Author Topic: Computer won't boot up! PLEASE HELP ! (Read 10385 times)

tomama · « **on:** June 02, 2008, 02:05:38 PM »

Installed some drivers yesterday, the computer was working fine. I left for awhile, came back, it doesn't seem to boot up. Seems to cycle through checking drives, then nothing. Screen is black the whole time, except flashes analog then digital, back and forth. When I disconnect the display cable from the computer, monitor says I need to connect it, so it is getting some sort of signal from the CPU, but I don't know what.

OS is Windows XP service pack 2

Can someone please tell me if this is likely to be a video card problem, a hard drive problem, or a motherboard problem?

hmar · « **Reply #1 on:** June 02, 2008, 02:56:16 PM »

try to boot into safe mode, and remove the drivers you installed (hold down f8 while booting).

tomama · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2008, 03:01:49 PM »

Will try it, don't know if I can do it, though, because, as I stated in my post, I can't seem to get any thing to come up on the monitor at all.

Also, if it doesn't work, any suggestions on what to do next?

programming_pat · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2008, 04:20:40 PM »

try another monitor

tomama · « **Reply #4 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:07:24 PM »

Yeah, I was afraid you'd say that. Can't try another monitor. The only other computer I have access to is the one I am using to post this problem, and it is a Mac laptop. I don't have any way to use another monitor, and I am unable to go get any cables that might allow me to connect the two.

brett74 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:16:49 PM »

do you have a video card in your computer that plugs into a pci slot on the motherboard if so take that out and plug the monitor into the monitor plug which will be blue and see if that works if it does then we know it's your vid card.

tomama · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:21:39 PM »

There is only one way to connect this monitor to the computer. It does appear to be a card that plugs into the motherboard. Do you mind explaining how removing this will help, I don't understand.

brett74 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:26:52 PM »

sorry if I was clear on that if it's a video card that plugs into the motherboard in a pci slot it can be removed and then the monitor can be plugged into the on board video plug if the monitor works with on board video then we know it's the video card. I've uploading a pic of a motherboard for you to look at I know it's not your but it will give you a general idea what I'm talking about

[recovering space - attachment deleted by admin]

tomama · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:34:08 PM »

I don't see anything on the motherboard that looks like I can connect the monitor to it, just the video card.

brett74 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:38:10 PM »

please see attached pic also what kind of computer do you have?

tomama · « **Reply #10 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:46:16 PM »

I don't know all the specs on this computer. It is custom built. I can tell you the motherboard is Gigabyte GA K8NSC-939, and on the front of the computer it has AMD Athlon 64.

tomama · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:56:09 PM »

In the pic you sent, there obviously IS an on board CRT port, but on the motherboard I have in front of me , there ISN'T, so I don't know what to do next.

brett74 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:00:05 PM »

okay that blows that theory out I think the only thing i can suggest is buy a new video card but before we do that what kind of drivers were you downloadin? the reason I asked is because you stated the computer was working fine until you installed those drivers right

tomama · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:02:00 PM »

Ethernet controller drivers.

brett74 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:03:47 PM »

okay right now i'm thinking software problem

tomama · « **Reply #15 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:05:34 PM »

OK, can you help me figure out how to fix this?

brett74 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:06:51 PM »

I sure can and if you want I can get someone to help us

tomama · « **Reply #17 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:09:45 PM »

That would be great, Thanks!

brett74 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:12:11 PM »

I sent a message to patio and he should be here soon and you are welcome I'll be here also

patio · « **Reply #19 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:16:37 PM »

I hope you weren't disconnecting that monitor with the power on....
Try booting into safe mode.
To do this power down and when you turn the machine back on tap F8 rapidly while the machine is starting and before you see the XP logo...
Choose safe mode and see if it boots with video.
If so un-install the driver you installed and then temporarilly disable the ethernet in Device Manager and re-boot.
If the video is now fine then locate the correct driver for the ethernet ( should be on the motherboard Driver CD that shipped with the machine ) and re-install them.

brett74 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:21:52 PM »

thanks patio

tomama · « **Reply #21 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:23:39 PM »

Sorry, I don't get any logo, NOTHING comes up on the screen except the monitor's own thing of trying to detect digital or analog, and if I don't have the cable connected to the computer, it says "Check Signal Cable."

brett74 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:27:49 PM »

okay does anything power up at all the fans drives at all

tomama · « **Reply #23 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:31:48 PM »

Fans come on, drives light up, can hear things spinning, but no way to know how far it gets in booting up, because no image.

brett74 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:46:27 PM »

okay I tried to look up your problem and I can't find it. what I would do now is power everything down and then open the case up and try to pull the card out and then put it back in you may have to remove a screw that holds the card onto the case.

patio · « **Reply #25 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:48:38 PM »

Quote

I hope you weren't disconnecting that monitor with the power on....

