Help Needed With Computer That Will Not Boot - Screen Blank

[BILLGATES]

Hello,

 

This is my first time on this forum, so hello to you all.

 

I also hope that I am starting this thread in the right place.

 

I am looking for some advice on how to fix my friend's computer.

 

Although I have upgraded fully working PCs in the past, this is the first time that I have attempted to fix a broken one.

 

I have agreed to try and help him, as he cannot afford to purchase a new one.

 

The PC in question is a HP Pavilion a1619.UK, running Windows Media Center 2005, bought around four and a half years ago.

 

First of all, his system started crashing after getting imminent hard drive failure messages.

 

He therefore purchased a new, identical hard drive, and unfortunately did not realize that he would have to transfer the OS etc on to the newly purchased one.

 

He therefore simply replaced the old drive inside the casing with the new blank one.

 

Then, whenever he attempted to start up the computer, the CPU, PSU video card and case fans would start spinning, but the computer would not boot up and the screen would remain completely blank .

 

The monitor would go into standby mode, and the keyboard numlock lights etc would be not be lit.

 

I have seen the above happen since i have had the PC in my possession, but have also now noticed that whenever you attempt to switch the computer on via the "ignition switch" on the front, which is plugged into the "panel1" slot on the motherboard, the fans etc will start for a second, but then stop.

 

You can then sit there for half an hour pressing the on button with no luck, and then all of a sudden, the fans will all start up as described above, but still nothing at all appears on the screen.

 

I have done the following in an attempt to remedy the situation.

 

1) Reinstall old hard drive.

2) Start with hard drive power and data cables disconnected

3) Remove motherboard battery, wait 30 secs, and then reinstall it.

4) Remove and then reinstall RAM.

5) Remove video card.

 

6) After reading a similar thread on your forum, disconnected absolutely everything on the motherboard except the big white plug from the PSU that powers the motherboard, and the "ignition switch" plugged into the panel1 slot.

 

Unfortunately, no change whatsoever - PSU fan spinning for a second, then nothing.

 

I am afraid that I have run out of ideas here, and wondered whether any of you gurus out there could help me in the right direction.

 

My apologies for the length of this message, and therefore thank you for taking the time to read it!

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Jelly Bean]

Hello Dave and welcome.

 

 

Have you tried a diffrent power supply?

[BILLGATES]

Hello Jelly Bean,

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer me.

 

As I currently do not have any spare parts for this machine, I have been unable to try a different PSU in it as yet.

 

To be honest, I have been quoted nearly £100 for a new power supply for this PC, which to me seems a bit steep.

 

http://www.chilternitparts.com/productDetail?PartNumber=5188-2627-HPD

 

I have seen people on Ebay selling used alternatives which claim to be compatible, but I am not sure if they are or not.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/B5748-Lite-On-PS-5301-08HF-300W-Power-Supply-5188-2627_W0QQitemZ360298944519QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=219351518146&rvr_id=219351518146&cguid=d35117db12e0a0aa12c3b7a3ffb52095

 

Or is there any other way that I can check to see whether this PSU is a dead duck or not, without purchasing a new PSU?

 

Many thanks once again for your help.

 

Kind Regards

 

Dave

[Jelly Bean]

That first PSU is way over priced......I bought a OZC 500 WATTS for less than that....

 

The second is eBay and says it may have cosmetic issues,not a good sign plus I have not heard of that brand looks cheap.

 

Are you sure the CPU is seated correctly and the cooler fan is spinning?

 

Here is some help to troubleshoot PSU problems.

 

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bph06788&lang=en&cc=us&taskId=101&contentType=SupportFAQ&prodSeriesId=3239114&prodTypeId=12454

[BILLGATES]

Thanks very much for that link.

 

We have gone through it to the end, and, according to HP, it seems we do need a new power unit.

 

Now all we have to do is find a compatible one.

 

Can you or anyone else suggest a reputable spare parts company to purchase such an item?

 

Thank you for your continued assistance.

 

Dave

[BILLGATES]

Hello,

 

Please ignore the above post, as we have just found out that the owner had been fiddling about inside the case before he sent it to us, and had disconnected the ATX12V plug from the motherboard and forgot to plug it back in. :)

 

We have only just found it tucked behind the PSU.

 

Therefore the system status is as follows.....

 

We can now switch the PC on and off at will. All of the fans are working, the green light on the PSU is constantly lit.

 

The mouse light is on.

 

But we still cannot get anything to display on the monitor. Once the monitor is switched on, it goes straight into power saving mode, suggesting that no power/signal is going to it from the motherboard?

