Odd Booting Behaviour

RastaManBob

RastaManBob

RastaManBob

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Joined
30 Dec 2003
Posts
2,254
Hey,

A little problem I hope you might be able to help with! This has been happening for several months now but only now has it bothered me enough to want to rectify it!

If my PC is off for a substantial amount of time (Overnight, for example) then it turns on fine. If however the computer has been shut down and I immediately try to turn it on I do not get the POST "beep" and the computer never comes on. This same problem happens even if the computer has been off for a short amount of time (For example if the computer is turned off at 9.30pm and I try it again at 10.30pm it never boots).

The only temporary fix I've found (And what I've been using so far) is that when it exhibits this behaviour actually removing the computer plug out of the wall socket (I usually turn the power off at the wall but do not remove the plug). Leaving the computer physically disconnected from the wall socket for some amount of time (Appears to vary!) it will then boot fine.

Does anybody have any ideas why this may be?

Cheers!
 
Hi there. I get nothing on the screen - Almost as if it is not "turning on". I say POST beep only because thats my assumption that's what that beep is, right? The beep you hear when you turn the PC on? Well that's the sound that I do not get if it doesn't boot.

It isn't spec in sig - Sorry I forgot to update it... And without that I s'pose I'm not helping myself! Still not ace :p but current spec is:

AMD Athlon XP (Barton) 1.3GHz
NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400
512Mb DDR RAM
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600

Cheers! :)
 
Weird problem?

My first port of call would be to fit a new CMOS battery, just to eliminate that.

Here's a quick test you can do:

Switch the PSU off at the mains.

Disconnect everything that is attached to the PSU (including the 20 pin ATX connector) except the fans that are connected directly to the PSU.

Connect a piece of wire from the green terminal on the 20pin ATX connector and connect the other end to any black terminal on the same connector.

Switch on.

Do the fans spin immediately?

If so, It must be the mobo.
 
Will look at doing this sometime - At the moment the computer is in one of those horrible workstations that makes getting the PC open a real chore! Probably the reason I'd never bothered looking before.

I can see the idea you're getting it; Only question I've got on that front though is, should I do this when I am experiencing the problem (Eg, when it wont turn on correctly) or does it not matter when I try this little test?

Cheers. :)

EDIT: Now you mention CMOS it has reminded me of something else. Occasionally when this happens and I resort to physically unplugging the computer I lose my BIOS settings (Pointing possibly to CMOS battery). Note though, that this doesn't happen all of the time. Does this affect your diagnosis? Would this make you believe it has more to do with the CMOS battery?
 
Hey,

Lazy, I know (As I've said it really is a hassle getting to the computer!) but is there any website that references exactly what battery each motherboard takes? This is a family PC so it saves me 15-20mins dragging the computer out, having to unplug the mass array of tangled wires only to find the CMOS battery size/rating and have to put everything away again for others to use... Until I get the battery and have to do the same again to fit it.

Yep, lazy - I know - But it'd be nice if such a site existed... Plus it means I can find out what other motherboards take without having to have a look (I know of at least one other person whose I have to fit but havn't had time to get round their house to find what battery it takes).

Cheers, again :)
 
I was sure I remembered reading they take different batteries but a quick google seems to suggest that modern motherboards use CR2032 3V cells, with only older boards using anything different (Usually little soldered on cylinders). I cannot find anything that out right says that this is the ONLY battery used for CMOS though. Anybody able to confirm that CR2032 3V are the standard?

Cheers.
 
RastaManBob said:
I was sure I remembered reading they take different batteries but a quick google seems to suggest that modern motherboards use CR2032 3V cells, with only older boards using anything different (Usually little soldered on cylinders). I cannot find anything that out right says that this is the ONLY battery used for CMOS though. Anybody able to confirm that CR2032 3V are the standard?

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Yep i think they are. you can get them from most supermarkets, that's why i got mine from.
 
have you tried unplugging every peripheral? i had a problem a bit like this, and it was fixed by unplugging a usb hub that for some reason stopped it from booting
 
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