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PC refuses to boot

penfold
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 2,280
Thanks: 25
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

PC refuses to boot

Could anyone offer advice.  My brother in laws PC suddenly stopped working, after he had moved it to another room. I have had a look at it, and all it does when the power button is pressed is spin up the CPU , northbridge and case fans for about a second or two then dies. It was very filthy inside, so I have cleaning it up somewhat. No monitor output at all. I forst thought the graphics card has become dislodged, but after reseating GPU and memory still the same thing. I noticed the GPU fan was not spinning, and when I removed it it was very tight and sticky. I tried to free it up, but still no luck. I have tried another graphics card, but still the same, but this GPUs fan spins up OK. I get no beeps, and the system does not even get to the POST. I am suspecting a power supply or MOBO fault, but can anyone else shed any light on it. Faulty RAM?? but I would have thought it would get to the POST. Even with the other graphics card, still get no video output, but maybe its failing even before the card gets to send an output to the monitor.
Cheers
10 REPLIES 10
penfold
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 2,280
Thanks: 25
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

nahh didnt do that  Roll_eyes
Will try and get a spare PSU, see what happened, but I think I am resigned to stripping it down completely, and rebuiling peice by piece. ( helps that I built it in the 1st place!!  ;))
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot


Quote from: penfold
so I have cleaning it up somewhat.
I hope you didn't use a vacuum cleaner on the innards...

I am a big fan of a carefully wielded non metallic crevice tool in an unpowered PC!
I have had several PC’s that exhibit this behaviour and sucking the dust out of the CPU heatsink can solve the problem, although as already said it could just as easily be a PSU problem. Hope you sort it soon.
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

Quote from: God
I am a big fan of a carefully wielded non metallic crevice tool in an unpowered PC!
That sounds very nasty  Grin
penfold
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 2,280
Thanks: 25
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

Will try that as well. Thanks God.
Would have thought you could use your divine powers to give me the answer though Grin
paulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,619
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎26-07-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

You could also try replacing the CMOS battery before you go and buy a new PSU.  A dead CMOS batery will stop the PC booting.  (A battery will cost about £3.)
Mind you, when the battery dies it doesn't usually stop the fans spinning.  The PC normally just sits there powered up but not booting! Worth changing the battery first though before splashing out on a PSU.
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

One needs to be careful for sure but I have never killed anything with my tool  Roll_eyes
In fact I have perfected using the airflow to speed the CPU fan in reverse thus helping to remove the wads of fluff that get in the heat sink gaps.  Shocked
deekay
Grafter
Posts: 209
Registered: ‎05-08-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

Penfold.
I had exactly the same problem.
Had to replace the power supply. I did some voltage checks on the old one and it had died.
Incidentally, I have heard of someone who is on their third power supply in two years - don't want to worry you!! No, their power supplies were not under-rated.
Cheers
Keith
penfold
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 2,280
Thanks: 25
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

I just used the vac to clean the fan intakes. Actually the CPU fan is resonably clean, given the rest of the system!!.  I have locaed a spare PSU, and will see how that fares, and will let you know.
penfold
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 2,280
Thanks: 25
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

Just thought I would let you know, its fixed. I reset the CMOS, and everything was OK. Not sure why, but its working OK now.
Thanks for the advice
Chris
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: PC refuses to boot

Yay!