 

Please note that I am plugging the monitor directly into the motherboard VGA port, and not the dedicated graphics card that came with the PC, which we have removed for now.

 

The keyboard lights come on for a split second at system start up, but then go out.

 

If anyone has any advice, then it would be much appreciated.

 

Dave

[Jelly Bean]

I would plug in the GPU and try the monitor from there....

 

As you reset the BIOS a few times enter BIOS and check what is set....Such as wich GPU is enabled....

[BILLGATES]

Hi again,

 

Sorry, I should have been more clear - the monitor screen is blank when I plug it into the GPU as well.

 

That is why I tried the motherboard VGA port.

 

Therefore I have not been able to get into the BIOS at all.

 

I have spoken to the owner this evening, and he has informed me that the GPU was the first thing to stop working (screen blank), followed by the hard drive.....

 

Also, apparently after system start up, the fans used to start fast, and then slow down (like they do on my PC), but now they just stay fast all of the time.

 

Also, the motherboard has no speaker, and no connector to add one as far as I can see, so I cannot even deduce what is going on from the beeps.

 

I do not know whether that information is of any use.

 

I am sorry the info I am giving is a bit vague, but then again, so is my friend :)

 

Thanks again

[Jelly Bean]

Is the computer beeping?

 

http://www.studynotes.net/Bios-Beep-Codes

[BILLGATES]

Hi there,

 

No, it has not beeped once since I have had it in my possession.

 

The owner claims that it has never beeped, even when it was working!

[Jelly Bean]

These two links may help:

 

http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual&lang=en&cc=us&docIndexId=64180&taskId=125&prodTypeId=12454&prodSeriesId=3239114

 

http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual&lang=en&cc=us&docIndexId=64180&taskId=125&prodTypeId=12454&prodSeriesId=3239114#4

[Plastic Nev]

If there is no speaker connected to the motherboard, and some boards were made like that, then you won't hear any beeps. A bit unfortunate really as a BIOS beep would be helpful.

However, although fans run and some lights flash, it doesn't necessarily mean the PSU is fully OK, nor even that the motherboard is either for that matter.

I assume also that as yet the new hard drive still has no operating system installed, and from what you have said so far I would think the old drive is now duff too.

I am afraid it is back to fully checking the PSU first. Being HP a normal off the shelf PSU may need some pin swapping for it to work. HP, like DELL, fit a none standard PSU with different pin connections, hence why the problem obtaining a replacement.

There may be adapter plugs available so a standard PSU could be used, but where you get one is again a bit difficult unless someone knows of a retailer selling such an item. I have looked in the past and not got very far, though there may be some now.

Nev.

[BILLGATES]

Hi again,

 

Thanks for the links ,but I have already got all of those PDFs.

 

We tried to contact HP Technical Support about this today - they tried to charge us £16 just to put us through on the phone!

 

It looks like our best bet is to try and pick up some used parts for this machine off of EBay, and hope for the best.

 

It seems that new original parts for it are five times more expensive than newer, more readily available ones.

 

Today, I was quoted £137 excluding VAT for a new duplicate motherboard, and £73 Ex VAT for the PSU in this machine!

 

Not going to happen :)

 

Anyway, we still have not ascertained the problem with this machine, so it seems stupid to throw money away on things we may not even need to replace.

 

Therefore, may I ask your opinion on these.....

 

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PCI-bit-diagnostic-post-card/dp/B0038KHKHU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300829276&sr=8-1

 

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PC-Power-supply-tester-LED/dp/B0038MN90A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1300829368&sr=8-3

 

Thank you once again for all of your assistance.

[BILLGATES]

Hi Nev,

 

Thanks for replying.

 

If there is no speaker connected to the motherboard, and some boards were made like that, then you won't hear any beeps. A bit unfortunate really as a BIOS beep would be helpful.

 

Absolutely!

 

However, although fans run and some lights flash, it doesn't necessarily mean the PSU is fully OK, nor even that the motherboard is either for that matter.

 

Thanks for the tip.

 

I assume also that as yet the new hard drive still has no operating system installed, and from what you have said so far I would think the old drive is now duff too.

 

Yes, currently the new hard drive is blank, and I have not even bothered checking the state of the old one as yet, as I cannot even get the PC to boot at all.

 

Currently, all that is connected to the motherboard is the CPU, CPU fan,1 stick of RAM, the start switch, a fully working VGA monitor, as well as a PS/2 mouse and keyboard.

 

I am afraid it is back to fully checking the PSU first.

 

I just asked Jelly Bean - What would your your thoughts be on trying these.......

