It's Driving me out of my mind!

[Hainley]

About two weeks ago, I came into my office and saw my monitor with this message:

DPMS
Going to sleep

No matter what I did...reboot, etc...it always came to that....here's what I've tried:

New Video Card
New Motherboard
New Hard Drive
New Floppy Drive
New CD ROM Drive
New CPU
New Memory

Now...I am not having that problem...however after about 15 minutes, the PC locks up on me. I can reboot, and go about 15 minutes....and get the same result....frozen.

Could this at all be related to the power supply? Even if it's only about a year old?

 

[ski]

The PS may be faulty, or possibly it does not have sufficient capacity.

Also, if the system has a network card, make sure that it's not sharing an IRQ with another device in Device Manager.
And check for conflicts or problems with other devices.

 

[Hainley]

The capacity is more than enough at 500 watts.

I'll double check on the IRQ's, etc....and see if that is causing it...but why after 8 months of no problems, would that have 'popped up'?

Now, when I reboot, it just gets to the Windows 2000 Splash Screen and freezes up.

Someone, quick, give me a beer!

 

[ski]

You're right, 500 watts is more than sufficient capacity.
But it's also possible that the PS is bad.

Remember, you installed a new HD and did a fresh install of Windows.
That makes it possible for IRQ conflicts and other problems to occur in Device Manager, in spite of no such problems happening in the past with the old HD.
However, Win 2000 is much better than Win 98 at keeping things in DM under control.

Finally, due to the deteriorating situation of your system, I would check to make sure that all fans are running(especially the CPU fan), and that thermal paste was properly applied between the CPU's die and its heatsink.

 

[franklin97355]

Have you tried a different monitor?

 

[Hainley]

Tried different monitors, yes. I am suspecting the PS is the issue.

The thermal paste and fans on the new CPU are just fine..so that's not it. I don't think so, anwyay.

 

[franklin97355]

Well, you've replaced everything else. Power supply is just about the last thing to try.

 

[Hainley]

Okay...new power supply is in....now it won't even POST for me.

 

[franklin97355]

Go out and buy a new computer, there's nothing left to change.

 

[Hainley]

Franklin97355, that would be the EASY way out!

Here's some more interesting information:

When I power up....I can't even open the CD ROM drive....BUT....if I disconnect the ribbon cable from the CD ROM drive, I can then open it up.

On the primary IDE Channel (0)...the hard drive doesn't spin up.....unless I unplug the ribbon cable.....

I still don't get a POST screen though.

Thoughts?

 

[Hainley]

Also, does anyone know what the DPMS on a Compaq Monitor is supposed to mean?

 

[franklin97355]

DPMS = Display Power Management System.. OH,I don't know!
Try booting with all IDE devices out. Just CPU memory and video. If that works add the floppy and boot into dos. If that works add the HD but don't put it in the case and isolate it from the case and any other source of ground except the cables.

 

[Hainley]

I've already done that. Took all IDE devices off...and turned on the machine. No POST screen.

Even took floppy off....same result...have tried different hard drives...with them outside of the case....all with the same result.

Totally baffled on this one.

 

[franklin97355]

Do you get any fans running? any beeps? ANYTHING?

 

[Hainley]

CPU fans (dual PIII-1GHZ), case cooling fans all fire up.....

No beeps.

 

[techkiwi]

This is probably right out of left field, but check how many physical RAM modules you have.

I know, sounds crazy, but I once struck similar problems on an old Compaq - eliminated everything else, just about to quit in disgust and then saw a note stuck inside the case which said RAM must be added in pairs. I only had one RAM module in; as soon as I threw in a second one ... bingo!

(Well you've tried everything else...)

 

[Hainley]

techkiwi,

I run with 1 GB of PC 133.....DIMMS...no need to do it in pairs...but I did try with one, and with both....no luck.

 

[ski]

Make sure that the video card is fully inserted(give it a firm push, sometimes they can be stubborn).
Also, make sure that it's not slightly raised out of its slot. Sometimes a bent metal ear on the card where the hold down screw is inserted will cause this to happen.

If that's ok, then place the MB on a piece of cardboard.
If the system fires up, then check if a metal standoff is contacting a MB circuit trace. If so, then install a paper washer between the MB and standoff.
Also, check for any loose standoffs or other metal objects under the MB.

If no luck, then no beeps, no POST, and no display usually means that either the PS, MB, or CPU is bad.
Sometimes the memory or video card can also be bad, but there are normally beeps if either of those items is defective.