a friend was having problems starting her computer so gave it to me. i checked the HD would boot by trying it in my own computer, which it did. then i tried starting her computer again and found that it did start to boot, checking the memory, which it then proceeded to do, over and over and over again, without stopping. when i interrupted it by pressing escape it then tried to boot properly but informed me it couldn`t boot to the HD but tried the CD, which it couldn`t because there was no disc there. then it started booting all over again. did a memory test which it did all over and over again. then i hit DEL to start BIOS but once in there it started the boot process all over again.
then again.
then it wouldn`t start at all, just a few noises from the computer and a blank screen.
i tried pulling the mem modules and the video card and still no go.
is there any point in trying to boot from the original O/S CD?
or is this more likely a hardware problem?
dodgy memory, video, m/board?

thanks
krispee

Sounds like a bad CMOS battery.

You can lead a horse to water but,you can't make it google!!!

Well, well...

A bad battery is not likely to prevent a modern machine from starting - the battery allows the hardware settings (and the system time) to be retained when the machine is powered off. A weak or dead battery would be indicated if the system can't keep the correct time, but the drives should be auto detected

Yes, a hardware problem seems likely, since Windows hasn't even loaded.

A little hard to follow - are you saying you cannot enter the BIOS at all?

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"i tried pulling the mem modules and the video card and still no go"

What did you expect would happen without a video card or memory installed?

If you're getting a display on the screen, there's probably nothing wrong with the video. I would try booting with minimum hardware connected to see if you can get a display & access the BIOS. Remove all cards but video, disconnect all drives (HDD, optical, floppy), & remove all but one stick of RAM. If you have any printers or USB devices connected, unplug them. Now see if it will boot....

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sorry, i meant that i tried to re-seat the video card, not boot without it, my bad lol
i tried it with only one mem module in either slot(only 2 mem slots) but it didn`t boot.
is there any point in trying to remove all devices when it won`t even start booting into BIOS?
i can`t enter BIOS now, i did to start with, for a very short time, but now nothing shows on the screen, you can hear something booting from the computer unit(maybe the HD trying to work or just the fans) but nothing shows on the screen...and yes, the monitor is on lol.

krispee

oh, of the 2 front panel lights only 1 is working now, used to be both, 1 red and 1 yellow, now only the yellow one is working. and i`m only getting fan noise from the unit now.

krispee

If you can't get the POST (the hardware screen) or enter the BIOS, then something is very wrong indeed - it's difficult to say exactly what at this point.

You might try disconnecting all drives and any cards (other than video) and see if you can actually get to the BIOS setup - a bad HDD can bring down a system.

Pretty general, but it might also be a RAM, PSU or motherboard problem - the process of elimination may reveal which

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i tried disconncting everything but the video card and still got nothing at all on the screen.....
could it be the video card?
if it was then i`d still get the full bootup just woldn`t see anything right?
don`t hear the noises you usually hear when it is fully booting up.....
krispee

Lots of reasons you won't get any screen output - a bad vidcard is probably the least likely, and usually there's a set of beeps to indicate a faulty card.

If the drives aren't spooling up or the lights & fans aren't working, that would almost certainly be the power supply.

See if this troubleshooting flowchart is of any help

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well, that flowchart is a little difficult to follow, one of the reasons being that i can`t try everything that is suggested......i`m pretty sure that it`s the PS or MB but i can`t be sure that it isn`t the VC.....i may have to pass it on to a computer shop i know of......my friend isn`t that keen to spend much money on it and told me she may buy a new system anyway, so spending much time and money on this may now be pointless, except that it`s bugging the life out of me lol
at any rate thankyou for all your help....really appreciated...
regards
krispee

Well, insisting it's the video card is like deciding your speakers are at fault when really it's just a blown fuse in your stereo.

Perhaps it is the display adapter, but that would not be my first guess

Difficult to ascertain the culprit by your description, but if there are no lights or fans and the drives don't spin up, that points to the power supply. On the other hand, a PSU may be faulty but still operate well enough to power the LEDs & fans. Swapping with a spare unit is one troubleshooting method.

A bad CPU is another possibility, as well as bad RAM - - and of course, a shot board can't be ruled out.

If you've got the time & access to spare components, you may be able to puzzle out what's wrong by swapping - otherwise you may have to leave it to a tech or shelve it.

Good luck

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actually that`s what i`m going to do, a friend has some spare components(something i haven`t) and we`re going to try them out.....see what we can find....
regards
chris