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PC-Power-supply-tester-LED/dp/B0038MN90A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1300829368&sr=8-3

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PCI-bit-diagnostic-post-card/dp/B0038KHKHU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300829276&sr=8-1

 

Being HP a normal off the shelf PSU may need some pin swapping for it to work. HP, like DELL, fit a none standard PSU with different pin connections, hence why the problem obtaining a replacement.

There may be adapter plugs available so a standard PSU could be used, but where you get one is again a bit difficult unless someone knows of a retailer selling such an item. I have looked in the past and not got very far, though there may be some now.

 

Well, as I said to Jelly Bean, there is no way that I am paying nearly £200 for replacement parts for an obsolete machine - so the owner may have to take a gamble on used parts.

 

Thank you for taking the time to try and help me, it is much appreciated.

 

Dave

[Plastic Nev]

Hi again, I have looked at the two testers, the PSU tester may be OK on a standard PSU, but may give a wrong result for that HP one. Also the motherboard tester may or may not give you the right results as it may again be a none standard mother board.

I would be asking in a local PC shop that does repairs, if they would test the PSU and motherboard for you, at worst it shouldn't cost too much just for testing them, and could save you the money of buying those bits of kit.

[BILLGATES]

Hi again, I have looked at the two testers, the PSU tester may be OK on a standard PSU, but may give a wrong result for that HP one. Also the motherboard tester may or may not give you the right results as it may again be a none standard mother board.

I would be asking in a local PC shop that does repairs, if they would test the PSU and motherboard for you, at worst it shouldn't cost too much just for testing them, and could save you the money of buying those bits of kit.

 

 

Hi again Nev,

 

Sorry for the cross-threads...

 

I will see if there are any local firms who could help.

 

Once again, thanks to you, and Jelly Bean, for all of your help.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[BILLGATES]

Being HP a normal off the shelf PSU may need some pin swapping for it to work. HP, like DELL, fit a none standard PSU with different pin connections, hence why the problem obtaining a replacement.

 

Well, I am glad that you told me about HP using non standard PSUs, as on their own website they state...

 

"Most HP Desktop PCs contain ATX power supplies that are 6 inches (15.25 cm) x 5 inches (12.7 cm) x 3.25 inches (8.25 cm). If your PC has a standard ATX power supply, you can replace it with standard ATX power supplies sold by most electronic stores."

 

Here is the link.....

 

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bph06788

 

I better contact them about this tomorrow - unless of course they want to charge me £16 to answer this question as well. :)

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Plastic Nev]

Best of luck Dave, and please let us know how you get on. With your mate having fiddled in there in the past, who knows what may be wrong now.

Nev.

[BILLGATES]

Best of luck Dave, and please let us know how you get on. With your mate having fiddled in there in the past, who knows what may be wrong now.

Nev.

 

Well, yes, especially as he has admitted to me today that he has attempted to replace the CMOS battery, taken off the CPU fan, removed the GPU and memory and God knows what else.

 

Will keep you POSTed (unlike this PC sitting on my desk in pieces) :)

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[BILLGATES]

Best of luck Dave, and please let us know how you get on. With your mate having fiddled in there in the past, who knows what may be wrong now.

Nev.

 

Hi guys,

 

Just a quick update.

 

Took the PC to a local technician who did a complete component check and deduced that the motherboard and CPU were "fried".

 

Was quoted £375 for parts and labour to fix. http://extremetechsupport.com/images/icons/icon13.pnghttp://extremetechsupport.com/images/icons/icon8.png

 

The owner has told us to keep the PC, and so we have decided to try and fix it with 2nd hand parts as a sort of project.

 

The only thing I am worried about is installing CPUs. I have never done that, and wondered whether anyone out there had any tips for me.

 

Thanks again

 

Dave

[Jelly Bean]

Just follow the instructions carefully,if you are unsure please get back to us and I am sure we can walk you through it all..

 

That price he quoted,I could build a complete brand new decent quality tower for that price.....Thats a rip off price.....

[BILLGATES]

Just follow the instructions carefully,if you are unsure please get back to us and I am sure we can walk you through it all..

 

That price he quoted,I could build a complete brand new decent quality tower for that price.....Thats a rip off price.....

 

£275 for parts (new from HP USA)

 

£100 labour.

 

Don't worry - not going to happen.:cool:

 

Will start trying to source some second hand spares, and go from there.

 

Thanks again,

 

Dave

[Jelly Bean]

Your welcome Dave,depending on what mainboard and CPU you buy the CPU usaly has a little triangle or a mark on one corner wich will match up on the mainboard marking......So you cannot go wrong in fitting it.

 

The CPU fan can be a little tight to fit,just be carefull.