Comp won't load at all!!

[Big_Burd]

Hey there, I really would appreciate it if someone could just spare me five minutes of their time?  :)

..Well...as the subject line suggests...my computer just will not load! I haven't the foggiest what could be wrong with it? ...I've opened it up and everything still seems connected etc...and I....I don't know what to do? It was fine when I was on it a few weeks ago...I was downloading music off a P2P program (ARES) and I've never had any problems with it before, I then disconnected from ARES and then disconnected fromt he internet, leaving myself still logged on, I went and had a bath and a few hours later my little brother was knocking on the door saying their was a problem with the computer, his words were "The computer won't turn on" and I immediately replied "what do you mean it WON'T turn on!!? It was already on!!!" ..I went downstairs and inspected the computer....sure enough he was right...the screen was blank....and the side light was flashing (indicating that it was on standby) and I pressed the power button on the tower....and there was a clicking noise coming from my speakers which only lasted 5seconds and then...I don't know...you can hear the fan going...the original loading noise I guess, but then.....nothing?? ..The orange light is constantly flashing...the fan is going....the moniter side light is flashing....but nothing else??

I understand I shoudl take it down to the computer shop...but I don't want to pay 40 odd pound just for it to be wiped!!

I miss my computer so much!!! Someone please help!!!  :'(

[HCS]

What Operating System did you have running? Windows XP? How old is your computer, do you know?

- Look on the back of your computer,
-- Can you see any little circular lights? There should be 3 or 4 of them. Each light has a number on it.
--- If you have these lights, please post back as to what color they are...

--- If you dont have these lights dont panic, some motherboards don't come with them.

Don't bring it to the shop just yet... I'll try helping you through this  

-Hale's Computer Service

[KateYoung]

Hi
Sounds possibly that the motherboard may have died.  I've had this before..... lights on but nobody home.  The motherboard is the big electronic board which the processor sits on and your hard disk plugs into.  Mine was killed by a power spike so these days I don't run a computer without a surge protector.  In my case I changed the motherboard and connected everything backup and it worked a treat... no data loss whatsoever.  

Are you getting any beeps at switch on ?  Any display on the monitor ?

If the motherboard is faulty/dead then your local computer repair services should be able to replace it.  Can't guarantee data loss though because you don't know what might have killed the motherboard in the first place.

if your hard disk failed then you should see an error message on the screen which I assume you didn't get.

Hope this helps


Kate