Computer doesn't start...

GreyFox · 2004-03-04, 02:16 PM

The computer won't start, I get nothing but a fan spinning...

The Power diode lights up and then goes black, and I see nothing on the monitor.

I've tried resetting the CMOS, starting it without the processor in it, and then putting the processor back... I've tried reconnecting every cord in it.

The computer crashed, and then I went into the bios to reset to optimal settings. And then I saved and restarted... and the monitor went black and nothing...

HELP!

easypickings · 2004-03-04, 02:34 PM

a simalar thing happend to me when i brought new memory a while back, turned out one of the sticks was faulty, may be try removing one at a time ??

GreyFox · 2004-03-04, 03:27 PM

doesn't work...

I don't even get any beeps when I remove both memory sticks... :/

dscytherulez · 2004-03-04, 03:41 PM

Make sure your power supply wires inside the case are firmly in, and also your hard drive wires. Loose wires = bad.

Phaelon · 2004-03-04, 04:23 PM

Unplug ALL IDE devices - Hard drives and cdroms
Take out all Cards - PCI and otherwords, leave your video card in
Start the computer, if it does not boot still, you need to start testing components in your machine in other machines to see who is failing.

Since you said you changed bios to Optimal and then saved, and restarted, something is Bios is getting very angry, so either look in your Motherboard manual or look online for any bios settings to reset Bios.

GreyFox · 2004-03-11, 05:37 PM

No other suggestions?

Still hasn't gotten it to start :/

Phaelon · 2004-03-11, 08:50 PM

Did you do what I said? Take out all PCI cards except your graphics card, unplugged all IDE devices and then tried to boot it? Does it make ANY beeps at all? DID you check the CPU, Memory, video card, and power supply to verify they are all seated properly?

If you did all this and it still doesn't start, you then need to start testing components in another computer, like I said before to verify what part has died.

Vick · 2004-03-11, 08:53 PM

Take your video card out and put it back in, I have had similar things happen and that fixed it quickly.

Dunno why though.

GreyFox · 2004-03-12, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by Phaelon

Did you do what I said? Take out all PCI cards except your graphics card, unplugged all IDE devices and then tried to boot it? Does it make ANY beeps at all? DID you check the CPU, Memory, video card, and power supply to verify they are all seated properly?

If you did all this and it still doesn't start, you then need to start testing components in another computer, like I said before to verify what part has died.

I don't have ANY PCI cards, and I've unplugged all IDE devices and the Video Card and everything like 100 times... I have to do that to reach everything... its a Barebone Shuttle Chassi. You know, those small boxes with only 1 AGP, 1 PCI, room for 1 CD ROM/DVD Player, 1 Hard drive (theoretically 2), and 1 floppy drive.

And it got a heatpipe setup connected to the main fan, instead of a processor fan.

And I've tried getting my friends to let me try the parts in their computers, but they havn't been cooperative about this for different reasons

Phaelon · 2004-03-12, 08:54 AM

indeed, Well all is not lost yet, but this is starting to sound bad.

When the computer starts does it give any beeps at all?
Plug in the hard drive, turn the machine on, does the hard drive Spin up? If the hard drive spins up then it is a 80% chance your video card is having problems, the hard drive spinning up would indicate your motherboard is posting, and accessing assembly commands to the different buses on the motherboard.

If the hard drive does not spin up, then it could be Memory, motherboard or CPU. Taking the cpu off and turning it on like that worries me a bit. You should never take the cpu out and test a board without it, nothing will happen.

Try taking the memory out completely, and starting the computer with the Motherboard, CPU and graphics only, but no memory. If it doesn't beep or get angry in some other way, then it is 60% your Motherboard is having the inherrant problem.

Here is an example, of what happened to me a while back, tell me how it relates to your situation.
I had a Pentium III 500, 256 megs of ram, 2 20 gig hard drives. I installed WIndows 2003 server on the machine, to be a SQL server. When 2003 was done installing I rebooted and the comp went dead. I unplugged everything but the cpu,memory,and graphics card. I would press power, the Power supply fan would run, and the LED would come on, but nothing would happen. It would sit there. The deam of the problem for me was the Motherboard. I still have not been able to determine whether windows 2003 was what broke the camels back, but the Motherboard was fired. Is that you are seeing with your comp?

GreyFox · 2004-03-12, 10:50 AM

I can't test much with the Computer now at the moment, since I'm in school.

But I don't hear any beeps at all when I remove the RAM, or the harddrive (I think).
Havn't listened to the harddrive when it's connected though.

Gonna try another Graphicscard tonight if one of my friends are "friendly" enough to let me borrow his :/

But I think it's either a broken motherboard, or a burned processor... Almost hoping for it to be the motherboard, because I should be able to send that back to the store for a new one... but I don't know about the processor now, been a while since I got it.

Phaelon · 2004-03-12, 11:51 AM

do NOT try another graphics card in the motherboard, not a friends. If you hear no beeps then i would say 80% chance it is the MB.
You wanna try a graphics card, buy one of these. 4.99 for a 8 MB AGP card. Gaurnteed to work.
http://w2.pcsurplusonline.com/viewprod.cfm?ID=649

TheRagingGerbil · 2004-03-12, 01:30 PM

Cold be the power supply guys. Those shuttles use small PSU's and as a result are horrible underpowered.

You didn't attempt to OC anything did you?

GreyFox · 2004-03-12, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by TheRagingGerbil

You didn't attempt to OC anything did you?

No.

And I think I've found the cause:

Originally Posted by vck6v3 on amdmb.com

Or you have the SN45G Vcrap and that your mobo is long gone. In front of yoru AGP slot on the PCB it should say which revision your SN45G is. If it is a V2, then those are notorious to have sudden deaths. (many people on sfftech forums say that it is because of a VDIMM issue). If you fall under this category only an RMA will help you here.

^^ and I do...

HawkEye · 2004-03-13, 04:25 AM

man that sux.