[legenderycity]

I use my desktop only once a week. Today when I switch it on, the computer powers up, the fans are running but there is not hard drive activity. The cylinder icon does not blink. The Post and bios setting does not show up, just a black screen on the monitor. What should I do? The mouse, wireless adapter, and dvd drive are working only my wireless keyboard does not work.

 

[makinu1der2]

Post the make/model of the PC. If custom built then post the specs.

MB-CPU-RAM-GPU-PSU brand/wattage

 

[DBCooper]

Hi legenderycity,

Open up the desktop, if the compute has multiple sticks of ram, try booting the computer up with only one stick at a time. Also, do you have any spare parts laying around such has a videocard? If so, and assuming that spare videocard using the same interface as the videocard on your computer, try installing the spare videocard in and see if the videocard is the culprit. The only parts needed in order to make a computer post are:

1.) Power Supply
2.) Motherboard
3.) Cpu
4.) Ram
5.) Videocard

Hope everything works out for you.

 

[legenderycity]

Post the make/model of the PC. If custom built then post the specs.

MB-CPU-RAM-GPU-PSU brand/wattage

Gigabyte EP43-UD3L
Intel Core 2 Duo [email protected]
2GB Corsair XMSII
nVidia GTS250
Cooler Master Real Power Pro 460W

 

[legenderycity]

Hi legenderycity,

Open up the desktop, if the compute has multiple sticks of ram, try booting the computer up with only one stick at a time. Also, do you have any spare parts laying around such has a videocard? If so, and assuming that spare videocard using the same interface as the videocard on your computer, try installing the spare videocard in and see if the videocard is the culprit. The only parts needed in order to make a computer post are:

1.) Power Supply
2.) Motherboard
3.) Cpu
4.) Ram
5.) Videocard

Hope everything works out for you.

Unfortunately I don't have any spare parts around and only 1 stick of RAM because this is my first build. Forgot to mention that this has happened twice already and it seemed to be able to boot the second day. However this time it will not boot anymore. Sounds strange.

 

[legenderycity]

I tried opening the case only to find out that the side cooling fan has been disconnecting from the mobo. I put it back, switched on and finally able to boot up and reach the recovery error screen. I'm using a wireless keyboard and found out that i cannot choose any option. I shut it down and when I switched it on again i get the same error. No screen and no hard drive activity. After a while the computer shut down by its own and restart only to get the same problem. What should I do?

 

[makinu1der2]

The 460W PSU that you have installed is underpowered for your setup.

-Unplug power from the PC and open the case.
-Remove the CMOS battery.
-Remove the RAM modules.
-Remove any add-in PCI cards.
-Disconnect all cdrom/dvd drives.
-Re-seat the graphics card in the slot.
-Add CMOS battery back in the PC.
-Add 1 RAM module back making sure securely seated.
-Attempt to boot the PC.
-Unplug power and swap the RAM modules.

 

[legenderycity]

The 460W PSU that you have installed is underpowered for your setup.

-Unplug power from the PC and open the case.
-Remove the CMOS battery.
-Remove the RAM modules.
-Remove any add-in PCI cards.
-Disconnect all cdrom/dvd drives.
-Re-seat the graphics card in the slot.
-Add CMOS battery back in the PC.
-Add 1 RAM module back making sure securely seated.
-Attempt to boot the PC.
-Unplug power and swap the RAM modules.

Thanks for the advice, I'll try doing that. But since you said that the PSU is underpowered, will anything happen in the long run? Should I get a new PSU? Also my computer was working fine last week and why did it suddenly break down like this?

 

[makinu1der2]

But since you said that the PSU is underpowered, will anything happen in the long run?

Using an inadequate PSU can lead to premature failure of the PSU and possibly other components.

Also my computer was working fine last week and why did it suddenly break down like this?

Could be any number of things.

Did you attempt the steps I posted earlier yet?

 

[legenderycity]

Here comes the problem again. Today I was using the computer finely and then it suddenly just hangs and does not respond at all. I force shut down the computer and restarted the computer just to get this exact problem again:
-No hard drive activity
-I switch on the computer, after a few seconds, it shuts down and reboots on its own and stay there, no doing anything.
-Monitor no display although CPU is on.

Any help? Is this periodic problem related to my underpowered PSU?

 

[makinu1der2]

I would suggest testing the RAM with memtest68+ (test the RAM individually for several passes)

Run the hard drive manufacturer diagnostics on the hard-drive

Hard Drive Tools and Utilities

Any help? Is this periodic problem related to my underpowered PSU?

Possible either way I would seriously consider upgrading it.

 

[legenderycity]

Hey I think I know what the problem is. I have a Microsoft Wireless Desktop 2000 and everytime I plug in the receiver, the problem occurs. Today I plugged out the receiver and my computer was able to boot again. Is this because of something wrong in the receiver that caused this problem?

 

[rgsalinger]

That's pretty unlikely - I think that since this is your first build you really should look carefully at all of your connections and make certain that everything is not only connected but solid. It does have the sound of a power supply problem - if the fans don't turn that almost always means a power supply problem but 450 watts should work for you I would have thought. If you can return the PS for a different one that would be best in any case but I still think that given this is your first build you should consider that something isn't put together correctly.

 

[legenderycity]

That's pretty unlikely - I think that since this is your first build you really should look carefully at all of your connections and make certain that everything is not only connected but solid. It does have the sound of a power supply problem - if the fans don't turn that almost always means a power supply problem but 450 watts should work for you I would have thought. If you can return the PS for a different one that would be best in any case but I still think that given this is your first build you should consider that something isn't put together correctly.

Well actually the guy at the shop built it for me. Shouldn't be a build problem should it? Anyway, today here comes the problem AGAIN. I was using the computer finely and when I launched a game, BLUE SCREEN! Saying Windows encountered a problem and was forced to shut down to protect your data blah blah blah. And there was something about 'load, wait, fix' or that's the words I managed to read. Then there's a counter at the bottom about 'hard disk cache(what I managed to read)' it counts until some number and my computer just restarted. After the post screen it just blacked out! After I restarted a few times, the same old error comes back. Blank monitor, fans running and no hard drive activity. This sounds similar to the situation where it hanged last time. Can you troubleshoot the problem?