does this sound like a power supply problem?

[mij]

My computer died on me today.

It's the way it went that makes me think it was the above. When it needed rebooting after removing a program it wouldn't go past the password stage - so I stitched off manually and tried again. Same thing happened. It did this twice more then it went dead. It now wont power up at all.

I did fit a new power supply but that was at least a couple of years ago - maybe longer.

It's an hp with win7 32bit.

Jim

[KenB]

Hi Jim

 

I could be virtually anything :)

Suggest you follow these instructions:

http://kenspchelp.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=172

 

I assume this is a desktop ?

 

You need to strip it down to just the 20(4) way connection and see if it is stable at that point.

 

Is there any sign of life at all - fans running / keyboard lights up ??

[mij]

Previously there was no sign of life at all, nothing what-so-ever.

 

I removed all cards but forgot the memory boards, they are tiny and tucked away under the HDD. I left the wireless card attached to it's cable as it looked as if the plug ( a very small white one) was not moveable.

I switched it on and the fans worked . The post gave out two short and one long beep. It repeated that code.

Does that mean anything at all?

jim

[KenB]

Hi Jim

 

two short and one long beep

Normally beep codes would give us some indication as to what is wrong - but this I have not seen before.

 

However ..........if you have removed hardware you are going to get a beep code because the BIOS ( self test ) cannot find it.

 

What you need to do now is to switch off and add just one item or connection at a time.

Switch on after each and note that it is stable.

(the beep code may change - this is OK )

 

You need to get to the point where it will not switch on again - this identifies the problem.

 

Treat the RAM as separate items and put them back one at a time.

[mij]

Thanks Ken. I put in the rams in one by one and got a long beep when one didn't seat correctly.

 

The grapics card and it's fan was well dusted up so vacuumed them and inserted them. This gave me the monitor back which then gave no beeps (Good?) but the message that the system disk (the hdd?) was not present.

I assume that is next? I'll go on to try it anyway because I'll need the OS to try the network and wireless cards.

jim

[mij]

I kept monitoring this site in case you had something else to check but I think you gave me enough to go on.

 

I did try all the alternatives one by one by one but none of them worked.

 

Logic told me that if it wasn't hardware (no beeps) then it had to be the OS.

 

Ah well nothing for it but a fresh install - which has worked.

So what does that mean? The operating system got corrupted? The HDD has some bad sectors or summat? I have lost two programs just like that - out of the blue. One was Tom Tom home and another. Then this.

Thanks for the method of isolating the problem. It gave me the confidence to continue.

jim

[KenB]

I can't see, from what you have said earlier, that re-installing the OS would have fixed this.

It definitely sounded like a hardware problem - "no sign life at all "

 

Logic told me that if it wasn't hardware (no beeps)

No beeps usually indicates a PSU or motherboard problem.

 

So - is all OK again ?

 

I would be inclined to keep everything backed up ..............just in case :)

[mij]

I don't really understand it either. After I put the graphics card in all beeps stopped. To you that meant the mother board? I'm glad I didn't know that - I may not have tried what I did. To my mind all hardware was ok.

 

Did I make good a poor contact in dismantling and re-assembling the computer? Did I affect the graphics card by vacuuming out all the dust clogging it's poor 'on card fan'?

Since finding this yesterday morning I have noted that I bring the stair-lift up the stairs (it's a radio-controlled gizmo) and I hold that operational in my hand until the lift reaches the top (ready for SWMBO to go down). The large majority of that time I am sitting at the computer.

 

I don't know what frequency they operate and would it be strong enough signal?

Just grabbing at straws here.

jim

PS Most files are backed up on SWMBO's computer, or mem sticks.

[KenB]

Since finding this yesterday morning I have noted that I bring the stair-lift up the stairs (it's a radio-controlled gizmo) and I hold that operational in my hand until the lift reaches the top (ready for SWMBO to go down). The large majority of that time I am sitting at the computer.

 

I don't know what frequency they operate and would it be strong enough signal?

Just grabbing at straws here.

 

Now you do have me confused :)

 

Are you still having problems ?

[mij]

Yes, I've just noticed that I have lost the part of the display in win7 which opens when you click on the win icon. Mainly those which are up the LHS of that window.

How does one do a check on a) the motherboard and b) the HDD?

jim

[KenB]

How does one do a check on a) the motherboard and b) the HDD?

Hi Jim

 

There is no specific check that you can do on the motherboard - it will either work or it won't.

A tech should have the facility to check it.

 

The HDD can be checked.

1. Start > click on "Computer"
   
2. Right-click on C:\
   
3. Select the "Tools" tab
   
4. Properties
   
5. In the Error-checking area, click "Check Now"
   

You may be asked to re-boot.

[mij]

Ok and thanks for the test/check of the HDD. I will check that ASAP and report back, (this is on a spare flap-top).

jim

[mij]

I had to reboot to complete the check-disk but all is ok there. According to speccy all is well with the mother board.

Have I inadvertantly cured a poor connection or something? I'm missing some program Icons from the LHS window that contains the computer's basic menu and I don't know how to get them back. A restore will not bring them up.

I have not complicated the fault finding with the stair lift gizmo today.

I do have a back-up of a folder (6.14GB worth) on a memory stick which has inadvertantly got deleted. Is there a freebie 'undelete' proggie out there anywhere?

I don't know what to do next.

jim

[KenB]

Hi Jim,

 

Now you have me confused :)

 

Have I inadvertantly cured a poor connection or something?

Is the system working OK - apart from what is listed below?

