Urgent Help Needed - Computer Won't Start Up

williamd

williamd

williamd

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31 Mar 2007
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696
I've replaced my graphics card this morning and when I turned it on afterwards, it would turn on for about 5 seconds, the fans would kick in and it would shut down. It repeats doing this endlessly until you either flick the power switch on the PSU or pull out the power cable. Pressing reset or the power button on the front doesn't do anything.

The monitor never starts up. Nothing really happens other than you can hear that its actually on.

So I removed the graphics card thinking it was faulty and turned it on. The same thing happens. Nothing.

So I put my old one back in. And still nothing.

I have no idea what I've done. Does anyone know what I can do to fix it?
 
I think there are 2 possibilities but I don't know a lot about computers so hopefully one of you can help.

1. My new card has somehow destroyed my entire computer in the space of 5 seconds.
2. I have somehow removed something important while replacing the card (which is why I have included some photos)
 
Yeah I unplugged everything.

Does the fact that it turns on mean the PSU is okay?

I think it's a lost cause to be honest.

I've never had any problems with my computer in over a year but this card has obviously done something.

If the card is proven to be faulty and has damaged my computer, am I covered in any way?
 
I've just found this thread about my motherboard and problems with starting up.

http://forums.vr-zone.com/archive/index.php/t-97637.html

When I used to OC, I would occasionally get the same sort of thing where it just repeatedly turns on, turns off, on, off, etc.

Maybe putting the new card in has caused it to do this again.

Do you think its safe to leave it on for ages and see if it ever boots up. Will this wear out the graphics card because the fan starts pretty rapidly every time I turn my computer on. And doing this would mean I am turning my computer on approximately 100 times in the next 20 minutes

I suppose I may as well try it unless anyone knows how to reset the BIOS/CMOS (whatever, I don't know) for my DS4 physically as I think this is possibile.
 
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Sounds a very Psu'y problem to me.

As for resetting Cmos.. If you cant find the jumper... it's usally next to the battery... Then carefully remove the battery... then go make a cup of tea... drink it... Then put the battery back in.
 
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If its a PSU problem, shouldn't it work when I put the old card back in?

Because it doesn't. I wish i could just get it working like it was this morning before I replaced the cards and I dont know why I can't.

I'll have to get it looked at which is gonna take about a week. Oh well.
 
Sadly Pc's don't work like that.

Think of it that the PSU (Power Supply Unit) was probably on the edge of giving up... You disturbed it by putting the new card in, which also probably pulled more power anyway. Psu gives up.

Putting the old card in wont breath life back into the psu.
 
I'll go and get a new PSU today then and see if it works again. I still think the fact it turns on means it's probably not faulty but may as well try.

I remember from buying my previous PSU that it needs very long cables because of my Antec case. Plus it needs to handle my new GTS so can anyone recommend a good one? Might ask in another area of the forum as well.
 
Corsair 520w or 620w are both excellent... 620w will last you longer if cards get more power-hungry, but the 520w powers a GTS/Quad Core with no problem :) As for cable length, they're about normal really - not massively long but long enough... it's hard to say. You can always send the PSU back if it's not right for you!

The PSU is always the first suspect, but quite often it isn't the cause of the problems.

Saying that, my friends current PC had a duff power supply, my PC would crash due to a bad power supply, and my girlfriends mums PC died - it was a bad power supply. I just thought I'd mention it - you might find yourself buying a PSU and it not solving the problem.

You might need to upgrade your BIOS, or clear your BIOS.

Also, try booting with just one memory stick, then try the other.

Try booting with bare minimums - no hard drive, no CD drive, one stick of RAM... see if it gets to a point where it says "invalid boot disk" or whatever. Then try plugging things back in one-by-one, trying to boot after putting each thing back in. Then if it stops working after you put something back in, that thing could be the cause of the problem.

My friends P35 DS4 just had to be replaced to solve his problems - I suspect the power supply died and took the motherboard with it. This could be the problem with yours.
 
There doesn't appear to be a graphics card installed in those pics you posted.

Also.. Don't be too harsh on yourself.. I've had to replace psu's quite regularly until I wised up and started buying decent ones.
 
I've got a new PSU and now it turns on and stays on but nothing happens.

The monitor never comes on.

It's as if the old PSU knew there was no hope and turned off every 5 seconds. This new one stays on permanently but nothing actually happens.

I think I've connected everything up correctly.

I don't know what to do now.

I suppose I'll have to buy a new motherboard.

Can anyone recommend a good one for gaming for about £100.
 
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