You didn't answer this...
Unfortunately with video issues the only way to start eliminating things is to try another monitor...
How well do you like your neighbor's ? ?

tomama · « **Reply #26 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:52:09 PM »

Quote from: brett74 on June 02, 2008, 07:46:27 PM

what I would do now is power everything down and then open the case up and try to pull the card out and then put it back in

I've already done this.

Quote from: patio on June 02, 2008, 07:16:37 PM

I hope you weren't disconnecting that monitor with the power on....

I'm dumb, but not that dumb.

tomama · « **Reply #27 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:54:01 PM »

Neighbor's monitor not a possibility.

patio · « **Reply #28 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:57:27 PM »

The next option then would be to install the video card in another machine.
If it;s the same results then the card is shot.

tomama · « **Reply #29 on:** June 02, 2008, 08:01:49 PM »

Sorry, I need to make it clear that I don't have access to any computers other than a Mac laptop and the machine which has the problem.

brett74 · « **Reply #30 on:** June 02, 2008, 08:12:43 PM »

it's okay I know it's frustrating. What kind of video ports are on your mac? The reason I'm asking is if you can plug the monitor into the laptop and it works then it will show that the vid card is the culprit

brett74 · « **Reply #31 on:** June 02, 2008, 09:12:31 PM »

I'm sorry that we could not fix your problem the only thing that's left is to buy a new video card if that works great if not then you can return the card and keep the old one. Did you build the computer or did you buy it custom built?

patio · « **Reply #32 on:** June 03, 2008, 07:27:22 AM »

Quote from: tomama on June 02, 2008, 08:01:49 PM

Sorry, I need to make it clear that I don't have access to any computers other than a Mac laptop and the machine which has the problem.

There's not much more i can suggest...part of the process of troubleshooting is eliminating possibilities one by one.
Without being able to do this it is merely guesswork at best.

brett74 · « **Reply #33 on:** June 03, 2008, 07:30:44 AM »

I agree patio

tomama · « **Reply #34 on:** June 03, 2008, 01:14:55 PM »

Quote from: brett74 on June 02, 2008, 09:12:31 PM

I'm sorry that we could not fix your problem the only thing that's left is to buy a new video card if that works great if not then you can return the card and keep the old one. Did you build the computer or did you buy it custom built?

It was built by someone else for a friend of mine. The person who built it has moved away, and didn't leave any of the software for any of the components. Nice, huh? That's why I was installing drivers.

Also, the first thing I looked at when this problem first occurred was whether I could connect the monitor or the CPU to my Mac. The Mac only has S-Video Out and a monitor port which does not match the cable to this monitor.

stevejohnson1958 · « **Reply #35 on:** June 03, 2008, 05:02:56 PM »

We could really get a lot more done with this if there were another monitor we could use to test it against.

Other than that...everyone will just be giving it their best guess...which patio has already stated.

Problem could be the monitor...video card...device drivers, etc., etc.

So we need to test this against a monitor that's known to be working...or test the current monitor on another system to see if it works. If it doesn't...it's the monitor...if it does...it's either the video card, or a device driver...simple as that.

tomama · « **Reply #36 on:** June 03, 2008, 05:24:21 PM »

I realize everyone is just guessing, but I really appreciate everyone's ideas. And I'm kicking myself because I recently gave away an older PC, which I could have used to test different solutions.

brett74 · « **Reply #37 on:** June 03, 2008, 05:39:08 PM »

aww don't kick yourself you couldn't have known this was going to happen at all. So don't take too hard.

patio · « **Reply #38 on:** June 04, 2008, 06:24:20 AM »

It must be a very remote location you are in if you don't have access to another machine somehow some way...

tomama · « **Reply #39 on:** June 04, 2008, 04:14:46 PM »

Not a remote location, it's just that all of my friends have switched to Mac.

Anyway, I was able to get hold of a DVI-to-VGA adapter, connected the monitor to my Mac, monitor seems to work just fine.
Installed a new video card in the PC, tried the monitor, same problem as before. Tried suggestion of removing, replacing CMOS battery, still not working. Should I get a new motherboard?

tomama · « **Reply #40 on:** June 04, 2008, 04:30:55 PM »

Guess what? Right after my last posting, the computer started working! Now I just have to make sure to remove the drivers I installed before the problem happened, and get the correct ones.

brett74 · « **Reply #41 on:** June 04, 2008, 04:34:49 PM »

hey that's GREAT woohoo

what I would do is roll back the driver to the previous one unless you had trouble with it before.

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Author Topic: Computer won't boot up! PLEASE HELP ! (Read 10385 times)

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