Boot Problem

telpeedell · Post by **telpeedell** » 04 Jan 2007, 11:11

Hi Guys.....I'm looking for advice from someone with computer knowledge regarding the following problem. When I switch on the power to my computer it can take up to six attempts before it gives the reassuring BEEP and boots up. Each time it fails to boot I turn the power off at the wall socket, give it a minute, and then repeat the process. The fear is of course that one day it will fail to boot at all. Apart from downloading a few aircraft I've made no changes to my PC over the last month and the PC has always worked perfectly before. When the power is on and I press the start button you can hear the hard drive and the fan start up but not the BEEP showing the computer has booted. Any advice or help would be much appreciated. Many thanks.......Terry

VEGAS · Post by **VEGAS** » 04 Jan 2007, 11:19

Charlie Bravo is your man. I'm sure he will get in touch when he has finished sorting out his Fokker 50's!

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 04 Jan 2007, 11:24

The computer is failing the POST and does not therefore even get to the Boot stage. The fact that it is intermittent is slightly encouraging in that you can do something after you do manage to boot. The only suggestion that I have is to change the little watch cell battery on your motherboard (has your computer date been changing recently?). After you have done that then I would update your BIOS using your motherboard manual.

The last time this happened to me it never again got past POST because a power cut in a thunderstorm had destroyed the CMOS memory...I had to fit a new motherboard :sad:

ukmil · Post by **ukmil** » 04 Jan 2007, 11:39

the fact it is failing intermittantly, can be down to a few things.

firstly it an be a deffective bios, which you can upgrade, or re-flash once you have it running

if this does not solve it, your next option is to make sure your graphics card is seated corrctly, or even better, replace for another [just to test]
if the graphics cards does not contact the motherboard correctly, then it will fails the POST check as it has not display option

finally, it will probably be an interemittent fault on the board chipset, but test the other two options first, as the last will mean a new board

jonesey2k · Post by **jonesey2k** » 04 Jan 2007, 14:19

Might be worth checking the peripherals, I had a CD/RW drive die on me and when connected my pc would hang during the POST.

Does it do it when rebooting or only when cold?
If it doesnt like cold starts then it could be either a defective motherboard or power supply.

AndyG · Post by **AndyG** » 04 Jan 2007, 14:30

I have to admit Terry, it doesn't sound good! Those are pretty much the symptoms I had last year, eventually traced to a dying motherboard; Peter's suggestion about changing the battery is a good first step, before considering the more drastic options.

AndyG

Post by **TSR2** » 04 Jan 2007, 14:33

Things to check...

Floppy Drive Cable is connect properly (This can actually hang the motherboard - so check all connections are pushed fully home)

CPU Fan is failing (intermittenly) and many motherboards will not power up in this case to protect the Processor

Unplug anything USB or Firewire (except you keyboard and mouse) and see what happens.

OR... as CB has said many times in the past... your Power Supply may be iffy... I never even thought about it the last time mine was playing up. Got a new power supply and all was good.

DanKH · Post by **DanKH** » 04 Jan 2007, 14:40

I know it sounds pretty dump, but I have experienced this kind of things when either the keyboard or the mouse had loosened their connection to the box!

Anyway a pretty quick check to see if all peripherals are connected firmly.

telpeedell · Post by **telpeedell** » 05 Jan 2007, 12:51

Hello Guys ...... and thanks for the suggestions and things to check to try and solve my boot problem. I think Peter's suggestion regarding the internal CMOS battery change may be the answer as indeed the internal clock on my computer has stopped working and I have to reset the time every time I get the computer to boot. I've never had the computer tower unit open before and so I am a bit hesitant about doing the job myself. So I rang a couple of local Computer Help advisers to get a quote
for the necessary repair. One wants Â£50 cash, no invoice, no receipt, to replace the battery though he will come and do it at my house, and the other ( a nationwide known PC name), wants Â£75 plus vat, and the computer at their branch for at least two weeks. I'm tempted to say Sod it and take up knitting.

Post by **TSR2** » 05 Jan 2007, 13:07

Just do it yourself... (unless its soldered on) They are usually in a little plastic holder and look like a large watch battery. Pop it out... look up the type on the web.. order (no more than a Â£10 including delivery) and insert.