[SOLVED] Computer won't start up.

aliciapower · 05-29-2009, 10:49 PM

Hi, I have some problems with my Windows XP Home Edition computer. It's a Gateway computer. Yesterday I was in a hurry, and so I clicked the "turn on" button on my computer and while it was making the start up noises that it usually makes, I plugged in the USB for my printer and turned on my printer immediately afterwards. I didn't know what happened but my computer ended up not turning on. It sounded like it was going to turn on, but the noises it usually made right before images appeared on the monitor weren't heard. Then it made this little clicking sound, that I heard before when my computer was functioning properly, and then it made the beginning start up noises again but never made the noise-right-before-images-appear-on-monitor noises. So, I turned off my computer by holding down on the "turn on" button on my computer and after a few seconds, it turned off. I waited for about a minute and then I turned back on my computer. This time, it turned on. And so, I used it and then I turned it off. Then, later on in the day, I tried to turn on my computer, but it wouldn't turn on! All I did was click the "turn on" button, turned on my monitor and then waited for the computer to start up. But, I heard the beginning start up noises, and then the clicking sound and then the beginning start up noises again and then nothing happened. My monitor "turn on" button, which usually glows blue when the computer is on and functioning, was glowing orange which means that the computer wasn't on. But then, the "turn on" button on my computer was glowing blue, meaning that it was on. Usually, when it's not on, it doesn't show any color, but it was showing blue. I turned off my computer by holding down the "turn on" button. And I tried to turn on my computer again, for a few more times, but it always ended up doing the same thing and I had to manually turn it off by holding down on the button. I tried it again today and the same problem came up.

Hopefully, this is enough information to help detect the problem! Thanks in advance!

**louge1953** · 05-30-2009, 05:49 AM

please give us the gateway model of our pc sounds like a desktop How old is your PC? just from the symptoms you described I would guess that perhaps you have a failed power supply or perhaps your harddrive maybe failing when the light on the power button is on but no video signal is getting to the monitor --because the button on the monitor is still amber colored ....do you hear the power supply fan running and open up the case and see if the CPU chip cooling fan is running??? also did you say when it trys to boot up the cd drive blinks on momentarily and the harddrive sounds like it is spinning up???

dai · 05-30-2009, 06:01 AM

go with the power supply

**Tyree** · 05-30-2009, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dai

go with the power supply

Ditto

aliciapower · 05-30-2009, 09:51 PM

I'm not really sure where to find what my gateway pc model is. I think my PC is about 2 years old. I'll go check if the CPU chip cooling fan is running.The cd drive doesn't blink. I'm not sure if it's the hard drive that's making the noises, but my pc just makes noises everytime I turn it on, but this time, it doesn't make all the noises.

Also, yesterday night, after I posted on this forums, I had a small power failure in the room with my computer. And then when the power returned, my computer just automatically turned on and then I didn't hear if it made the beginning noises, cause I wasn't in the room at the time, but when I got to the room, it was making the "noise-right-before-images-appear-on-monitor" noises and it wouldn't stop and nothing appeared on my monitor. I just manually turned it off. And I haven't turned it on since then. I'll go check the cpu cooling fan now.

If it is a failed power supply, all I have to do is buy a new power supply thing right? And then switch them?

Riskyone101 · 05-30-2009, 10:22 PM

Go here:

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/362

aliciapower · 06-09-2009, 10:21 PM

I just tried installing a new power supply and it didn't work. I'm pretty sure that the power supply matches my computer because I asked the salesperson and he said that the power supply should work with my computer. When I finished plugging in the new power supply, I reconnected my computer to all its plugs and then I tried to turn on my computer. But the computer didn't turn on at all. So then I decided to re-try the old power supply. I replugged the old power supply in and right when I plugged the power plug to the power supply, my computer turned on, but the same original problem came up (with the noises).

I've already checked the CPU cooling fan on the old power supply and it works when I turn the computer on.

dai · 06-09-2009, 11:32 PM

what are you running
video card
cpu
m/board
ram
power supply original and the replacement
brand
wattage

check the listings in the bios for voltages and temperatures and post them

Riskyone101 · 06-10-2009, 01:36 AM

you may have gotten a defective power supply, it happens.
Also state what you are running as dai is asking.

