Mitch92uK
aka [DBS]Mitch92uK
+192|6504|United Kingdom
hi everyone

I have a friend who's pc just won't post. It'll boot for approx. 8 seconds off the hard drive or approx 17 seconds off the dvd drive with an xp disc in there.

It's a Packard Bell OEM Machine. Motherboard is a GA-8SIML-NF and the screen in question is an FT500 (in case it's a screen issue). It's running off integrated graphics also. CPU = a 2.8Ghz celeron and temps were around 40' so it's not overheating. It's also worth noting nothing was changed/fiddled with before this issue, it just happened!

I checked all connections and there are no issues, HD is spinning up, CPU fan is spinning up and I can sit and browse about the BIOS for any length of time. It is when I leave the BIOS a few seconds after regardless of boot device the screen just sits powered on but blank.

It's also worth noticing that the machine will shows the "any key to book from CD" message and I can hit any key and it will begin to check hardware status (or whatever the 2nd step of the os installation is) before the screen just goes blank again, with no apparent change from the machine with regards to HD spinning etc.

Should I try to boot the machine using an old X300 of mine? To see if it will remedy the problem?

Any ideas please?

thanks!

Last edited by Mitch92uK (2008-07-22 12:56:20)

.Sup
be nice
+2,646|6722|The Twilight Zone
Does the integrated card have a second vga/dvi input? If so try to connect the monitor to that one, it might be broken. If it doesn't have a second one then connect the x300, thats what I would do. But the very first thing I would do is reset cmos. Its really easy to do and it excludes a lot of possibilities.
https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png
steelie34
pub hero!
+603|6650|the land of bourbon
u think video?  i think maybe mobo issue.  if he can see the bios and boot from a CD, it could be there is an issue with the mobo.  this will be tough to troubleshoot without video/audio feedback.
https://bf3s.com/sigs/36e1d9e36ae924048a933db90fb05bb247fe315e.png
Catbox
forgiveness
+505|6985
sounds like moboard could be poo poo... had something similar happen to me a couple months back... moboard light on... fans spun... no post...
new moboard... fixed
Love is the answer
Mitch92uK
aka [DBS]Mitch92uK
+192|6504|United Kingdom

.Sup wrote:

Does the integrated card have a second vga/dvi input? If so try to connect the monitor to that one, it might be broken. If it doesn't have a second one then connect the x300, thats what I would do. But the very first thing I would do is reset cmos. Its really easy to do and it excludes a lot of possibilities.
Done it sup, sorry  I didn't mention it. Reset to default settings through both BIOS and then reset CMOS battery.
max
Vela Incident
+1,652|6836|NYC / Hamburg

This is a bit of a long shot. Maybe there is something wrong with the HDD. Ty booting off a live Linux CD like knoppix. Also doing a memtest can't hurt.
once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot  xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.
Mitch92uK
aka [DBS]Mitch92uK
+192|6504|United Kingdom
So a few things to try so far;

- Add the X300 to the system
- Memtest
-101-InvaderZim
Member
+42|7112|Waikato, Aotearoa
And reset CMOS/BIOS.
If all of the above fails, then the motherboard has died. Time to get a new 1

Last edited by -101-InvaderZim (2008-07-23 03:35:17)

Mitch92uK
aka [DBS]Mitch92uK
+192|6504|United Kingdom

-101-InvaderZim wrote:

And reset CMOS/BIOS
Done it mate
.Sup
be nice
+2,646|6722|The Twilight Zone
Try going into safe mode.
https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png
jamiet757
Member
+138|6891
You need to get your terms straight. If the computer boots off the HD or a CD, it is posting. POST is the pre-checks that the motherboard does before booting. This happens before the computer boots into windows or anything, when the BIOS information is displayed on the screen.

That sounds to me like the video drivers are screwed up, or the card is. It will work through the POST screen right? But when you try to boot into windows, it displays the loading screen for a few seconds, then the screen turns off?

Try with a different video card, or reformat.

Last edited by jamiet757 (2008-07-23 07:46:43)

Mitch92uK
aka [DBS]Mitch92uK
+192|6504|United Kingdom

jamiet757 wrote:

You need to get your terms straight. If the computer boots off the HD or a CD, it is posting. POST is the pre-checks that the motherboard does before booting. This happens before the computer boots into windows or anything, when the BIOS information is displayed on the screen.
I thought POST was when the mobo beeped tbh
jamiet757
Member
+138|6891

Mitch92uK wrote:

jamiet757 wrote:

You need to get your terms straight. If the computer boots off the HD or a CD, it is posting. POST is the pre-checks that the motherboard does before booting. This happens before the computer boots into windows or anything, when the BIOS information is displayed on the screen.
I thought POST was when the mobo beeped tbh
POST is when the mobo goes through the checks in the beginning, shows things like RAM amount, CPU speed, stuff like that on the screen.

If a board is not POSTING, it is not doing that, the screen stays blank, nothing happens.

If a machine is not booting, it is not starting windows.


But the problem here is that the vid card is shutting down during bootup for some reason.
steelie34
pub hero!
+603|6650|the land of bourbon
POST

i still think it's mobo issue tbh.
https://bf3s.com/sigs/36e1d9e36ae924048a933db90fb05bb247fe315e.png
jamiet757
Member
+138|6891

steelie34 wrote:

POST

i still think it's mobo issue tbh.
Which is exactly what I said.


Read his post though, he is saying that it doesn't "post" but in actuallity he means it doesnt boot.

He has his terms mixed up. It posts just fine, but halfway through windows bootup, the vid card shuts off and the screen goes blank.
steelie34
pub hero!
+603|6650|the land of bourbon

jamiet757 wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

POST

i still think it's mobo issue tbh.
Which is exactly what I said.


Read his post though, he is saying that it doesn't "post" but in actuallity he means it doesnt boot.

He has his terms mixed up. It posts just fine, but halfway through windows bootup, the vid card shuts off and the screen goes blank.
right, i wasnt disagreeing with you... just providing some info.  maybe vid drivers?
https://bf3s.com/sigs/36e1d9e36ae924048a933db90fb05bb247fe315e.png
jamiet757
Member
+138|6891

steelie34 wrote:

jamiet757 wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

POST

i still think it's mobo issue tbh.
Which is exactly what I said.


Read his post though, he is saying that it doesn't "post" but in actuallity he means it doesnt boot.

He has his terms mixed up. It posts just fine, but halfway through windows bootup, the vid card shuts off and the screen goes blank.
right, i wasnt disagreeing with you... just providing some info.  maybe vid drivers?
Great, yeah I think it is the drivers too, I had that happen to me once. I can't remember how I fixed it tho, sorry I am not much help.
.Sup
be nice
+2,646|6722|The Twilight Zone
I think its the drivers too thats why I asked if he can go into safe mode.
https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png
Mitch92uK
aka [DBS]Mitch92uK
+192|6504|United Kingdom
I will try safe mode sometime guys .. what's likely to be the key for booting into safe mode?
bugz
Fission Mailed
+3,311|6580

F8 or F10 I think

Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe Mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.
Source

Last edited by ebug9 (2008-07-25 13:05:46)

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