Boot us issuses - stuff on Pentium Logo

[Immo]

Hi guys,

 

You have helped me before when I had horrific boot issuses involving my HD, but now I have this issuse that my PC this morning just wont boot. I power on, it flashes up the graphics card info, then flashes the pentium logo and does nothing, just sits there.

 

Doesnt even seem to get far enough to start booting windows so cant even hit an F key or anything.

 

I think I asked this before but after fiddling with a few wires to check connections it just booted (no such luck this morning). I turned it off the other day (I rarely turn it off) and apart from a loud noise emitting from a fan somewhere (which evenutally went away) it booted ok.

 

Please help! Any suggestions of what to do/what it could be will help! Big day today work wise and no computer :-(

 

D

[Guest Wolfeymole]

It sounds like the PSU is dying Immo and only partially powering the board.

[Dalo Harkin]

A loud noise - could be the CPU fan dying - have you checked that the fans are all spinning on startup?

[Immo]

I always thought it might be a power issue.

 

Would the fan issuse stop it power up? From what I can see the fans all all running.

 

D

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Just because the psu fan may be spinning doesn't mean that it is supplying the correct voltage outputs Immo.

[Immo]

I think your right Wolfeymole, the more I think about the issuses I have had with it the more I think that it all points towards power.

 

A question then:

 

Obviously there is no problem with the harddisk. The office needs a new computer so I may go and get another one anyway, how hard is it to slave the drive on another computer?

 

D

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Is the HDD an IDE drive or sata?

[Immo]

I always presumed that it was an IDE but looking at it again its a Sata.

 

D

[Guest Wolfeymole]

You should be able to just plug it in to extra sata socket, just make sure it's not the boot drive in the bios Immo.

[Immo]

Brilliant, do I need to set jumpers or anything to slave (i've not seen the new drive)?

 

D

[Immo]

Also, how will it work with applications? For example on my current HD I have some programs that I wont have on my new PC, will they run the same? Will windows have shortcuts or do I need to add them to the start menu?

 

D

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Sata drives do not have jumpers Immo but to be perfectly honest I need to investigate sata drive boot scenarios further.

[Immo]

Cool, well thanks for all the help so far Wolfe!

 

Will be getting a new PC and attempting to slave the drive, if not will just have to get a PSU and take it somewhere to get it fitted! We need another PC either way!

 

D

[Guest Wolfeymole]

As I say make sure the boot is from the main drive only and you can then pull your old stuff off and copy it it to the new machine drive.

[RandyL]

Also, how will it work with applications? For example on my current HD I have some programs that I wont have on my new PC, will they run the same? Will windows have shortcuts or do I need to add them to the start menu?

 

D

 

Don't confuse copying data and retrieving files with running programs. You will need to reinstall the programs on the new computer.

[Immo]

Great, cheers for the info guys.

 

New computer inc and will slave the drive.

 

D

[Dalo Harkin]

SATA drives are all master, you cannot set them to slave.

 

If the fans are not spinning the BIOS will shut the Computer down.

There are settings in the BIOS so that it can shut down the Computer when the fans drop below a certain speed, to prevent damage to components

[Goku]

Sorry to jump in but I think it might have been a corrupt MBR. As you already have the problem resolved, I suggest you read this just to gain knowledge from the article in case the problem arises again.

 

Computer stops responding with a black screen when you start Windows XP

 

Good Luck with your new drive. :)

 

-- Goku

[Immo]

Just an update guys. Its defo the PSU. I used the old "if I dont work bash it" method to find out.

 

I opened the chase, tapped hard several times on the side of the PSU and it booted straight away........ how hi tech of me!

 

D