PC seems dead, but I want to save it !!!

[StellaMan]

Hi all, I am trying to fix a PC for a woman I know, I had recently re-installed Windows XP for her and she was very happy, it was like a new machine.

 

Then, after 2 days of it running like a dream it, in her own words, started making a very loud noise, like a drill, and she had to turn it off at the wall to stop it. After that it wouldn't turn back on.

 

Actually it does turn on, the lights come on & the fans start, but there are no beeps. I have reset the BIOS but it made no difference.

 

I have bought a PC Analyzer, plugged it into the PCI slot and rebooted the machine, again, the front lights come on (just a power light really), the fan spins up, but nothing even lights up on the PC Analyzer Card.

 

Normally I would say the MB is shot and the PC is not worth repairing, but I feel that I should do all I can to get this working, even though it's taking up way too much of my time !!!

 

Now obviously that kind of noise would suggest a fan or Hard Drive problem, but surely if that was the case then it would at least try to boot up & I would get some feedback from the PC Analyzer Card ?!?

 

Any ideas out there ?!?

 

Thanks in advance ...

[KenB]

Hi and welcome to ExTS

 

You say no POST beeps .........

Please take a look here - click here

 

Strip the motherboard of major hardware / connections to just the main connection from the PSU.

 

Switch on.

 

Does the machine still make the loud noise?

This sounds very much like a fan hitting a wire ............ have you checked for this ?

 

At this point - ( m/board stripped down ) - you should get POST.

If not then it could be either the PSU or m/board itself.

( This does not explain the loud noises )

Check the PSU fan too - this could be the cause.

 

Let us know how you get on :)

[StellaMan]

KenB, thanks for replying, I'll take a look at that link, but before I do ... I, personally, haven't heard that noise. Since I have brought the PC home & I boot it up it's quiet as a mouse, the fan is spinning perfectly, the DVD ejects perfectly, but there is no other sign of life. The HDD sounds like it's starting up when I boot, there are a few very quiet whirrs & clicks, but no sign of life on the Analyzer Card or the Monitor (and I tried a new Video card to override the on-board card as I thought it may be that) ...

[KenB]

best thing to do is strip the m/down as per link.

 

There is a link at the bottom of the tutorial to "Testing a PSU"

This may be useful if you have a voltmeter.