help with son's pc

[svscofield2]

I have a flex case pc with unknown motherboard in it.  I do know that it has a "super chip" in it.  I don't know where to find the name of the motherboard or the hard drive.  While he was using it, it beeped.  He thought it was the mouse and un hooked it.  I put on a new one and rebooted the pc after noticing that it had  locked up".  When I turned it on, I heard the hard drive realy making a lot of noise and the led for the hard drive never lit up.  The monitor stayed black.  I was told today in the chat to check the items on cards.  I removed the modem and reseated the ram (32mb and 128mb).  I still had the same issues.  The graphics cad is part of the motherboard.  I don't have a working usb port on it nor do I have a floppy drive.  I do have a dvd-rom drive.  Any suggestions??

[Kurtiskain]

Try removing all drives, use only one stick of RAM, and try to boot it again

[svscofield2]

the only drives are the hdd and the dvd rom.  should I pull the smaller ram or the larger?

[westom]

I removed the modem and reseated the ram (32mb and 128mb).  I still had the same issues.  The graphics cad is part of the motherboard.

  Long before it even looks at memory or disk drives, the computer talks out on video.  Then it reports things like amount of RAM found, etc.  If problems, computer also outputs beeps its speaker.

  If it does not even do that, the list of suspects is much smaller - and does not include memory, disk drives, or mouse.  It if cannot beep the speaker or display something on video, then it never even bothers to look at those other things.

  Is the speaker connected?  Does it even beep?  If not, a suspect list is real short.  Includes CPU, some motherboard functions (including speaker), the power 'system' (more than just a power supply), and video controller.  Other 'try this or try that' suggestions are not on the short list.   

  How far does BIOS execute?  Or does the power 'system' not even let BIOS execute?  No BIOS execution means no speaker beeps.  Also means those other suggestions would do nothing informative or useful.   First establish the supply system.  That means 30 seconds and numbers from a multimeter.

[svscofield2]

this pc doesn't even have a pc speaker nor a sound card.  it no longer makes any noises except for the noises made by the hard drive.

[westom]

this pc doesn't even have a pc speaker nor a sound card. 

Speaker is now a tiny Sonalert built on motherboards.  Soundcard is a completely different peripheral and also not part of the solution.

  Lights can glow.  Disks can spin.  And the power supply system is still defective.  Since anything or everyting can act defective with a defective power system, then the first thing to establish is power system integrity.  Only tool that can see that is a 3.5 digit multimeter - a tool routinely sold in stores that also sell hammers for about the same price.

  I assume you are also saying nothing is every displayed on video.  IOW the video light that is orange when in power down never goes green?  That further suggest the power 'system' does not even let the BIOS execute.  To know with certainty means 30 seconds with that meter.

[svscofield2]

the only light that stays on is the power light.  only time the hdd light pops on is when I hit the reset button.  power light on monitor stays the orange of standby.

[westom]

the only light that stays on is the power light.  only time the hdd light pops on is when I hit the reset button.  power light on monitor stays the orange of standby.

Those lights report one thing.  Computer is connected to AC.  Voltages can be completely defective or normal to get that same indication.  Apparently the BIOS does not execute.  You have a the short list of supects.  Work through that list starting with what can make all other hardware act defective.

[svscofield2]

1.  replace the cmos battery
2.  have power supply tested
3.  have motherboard tested

are these the areas I need worked on?

[westom]

1.  replace the cmos battery
2.  have power supply tested
3.  have motherboard tested
are these the areas I need worked on?

Defined is how most every question is answerd with only 30 seconds labor.  Numbers are necessary to get more useful replies here.  Get the multimeter.  Measure voltages on the important wires between motherboard and supply.  To list everything those numbers will report might takes as long as all previous posts combined.  Without those numbers, anything else you might do is only speculation.

[squall_01]

you cant advise something like that when its clear that there not fimular with a pc.  Also its like saing that the psu needs to be looked at while plugged in.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Don't get a multimeter and start poking around the motherboard. Are you crazy? Especially when the person doing it has no idea what he/she is doing. You might short the MB out.
And what numbers are you looking for, Wetsom? You want the original poster to draw a diagram of the motherboard with labeled voltages?
Stop using the multimeter as your advice here.

Svscofield2. Lets go back to the root of the problem. What exactly was he doing on the computer when this 'beep' happened?
When you attempt to turn the PC on, what happens?

[svscofield2]

He was playing a game, a hidden object called Amazing Adventures (a point and click game).
He said it beeped several times then he disconnected the mouse (round connector since his usb ports are not connected).  I connected another mouse and rebooted the computer after I noticed that it was frozen.  That was when I noticed that the hdd light didn't work, the power light did, and the monitor was black with the power light orange for stand-by.  The hdd light only came on when I pushed the reset button.  The hdd is noisy and seems to surge as it attempts to access the drive.  Apparently it is a via motherboard since there are several chips with via on them.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Do what Kurtiskain suggested. Remove all but one RAM stick, CD Drives, Mouse, Keyboard and try to boot the computer up.
(If you have more than one RAM stick, switch them around and try different slots on the motherboard)

[westom]

Don't get a multimeter and start poking around the motherboard. Are you crazy? Especially when the person doing it has no idea what he/she is doing. You might short the MB out.

 You demonstrate no electrical knowledge.  One technique to find defective semiconductors is short them out. Create a temporary circuit change.   A shorted output  causes no digital electronics damage.  And is a routine technique in electronics diagnosis.  But you would fear shorting?  Without basic electrical knowledge, you can only fear.  With basic electrical knowledge, you would have known a multimeter used inside a live machine is perfectly safe – what any minimally trained tech routinely does.

  With electrical knowledge, you know exactly where the meter is probing - in the nylon connector where supply connects to motherboard.  How does anyone short that?  They don't.  But with basic electrical knowledge, you also know supply outputs can be shorted together and no damage occurs even to the supply.   Shorting outputs together without damage is a required test that every power supply must pass.  With simplest electrical knowledge, you would have known that.  Using a 3.5 digit multimeter in a live machine has been standard procedure even 40 years ago.  Meter probe can touch anything and not cause damage – even to the meter.

   Too many self proclaimed computer *experts* have zero electrical knowledge.  Routinely recommend replacing parts on wild speculation because shotgunning only what they understand.

 30 seconds of labor and the meter. The next post can immediately identify parts are suspect or defective.  An answer that is definitive.  No more 'try this and try that' nonsenese that the electrically naïve do.  Shame on you for not learning basic electrical techniques and then replying to an electrical question.

No tool identifies and solves the OP's problem faster than a multimeter.  Only those without knowledge would post fear.

  Push the probe into that nylon connector to read voltages from each colored wire both before and when the power switch is pressed.  Start with numbers from the purple, green, and gray wires.    Then see what voltages do on any one of the orange, red, and yellow wires as power switch is pressed.  Those numbers in 30 seconds can result in reams of knowledge about your system.  And identify the problem.

  Only alternative is to keep replacing parts on wild speculation until something works – shotgunning.