Computer Won't Turn On

SoAdCrAzY · 20 Jun 2011 at 12:43

My friend asked me to sort out her old PC as it was running very slow. We purchased 1GB of PC2700 RAM that a RAM website recommended for the system (Packard Bell iMedia 3084).

After installing the RAM, we turned it on, it was working fine but the VGA cable was not connecting to the monitor so nothing was visible. Then the whole thing shut down and I can't get it to turn on again.

We have tried disconnecting everything to look for any errors but it seems fine (although it is very old). The PSU comes to mind, yet no noise was heard when it blew so we are unsure.

Thanks,
Matt Wilde

mp260767 · 20 Jun 2011 at 13:36

does the psu even power up ?

checked fuse(s) ?

SoAdCrAzY · 20 Jun 2011 at 13:40

mp260767 said:
does the psu even power up ?

checked fuse(s) ?

The PSU doesn't do anything.

We have got all the screws off apart from one that was under the sticker and is insanely hard to take off.

We have tried to look as best as we can and can't find a problem with the fuse.

Thanks,
Matt Wilde

PrChaos · 20 Jun 2011 at 14:00

It sound's like you might have blown the PSU. Try a different one first to eliminate it wasn't a power supply issue.

95thrifles · 20 Jun 2011 at 14:06

Any LEDs on the mobo lit up?

mp260767 · 20 Jun 2011 at 14:07

PrChaos said:
It sound's like you might have blown the PSU. Try a different one first to eliminate it wasn't a power supply issue.

as per PrChaos, first thing to try, if it has blown unfortunately always the chance its taken other things with it

.

SoAdCrAzY · 20 Jun 2011 at 14:07

95thrifles said:
Any LEDs on the mobo lit up?

Nothing happens at all.

We will get another PSU and try that.

Thanks,
Matt Wilde

SoAdCrAzY · 20 Jun 2011 at 14:37

Sorry for the double post but is there a correlation between the RAM and the PSU blowing? It was inserted correctly and was definitely the correct type.

It's an old PC and originally had 512MB of RAM (384MB was in use).

Thanks,
Matt Wilde

sniffy · 20 Jun 2011 at 14:48

It would be hard for anyone to say unless it actually happened to them and I imagine this is quite rare. Assuming you inserted it correctly, you weren't holding a charge, connected to the power socket with power off etc then I find it highly unlikely that the system would respond in this manner even if it didn't support the RAM. It could have just died naturally. I gave my PC a good clean the other week and funnily enough a fan that I cleaned just died when I put it back in. I only cleaned it with compressed air and was gentle with it. Coincidences do happen

SoAdCrAzY · 21 Jun 2011 at 17:51

Hi, round two.

We've bought a new PSU and installed everything correctly.

The computer turns on and everything turns on. However, sometimes the Packard Bell picture appears, only to go to a black screen (the keyboard does not work).

Sometimes a message appears saying that a file is correct and to insert the Windows disk again (nothing happens when we do, and the keyboard doesn't work anyway).

Also, sometimes the screen is just black covered in "::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::".

The PSU is connected to the mobo, the hard drive, the two DVD drives and the intergrated GPU perfectly it would seem.

Thanks,
Matt Wilde

SoAdCrAzY · 22 Jun 2011 at 01:53

*bump*

PrChaos · 22 Jun 2011 at 04:09

SoAdCrAzY said:
Hi, round two.

We've bought a new PSU and installed everything correctly.

The computer turns on and everything turns on. However, sometimes the Packard Bell picture appears, only to go to a black screen (the keyboard does not work).

Sometimes a message appears saying that a file is correct and to insert the Windows disk again (nothing happens when we do, and the keyboard doesn't work anyway).

Also, sometimes the screen is just black covered in "::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::".

The PSU is connected to the mobo, the hard drive, the two DVD drives and the intergrated GPU perfectly it would seem.

Thanks,
Matt Wilde

Are you sure that all the connections are in tightly and there are no obstructions to any of them?

Also... What size power supply did you get?

mp260767 · 22 Jun 2011 at 09:13

is it that the keyboard itself is duff or just doesnt work on this pc ?

SoAdCrAzY · 22 Jun 2011 at 10:50

PrChaos said:
Are you sure that all the connections are in tightly and there are no obstructions to any of them?

Also... What size power supply did you get?

We got a G6. The box says 640V but on the actual PSU it says 230V VAT.

We will plug everything out and in again as not everything may have clicked into place.

mp260767 said:
is it that the keyboard itself is duff or just doesnt work on this pc ?

The keyboard works fine on my computer and worked on the old PC before the PSU blew.

Waza · 22 Jun 2011 at 10:55

have you tried taken out your new ram

mp260767 · 22 Jun 2011 at 10:58

SoAdCrAzY said:
The keyboard works fine on my computer and worked on the old PC before the PSU blew.

if its a usb keyboard have you tried it in another usb slot ?

possibly an issue whereby it can't detect a keyboard but i can't say i've ever seen it generate the issues you mention.

lrlcr · 22 Jun 2011 at 11:05

try it with the old ram, if no luck then start checking every part in turn...

SoAdCrAzY · 22 Jun 2011 at 11:22

I have tried the old RAM but no luck with that and I have tried every USB slot.

mp260767 · 22 Jun 2011 at 11:50

SoAdCrAzY said:
I have tried every USB slot.

did any of them recognise the keyboard ?

if not sounds like the usb slots might be u/s, which in turn could point to other probs on the mobo (ie partially knackered onboard gfx).

SoAdCrAzY · 22 Jun 2011 at 12:07

We have isolated the problem that it was the new RAM. We put the old pair of 256MB sticks back in and it worked fine.

We went on a RAM website and entered our PC model and this recommendation came up:

Module Size: 1GB
Package: 184-pin DIMM
Feature: DDR PC2700
Specs: DDR PC2700 • CL=2.5 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR333 • 2.5V • 128Meg x 64 •

However, due to time constraints, we had to go to a shop and purchase this. The RAM that we purchased only said a few details on the box (PC2700, DDR, 333MHz and 184pin DIMM). Is it then possible that this is not the correct type of RAM and we needed to purchase the one from the site?

Thanks,
Matt Wilde