I was doing some work with the machine over my network (it serves as my server of a sort). Windows hung in while RealVNC was in use (without my knowledge). I had to do a hard power down. After that, the PC will not boot. The power supply and processor fans turn on, but the nothing further happens. Black screen only and no self test POST beeps. I believe this is a hardware issue and I can use any advice on where to start hunting down the problem. I believe this is the correct model: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...

Failing power supplies are common and can cause your symptoms. Check your PS. See response 4 in this: http://www.computing.net/hardware/w...

Power supply is fine. Voltage checks out and I managed to coax the machine into some POST beeps for me (after CMOS resets). I moved around the RAM module to the other slot and it now gives me two errors: 201 - Memory Error ( No beeps. RAM failure. Run diagnostics. Replace failed assembly as indicated.) 162 - System Options Not Set (2 short beeps) At one point, I got the 201 Memory Error and then started to spit out tons of blocks of colors on the screen... who knows what that was about. Anyway, I think the RAM module may have went bad and I don't happen to have any DDR PC 100 available. Go figure. I have so much other junk. So, I can't test that yet. Need to find some someware for a reasonable price. At one point, I got the RAM to check out and it only gave the 162 error. When I hit F1 to save the basic settings it wanted, it went back to hanging. Grrr.... So, this is where I am at now. Thanks for the help thus far! Esteban

It is extremely rare for ram to spontaneously go bad unless something external to it has damaged it, but it is quite possible the contacts on it are not getting a good connection. See response 2 in this - try cleaning the contacts on the ram module(s). http://www.computing.net/hardware/w... "DDR PC100" No such thing. It's SDRam PC100. "162 - System Options Not Set" That error code is common on many computers, and in many bioses. e.g. 161 POST Error - System options not set - (Run SETUP) - battery 162 POST Error - System options not set - (Run SETUP) 161 System options not set; dead battery 162 System options not set; CMOS checksum/configuration error If it is 162, there is nothing wrong with the battery - you need to go into the bios Setup. Set the date and time if they are incorrect, and load bios defaults.

I have now cleaned the contacts of the RAM and also the socket to no avail. The first time after boot, it didn't give the error code, but after the memory check, colors just started flashing on the screen. After a rebooting, it went back to square one: black screen (monitor saying no valid input) and the computer hanging. I am reseting the CMOS now and hopefully I can try a couple of other things... but this is where I am now. PS - I lied about the RAM. I don't know why I said what I did. It's a 512 DDR PC-2100 with CL 2 I believe.

If you haven't tried another PS yet, I recommend you do that - problems with a PS can certainly be intermittant and cause no boot / a black screen. Check the monitor connected to another computer. If there's nothing wrong with it, and nothing wrong with the ram, I suspect the video is the problem - those are the only three things that can possibly cause random colors, and if the bios detects bad video it will not boot any further - you may or may not get beeps. If it is a video card, remove the power to the case and do the same thing with it's contacts as you did for the ram. (unlikely) You could also try disconnecting the data cables to all your hard and cd drives.