and swap it out to check. Some people tell you to short the pins and check if it powers up a fan, but that really doesn't prove much if you ask me, other than the fact it can power a fan. Unless of course it was totally dead, which your's isnt (yet)

I would even go as far to say, order up a new one. They are pretty common things to go, I have replaced a fair few in my time on a fair few machines. I would reccomend getting a brand name psu like corsair or thermaltake etc.

Essexraptor · 27 Nov 2010 at 04:34

Welcome to the forums

At the moment it sounds like your failing to POST (Power On Self Test) even

ie the fans and any leds come on for a few moments, no output to your monitor and then it powers down... correct?

In this case Linux won't help you at all so forget that one.

The shorting the pins test that Buchanan0204 refers to is actually a valid test and some manufactures use it to evaluate the condition of the PSU before issuing a RMA authorisation.

Start from scratch to begin with. I had the same problem a little while ago, after moving one of my systems to a new case but the same simple checks can save wasting hard earned cash on needless replacement parts.

1. Check all PSU power connectors are correctly fitted and pushed fully home (20/24 pin & 4 or 4+4 pin)

2. Check that the motherboard is not touching the motherboard tray in your case anywhere. Arcing or shorting will cause a fail to POST.

3. Check no other leads are shorting out on the case ( the eventual cause of my problem)

that's a start then you can move on from here and check other things

Strychnine · 27 Nov 2010 at 09:24

Essexraptor said:
Welcome to the forums

ie the fans and any leds come on for a few moments, no output to your monitor and then it powers down... correct?

Start from scratch to begin with. I had the same problem a little while ago, after moving one of my systems to a new case but the same simple checks can save wasting hard earned cash on needless replacement parts.

1. Check all PSU power connectors are correctly fitted and pushed fully home (20/24 pin & 4 or 4+4 pin)

2. Check that the motherboard is not touching the motherboard tray in your case anywhere. Arcing or shorting will cause a fail to POST.

3. Check no other leads are shorting out on the case ( the eventual cause of my problem)

that's a start then you can move on from here and check other things

That's exactly what happens, although occasionally I will get power to the monitor but it will then shut down once it reaches the "windows did not shut down" screen, or the case will power up but nothing else will.

I just did all the things you listed above, I got brief power to the monitor, the system started to boot up and then died again.

Thanks again guys, I've already planned out my day to go and fetch a new part, I just need to know what it is now

.. Well I'm guessing it's the PSU but I'd rather know for sure hehe

EDIT: Took it into the shop, they said they'd test my PSU and replace it if needed for £60, came back an hour later and they think it's either the mobo or the cpu, so I've left it with them to deal with

thanks for all the help guys, I had hoped it was just the PSU but there you go.

Buchanan0204 · 27 Nov 2010 at 21:03

Strychnine said:
Hello, Overclockers
the furthest I have got into the start up process is windows telling me it did not shut down properly, which I guess is due to the power failure.
- Mitch

If he received this message on the screen then the computer has past POST, That's why I originally suggested linux. You only get to that part of the operating system when all checks have been made. That's why I also suspected it to be either the hard drive or the psu. He then went on to tell us that it wouldn't even turn on, which then of course Linux would have been useless if he couldn't even see a picture. This is also the reason I suspected the PSU, if it was fine a few hours previous. I have tried the shorting pins before on faulty PSU's. The fans spin but it doesn't mean the psu hasn't got other issues. There is a big difference to powering up a 2 watt fan to a whole pc. That's just my personal experience of the test, power supplys aren't always completely dead, like in his case where it turns on for a bit then dies.

Buchanan0204 · 27 Nov 2010 at 21:06

Strychnine said:
That's exactly what happens, although occasionally I will get power to the monitor but it will then shut down once it reaches the "windows did not shut down" screen, or the case will power up but nothing else will.

I just did all the things you listed above, I got brief power to the monitor, the system started to boot up and then died again.

Thanks again guys, I've already planned out my day to go and fetch a new part, I just need to know what it is now .. Well I'm guessing it's the PSU but I'd rather know for sure hehe

EDIT: Took it into the shop, they said they'd test my PSU and replace it if needed for £60, came back an hour later and they think it's either the mobo or the cpu, so I've left it with them to deal with thanks for all the help guys, I had hoped it was just the PSU but there you go.

Please Please don't take the shops word for it. I have worked for repair shops in the past. It's a lot more money for them if it's a failing motherboard and or cpu. Your computer would never have reached the "windows failed to start correctly" screen if it was either. Honestly, do not trust these repairs shops. 99% are cowboys.

Strychnine · 28 Nov 2010 at 02:20

Buchanan0204 said:
Please Please don't take the shops word for it. I have worked for repair shops in the past. It's a lot more money for them if it's a failing motherboard and or cpu. Your computer would never have reached the "windows failed to start correctly" screen if it was either. Honestly, do not trust these repairs shops. 99% are cowboys.

Well I wish I had spoken to you sooner, unfortunately they have it now, to be honest I really wasn't sure so that seemed like the safest option, there's only so much you guys can figure out by what I tell you, the good news is I have the money to pay them... Bad news is I may have been screwed over, oh well, at least I know for next time, thanks anyway guys

Buchanan0204 · 29 Nov 2010 at 05:21

Strychnine said:
Well I wish I had spoken to you sooner, unfortunately they have it now, to be honest I really wasn't sure so that seemed like the safest option, there's only so much you guys can figure out by what I tell you, the good news is I have the money to pay them... Bad news is I may have been screwed over, oh well, at least I know for next time, thanks anyway guys

When you get the computer back, hopefully working. It may be a good idea to open it up and check if there has been a new motherboard installed. Also check the PSU. If it's new then the fan and general casing wont be covered in dust.

Be interesting to see if they have actually replaced the mobo or psu.

Strychnine · 2 Dec 2010 at 16:34

Well I'm told the CPU is being swapped out for an Intel, the CPU that was in my system was an AMD, and since he showed it all too me when I went to pay the deposit, he'll soon regret it if he screws over

Blue160 · 2 Dec 2010 at 16:48

Intel CPU's don't use the same motherboards as AMD, so you can't just swap them. Something smells fishy......................

thingemajib · 2 Dec 2010 at 17:02

personally this is screaming psu to me. AXP arent exactly a quality brand, and like others have said the fact that it can barely turn on suggests that its dying/dead. however, there might be the chance that it took the motherboard with it so the repair shop might be telling some truth. Looking at the intel/amd thing i somehow doubt it though.

(ST)Pohaku · 2 Dec 2010 at 17:24

Obviously a bit late, but did you notice if the fan on the CPU heatsink (assuming there was one) was spinning?

Taking differing amounts of time to die, and dying at differing stages during the startup process, could be a heat issue - ie. it dies when it gets to a certain temp, and each time you try it it gets to a different point before inevitably hitting that temp.

A busted fan or a dislodged heatsink could explain this. Just a thought. Good luck, hope they don't have you off!