Desktop Troubleshooting

Abe Sargent · 07-19-2008, 08:25 PM

Hello all! I'm having problems with my six year old desktop PC and I know some of you kind folks know a ton more about this stuff than me. Any suggestions as to what the issues might be?

When I turn the power to the PC, the light comes on, showing that it is getting power. However, nothing comes on the monitor. Also, the noise the PC makes is a low hum, instead of the normal boot noises. There is a quick flash of lights on the keyboard, like normal at boot. Then the keyboard does not respond to further tapping, so hitting Num Lock for example, will not turn on the light. Also I tried the CD Case and it would not open, nor was there light to it. I turned it off and tried redoing it twice more, same problem. I left it alone for the third try for several minutes.

So, to sum up, power light is on, but the computer is not doing what a computer does, including no CD drive, keyboard, and nothing showing on the monitor.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

-Abe

JetsIn06 · 07-19-2008, 08:45 PM

I think it's either a bad hard drive or bad video card.

The low hum is what worries me....a bad video card wouldn't do that, but I'm not 100% sure. I had this same thing happen to me about 2 or 3 months ago. Do you get a cursor at all? Can you get into BIOS or anything like that?

When my HD went bad, my cursor came up on a black screen, but nothing else would ever come up. I went to reformat the HD and it told me I didn't have one

.

When my video card went bad, my computer seemed to be turning on fine but nothing ever came up.

CD case not opening sounds very strange though, and unfortunately that makes me wonder if my opinion is completely off

gstelmack · 07-19-2008, 08:50 PM

Power supply could be going and not providing enough juice to kick everything over. Otherwise sounds like a possible motherboard. If it was hard drive, you'd at least see some of the post, and if it was video card you'd still be able to open the CD, etc.

MizzouRah · 07-19-2008, 09:02 PM

Yep, first thought is the power supply.

Abe Sargent · 07-19-2008, 09:16 PM

Yeah, I think power supply sounds right.

Coder · 07-20-2008, 06:19 AM

From personal experience, this sounds more like the motherboard than the powersupply. You're saying that there's a slight hum, but then nothing happens. To me this mimics the behaviour of a computer that's got power but the motherboard isn't responding.

I've had this happen once, and I've had several colleagues who've had the same problem.

07-19-2008, 08:50 PM	#3
gstelmack Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cary, NC	Power supply could be going and not providing enough juice to kick everything over. Otherwise sounds like a possible motherboard. If it was hard drive, you'd at least see some of the post, and if it was video card you'd still be able to open the CD, etc. __________________ -- Greg -- Author of various FOF utilities

07-19-2008, 09:16 PM	#5
Abe Sargent Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Catonsville, MD	Yeah, I think power supply sounds right. __________________ Check out my two current weekly Magic columns! https://www.coolstuffinc.com/a/?action=search&page=1&author[]=Abe%20Sargent

07-20-2008, 06:19 AM	#6
Coder College Prospect Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	From personal experience, this sounds more like the motherboard than the powersupply. You're saying that there's a slight hum, but then nothing happens. To me this mimics the behaviour of a computer that's got power but the motherboard isn't responding. I've had this happen once, and I've had several colleagues who've had the same problem. __________________ IFL - Vermont Mountaineers ~ I am an idiot, walking a tight rope of fortunate things ~

07-19-2008, 08:45 PM	#2
JetsIn06 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rahway, NJ	I think it's either a bad hard drive or bad video card. The low hum is what worries me....a bad video card wouldn't do that, but I'm not 100% sure. I had this same thing happen to me about 2 or 3 months ago. Do you get a cursor at all? Can you get into BIOS or anything like that? When my HD went bad, my cursor came up on a black screen, but nothing else would ever come up. I went to reformat the HD and it told me I didn't have one . When my video card went bad, my computer seemed to be turning on fine but nothing ever came up. CD case not opening sounds very strange though, and unfortunately that makes me wonder if my opinion is completely off

07-19-2008, 09:02 PM	#4
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Troy, Mo	Yep, first thought is the power supply.

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