 

I'm missing some program Icons

If you have re-installed as you say in post #6 then installed software will need to be re-installed.

Is this the case ?

 

 

fault finding with the stair lift gizmo today.

Now you DO have me confused.

"stair lift gizmo" ...........?????

 

I do have a back-up of a folder (6.14GB worth) on a memory stick which has inadvertantly got deleted.

Is there an outside chance that this has ended up in the Recycle Bin ?

 

Can you itemise the problems you are still having and at the same time let me know if the system is running OK otherwise.

[mij]

The stair lift gizmo is a radio transmitter which needs to be held in the 'on' position for the duration of 'lift'. I do not know what frequency it uses and whether it might interfere with the operation of a computer. Many house hold items interfere with the reception of sensitive radio gear. This is a new item and its use coincides with my computer problems.

 

I have lost the icons to the basic menu when 'start' is clicked. Restore does not bring them back but loses me all updates since the restore.

 

The memory stick contained a folder which housed a complete back-up of my computer. I believe it was 21GB or so? Nothing has been stored on it since, it is not in recycle bin. I thought an undelete program might restore it.

 

I seem to have no other problems with this computer ATM.

jim

[KenB]

Thanks Jim - I understand now.

 

The stair-lift gizmo emitting a radio frequency would only interfere with the router ......say ..........if it was transmitting on the same or near frequency.

If your internet connection is OK and not dropping out when you use the stair-lift then there is no conflict.

The radio frequency from the stair-lift gizmo would not cause your computer to crash.

 

I have lost the icons to the basic menu when 'start' is clicked.

I assume that this is after you re-installed the OS ?

What is missing ?

 

21GB is too big for the Recycle Bin.

Try this free software to recover the data from your memory stick

click here

 

If you have saved other data to the stick your chances of recovery become less.

[mij]

Thanks Jim - I understand now.

I assume that this is after you re-installed the OS ?

What is missing ?

 

21GB is too big for the Recycle Bin.

If you have saved other data to the stick your chances of recovery become less.

 

Nope, I have left well alone and kept the stick separate.....I am quite annoyed with my self for being so stupid.

 

It will take some time to scan the file - 2 hours or so it says.....

jim

[KenB]

It will take some time to scan the file

Worth it if you get your data back :)

[mij]

It has completed the scan and found things I don't even recognise as being mine. I only bought this stick in May. Thought I knew every file on it......in fact I do. An image file and a folder called jims-pc backup. The folder had 21GB in it as it was a complete back up of my fresh system. My old stick had proved inadequate at 16GB.

Anyway it is insufficiently user friendly for me to use correctly/fully. Much like the rest I've downloaded.

jim

[mij]

Trying to look at the C drive (I have no other partitions) I can see Windows.old.000 (I assume my old vista OS), Windows.old (the corrupted one) and the present Windows which is my currently corrupted one. Why is it that I cannot see my old vista documents and spreadsheet files? They must be in there somewhere?

jim

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Jim, some of the older Vista documents and spreadsheet stuff, may have been overwritten by newer stuff, hence why the recovery software can't find them.

Those Windows old files, are they stuff found by the recovery software? If not, dump them in the recycle bin, if after a few days there is no noticeable problem because they are missing, (which I doubt there will be a problem) empty the bin and get some hard drive space back.

 

Now to the radio signal from the stair lift gizmo, as Kenb said, I doubt that is a cause of your problems unless there are some unscreened cables, such as the mouse or keyboard cables, very close to the gizmo.

Having said that, I know of some radio amateur friends who use some quite powerful and high frequency radio transmitters/transceivers alongside their computers with no problems at all.

My radio gear is upstairs and computer downstairs, so nothing to compare with.

 

Nev.

[mij]

I've answered this once but it got lost - musta pressed the wrong buttons - again....

The files were not found by the undelete programs. When I did the reinstall after dismantling and re-assembling the computer the software told me it was saving the previous OS and renaming it .old. I packed my radio gear away in the loft. The computer interfered with it.

 

The transmitter for the stairlift was operated in one hand whilst I 'moused' with the other so you can see they were in close proximity to each other. But I feel sure the cables are shielded.

 

If the files are lost then I can feel a full format and fresh install coming on. But I'll await replies - it may save some effort.

jim

[KenB]

Hi Jim,

 

Windows.old.000 sounds like you have re-installed a second version of your OS which has renamed the original version Widows.old

When you click on Computer ...........what drive letters do you see?

 

How big is the partition with Windows.old.000 on ? ...............Is this on a separate partition to the newly installed oS. ?

 

Why is it that I cannot see my old vista documents and spreadsheet files?

If you re-installed the OS this normally over-writes the partition where the files are stored.

 

What did you do exactly when you re-installed the OS ?

[mij]

Hmmm, it seems what you say is what happened.

Windows.old must be the old Vista as it is dated 9/5/2012.

Windows.old.000 must be the the first version of Windows7 as it is dated 13/07/2012 which is yesterday....... but I re-installed that the day before. Well perhaps it was gone 12.00 midnight, time means little to me.

There are no partitions other than C: on this disk.

I think a full format and installation is called for.

jim

PS It doesn't give the size of the folders in which each of these versions of windows resides .

Edited July 14, 2012 by mij

[KenB]

I think a full format and installation is called for.

Hi Jim

I tend to agree with you.

If you have anything on the drive that you need I would back it up before attempting the re-install.

When you re-install you should get informed that there is already a version of Windows on the disk and be asked if you wish to delete it.

You need to completely format the drive before you start the installation process.