PC wont boot and is "hunting"

doopydug

doopydug

doopydug

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Got no signal on monitor when it is connected - computer switches on and fans are spinning etc but nothing on screen.

Removed the hard drive to see if it was that as I hear a ticking noise and a sort of speeding up and slowing down of the fans.

Could that be the CPU or more likely the PSU? Its a 12 year old PC by the way - just trying to get it working for an old friend.

The hard drive boots perfectly in another rig
 
Could be anything, but something fundamental to the system is not kicking in stopping the BIOS startup.

Strip everything out of the case and slap the board on a box of some sort, then take the BIOS battery out and leave it for a while. That should reset the BIOS. Then build the bare minimum, so CPU, 1 stick of RAM and power. Use the integrated graphics too if this is an Intel system.

If you get nothing then try every stick of RAM individually in every slot until you get something happen. If still nothing then the board or the CPU is probably done.

If you do get something then plug the drive back in and see if it boots (you'll need to set up the BIOS for boot devices and whatnot first).

From there add 1 component at a time to diagnose the issue. Start with the memory, then put in the graphics card, then add whatever else.
 
Try what LePhuronn suggests above, remembering to start with a CMOS reset.

If that doesn't work my spider-sense suggests the PSU is the likely culprit. I had one exhibit exactly the same symptoms. Have you got a spare to swap in?
 
Depending on the specs, just try and boot on minimal things, ie remove the gpu and use onboard graphics, one stick of ram, one hard drive etc. Also depending on what spares you have to prove it with
 
If it's an old PC that has not been used in ages, the CMOS battery will probably be dead.

Think they only last around 5 years, but can last longer as long as the PC is being used.
 
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