05-29-2009, 10:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
aliciapower Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 26 OS: windows xp	[SOLVED] Computer won't start up. Hi, I have some problems with my Windows XP Home Edition computer. It's a Gateway computer. Yesterday I was in a hurry, and so I clicked the "turn on" button on my computer and while it was making the start up noises that it usually makes, I plugged in the USB for my printer and turned on my printer immediately afterwards. I didn't know what happened but my computer ended up not turning on. It sounded like it was going to turn on, but the noises it usually made right before images appeared on the monitor weren't heard. Then it made this little clicking sound, that I heard before when my computer was functioning properly, and then it made the beginning start up noises again but never made the noise-right-before-images-appear-on-monitor noises. So, I turned off my computer by holding down on the "turn on" button on my computer and after a few seconds, it turned off. I waited for about a minute and then I turned back on my computer. This time, it turned on. And so, I used it and then I turned it off. Then, later on in the day, I tried to turn on my computer, but it wouldn't turn on! All I did was click the "turn on" button, turned on my monitor and then waited for the computer to start up. But, I heard the beginning start up noises, and then the clicking sound and then the beginning start up noises again and then nothing happened. My monitor "turn on" button, which usually glows blue when the computer is on and functioning, was glowing orange which means that the computer wasn't on. But then, the "turn on" button on my computer was glowing blue, meaning that it was on. Usually, when it's not on, it doesn't show any color, but it was showing blue. I turned off my computer by holding down the "turn on" button. And I tried to turn on my computer again, for a few more times, but it always ended up doing the same thing and I had to manually turn it off by holding down on the button. I tried it again today and the same problem came up. Hopefully, this is enough information to help detect the problem! Thanks in advance! Last edited by aliciapower; 05-29-2009 at 10:51 PM.

05-30-2009, 05:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
louge1953 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: texas Posts: 757 OS: xp	Re: Computer won't start up. please give us the gateway model of our pc sounds like a desktop How old is your PC? just from the symptoms you described I would guess that perhaps you have a failed power supply or perhaps your harddrive maybe failing when the light on the power button is on but no video signal is getting to the monitor --because the button on the monitor is still amber colored ....do you hear the power supply fan running and open up the case and see if the CPU chip cooling fan is running??? also did you say when it trys to boot up the cd drive blinks on momentarily and the harddrive sounds like it is spinning up???

05-30-2009, 06:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,702 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Computer won't start up. go with the power supply __________________

05-30-2009, 09:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
aliciapower Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 26 OS: windows xp	Re: Computer won't start up. I'm not really sure where to find what my gateway pc model is. I think my PC is about 2 years old. I'll go check if the CPU chip cooling fan is running.The cd drive doesn't blink. I'm not sure if it's the hard drive that's making the noises, but my pc just makes noises everytime I turn it on, but this time, it doesn't make all the noises. Also, yesterday night, after I posted on this forums, I had a small power failure in the room with my computer. And then when the power returned, my computer just automatically turned on and then I didn't hear if it made the beginning noises, cause I wasn't in the room at the time, but when I got to the room, it was making the "noise-right-before-images-appear-on-monitor" noises and it wouldn't stop and nothing appeared on my monitor. I just manually turned it off. And I haven't turned it on since then. I'll go check the cpu cooling fan now. If it is a failed power supply, all I have to do is buy a new power supply thing right? And then switch them?

05-30-2009, 10:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
Riskyone101 Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Chicago, IL. Posts: 3,766 OS: XP Pro SP3, MCE 2005 sp3, Vista Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate My System	Re: Computer won't start up. Go here: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/362 __________________

06-09-2009, 10:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
aliciapower Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 26 OS: windows xp	Re: Computer won't start up. I just tried installing a new power supply and it didn't work. I'm pretty sure that the power supply matches my computer because I asked the salesperson and he said that the power supply should work with my computer. When I finished plugging in the new power supply, I reconnected my computer to all its plugs and then I tried to turn on my computer. But the computer didn't turn on at all. So then I decided to re-try the old power supply. I replugged the old power supply in and right when I plugged the power plug to the power supply, my computer turned on, but the same original problem came up (with the noises). I've already checked the CPU cooling fan on the old power supply and it works when I turn the computer on.

06-09-2009, 11:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,702 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Computer won't start up. what are you running video card cpu m/board ram power supply original and the replacement brand wattage check the listings in the bios for voltages and temperatures and post them __________________

06-10-2009, 01:36 AM	#9 (permalink)
Riskyone101 Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Chicago, IL. Posts: 3,766 OS: XP Pro SP3, MCE 2005 sp3, Vista Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate My System	Re: Computer won't start up. you may have gotten a defective power supply, it happens. Also state what you are running as dai is asking. __________________