To garbage or not, that is the question

[MGD72Monte]

I preface this with the fact that I am not a computer person. I have a spare 'old' computer, about 6 yrs old. About two years ago, it stopped properly booting up. Windows did not come up, it went into some dos mode asking to scan disk and was essentially stuck there. I tried again about a month ago, same thing, someone told me that all I needed to do was to reinstall windows so they gave me a Win XP disk CD. However, before I tried the disk, I moved (3000 miles) and when I reconnected the computer the monitor screen was blank (power button light stays amber). I disconnected the monitor from the computer and the light went green, the monitor turned on with a 'no signal' icon floating around. As soon as I reconnected the cable to the computer tower, the monitor power button light went back to yellow and the screen back to blank. It therefore seems that the problem is not the monitor but the computer. I know my options include Are there any other less destructive options that might result in this thing working?

 

Thanks

[Shadow Gray SS]

For what you can get a new unit for these days, just get a new one.

Turn the cpu in for recycle and donate the monitor.

[Marc A.]

Sounds like the computer's video card (whether it is in fact a separate card, or on the motherboard) isn't outputting video at all. If it were, the monitor would sense it and the power light would turn green (and, well, you'd get an image on the monitor).

 

If this happened after a move, it's likely that a) you have a video card plugged into your motherboard (rather than on-board video) and it got jostled around during the move and is no longer seated properly in the slot.

 

If you're not against opening the case up and looking inside, you'll be able to (quite easily) tell if the video card has slipped out of its slot, even slightly.

[Shadow Gray SS]

Would a loose video card cause windows not to boot?

[amsterdam84]

I would think if it were a standalone card that was loose, it would beep at you that something is wrong. If it is integrated it's possible that it either has failed or the drivers became corrupted. I had a similar problem happen to me when I accidentally unplugged my monitor while it was still on. Lost all video signal. Sadly I can't remember what I did to get it working though.

[Marc A.]

Would a loose video card cause windows not to boot?

Maybe? I'm a Mac guy, personally, and it's been a while since I dealt with PCs/Windows, but I imagine that the answer to your question is 'depends on the BIOS.' Some may notice that a proper video output device isn't detected and then it'll halt the Windows boot process, others may not care and boot up windows anyway. If the latter happens, you won't see anything on screen (of course), but you may hear the Windows start up sound and/or see the drive-activity lights blinking away on the front of the tower.

[MGD72Monte]

Thanks for the input guys, its appreciated

 

To clarify, the booting problem is not related to the video problem, they happened completely separately.

 

Marc, as soon as I get a chance I will open the case and have a look. I'll let you guys know if I find anything.

[amsterdam84]

While your in the case, look around at the capacitors around the board. If they look swollen, chances are your motherboard is either completely pooched or close to it. My grandmothers computer just went through this.

[wallaby]

You know it's old when a grandmother has problems with her motherboard!

[Slaman]

You know it's old when a grandmother has problems with her motherboard!

but my 72 year old mom and great grandmother texts me from her cell phone pretty regular...

[Marc A.]

My mother got an iPad a week after it came out and has barely touched her PC since.

[MGD72Monte]

OK, finally found the time to open the case, looked around the only thing potentially loose was a board with some lever type retaining side clips? on it. On one side the side clip was not fully engaged so I pushed the board in slightly and secured the clip. I turned the computer on and there is no change to the monitor problem but now the computer makes a series of 12 beeps with a pause (sounds like morse code). Any ideas or do I go back to option A.

 

Thanks

[Marc A.]

Sounds like RAM, but if securing it to the board only made the situation worse, then something's definitely up.

 

It's likely that you can look up the beep pattern and determine what it is depending on your computer brand/model and/or the motherboard brand/model.

 

For example, if it's a Dell Model ABC, then doing a Google search for "Dell ABC motherboard beeps 12 times" may provide you with some answers.

 

If, however, it's a custom-built PC, you'll have to find out the motherboard's brand/model simply by opening it up again and using an eagle-eye to (hopefully) find the brand and model number printed somewhere on the motherboard (the main board that stands vertically inside the computer which has a majority of the chips 'n what-not.)

 

Then, simply search for the same thing, in Google, but substitute the motherboard's name/model in the query.

 

Otherwise, if you care enough about the computer, you may have to bring it somewhere where folks can get their hands/eyes on it to test things.

[MGD72Monte]

Thanks, took the mother board out (I assume it is the board with a fan stuck to it) to get the name. It is Intel Pentium III. I put it back in, and now get 6 beeps which is apparently a gate A20 failure and the instructions on the Internet are:

Check for foreign objects such as screws that may ground the desktop board and make sure the screws that hold the motherboard are not too tight.

Try a different keyboard.

Try a different processor.

 

I did not find any of that stuff and I don't have spares. I guess I'll have to wait until I find someone who might.

 

Thanks again for the help I learned a few things.