total boot failure??

[Guest_imported]

Hi,
i have a problem. My PC is relativly old, AMD k6/2 500mhz, with a cheap motherboard with built in graphics and sound.
I have had the system running 24 hours a da y7 days a week for about 2 years and just recently there seem to be a serisous(or maybe not) problem. When i swithch it on nothing happens at all, the cpu and psu fan spin up and it sounds like the Hard disk drives get some power, but thats it, theres no bormal beep from the pc speakerand nothing displayed on the moniter.
Any help much appreciated.

 

[butchrecon]

No beeps is a good indication of a bad mainboard. You have had POST beeps in the past right? James Collins
Computer Hardware Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

 

[Guest_imported]

Yes normally it gooes beep once on boot up if i recall correctly. does it mean my mainboard is ruined? IF i am wrong about it beeping(ie it nevr did) as i am not 100% sure, what else could it be?

 

[edfair]

What happens if you use the reset. This can be a power good signal late in coming up. If it boots after the reset then suspect power. If not, then m/b. You need a logic probe to see if any address/data lines are changing state indicating that the processor is clocking.
Also try reseating memory and processor, either can create the same symptoms. And the processor may have died. Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[Guest_imported]

Hi
thanks for rapid replys!
well the reset doenst seem to do anything at all :-(
thre hard disks dont appear to spin up at all, ever. and the hard disk led seems to be on permenantly.

 

[DECNET]

Try uplugging the power cable to the hard drive and then boot the machine. Obviously it won't boot up, but if you then reconnect the power to the HDD and boot again, you may see some life. Bizarre I know, but I have seen problems like this before and this has on occasions done the trick. Please let me know how you get on.

 

[Guest_imported]

Thanks, i tried this but still unfortunatly no luck
the thre keyboard lights(num lock caps lock and scroll lock) do come on then off again when i turn the power on, if thts any help.

 

[Shad007]

I would point it at the ram...you will get the same symptom if you remove the ram completely and boot it up. try swapping the ram out...

 

[Sshaker]

Several things to do.
1). Could be bad connection: remove, clean and replace memory chips, cpu and all expansion cards.
2). Bad power to m/b: Put multimeter on psu/mb connector when under load (running) or try another psu
3). Failed peripheral or irq conflict: Remove all expansion cards and disconnect hdd, fdd, kb, mouse etc. Try boot.
4). Wrong jumper settings: Only applicable if someone recently fiddled. Check to make sure all are correct.

Now you if that failed you might have to spend money. First stop for me would try different memory.