PC Dead ?

David · Sep 30, 2008, 08:32:44

Hi all had a few problems yesterday,came down this morning and my PC will not turn on,the fan is working but no light nothing,any ideas ?

Have to rig the spare up for later

Steve · Sep 30, 2008, 08:49:58

Which PC Acer? Can you get into bios?What problems yesterday (with PC) . Tried a cold boot? i.e unplug from mains leave for 30 seconds,Check monitor connected and turned on. I am not around this am

Gary · Sep 30, 2008, 08:52:20

Quote from: badpianoplayer on Sep 30, 2008, 08:32:44
Hi all had a few problems yesterday,came down this morning and my PC will not turn on,the fan is working but no light nothing,any ideas ?

Have to rig the spare up for later

Sounds silly, fuse in the plug?

Sebby · Sep 30, 2008, 08:52:21

I was going to say try unplugging from the mains. Sometimes that 'resets' things.

Gary · Sep 30, 2008, 08:56:32

Also if you can see inside easily has the Motherboard any lights on it, my board has led's and a code for digital display for booting errors and the all clear (FF) that everything is ok, has your board any lights on it?

David · Sep 30, 2008, 09:22:00

Thanks guys no just the fan whirling away no lights.....it was playing up yesterday wouldnt shut down but thought it was sorted last night.
I ran scans for and problems but it was fine.

I did connect an external hard drive yesterday but this cannot be the problem as this is just a drive so at the moment (havnt got time right now) I think I will just try out the basic checks before getting it back to PC world,this is under warranty so I am limited what I can do

Rik · Sep 30, 2008, 09:25:05

If the fan is running you have mains power reaching the unit, David, so I'd bump it along to PC World rather than mess with the warranty.

Bummer...

Gary · Sep 30, 2008, 09:25:46

The drive was as I hope you know was clean David, so no issue there, what problems did you have yesterday?

David · Sep 30, 2008, 09:32:20

Quote from: Rik on Sep 30, 2008, 09:25:05
If the fan is running you have mains power reaching the unit, David, so I'd bump it along to PC World rather than mess with the warranty. Bummer...

Thats what I had decided Rik,I have to book a job no first as you cannot just take them in.good job I have spares.......worth a question here though thanks all.

Thanks to the one I repaired at least have a little knowledge now,

There is a good one in

Simon · Sep 30, 2008, 10:03:01

I'm wondering if somehow the BIOS has been set to boot from the external drive, and without it there, it can't boot? You should be able to get into the BIOS screen though, and if there's nothing on the monitor at all, that could be tricky.

How about a CMOS reset? I've heard of this being done several times, but couldn't actually tell you how to do it, but if someone can expand on the idea, it might be of some use.

Rik · Sep 30, 2008, 10:04:38

Even if that's the case, though, Simon, the machine should do a POST routine, which it doesn't appear to be doing.

Gary · Sep 30, 2008, 10:09:00

Quote from: Simon on Sep 30, 2008, 10:03:01
I'm wondering if somehow the BIOS has been set to boot from the external drive, and without it there, it can't boot? You should be able to get into the BIOS screen though, and if there's nothing on the monitor at all, that could be tricky.

How about a CMOS reset? I've heard of this being done several times, but couldn't actually tell you how to do it, but if someone can expand on the idea, it might be of some use.

I cant see a bios changing boot order surely, it has very specific instructions to what order to boot from, plugging in an external drive should not change the bios settings at all, and I have never encountered that issue and for the bios to become that corrupt would take some effort surely, also it would say cannot boot from this drive as it would not find the os, like when you have a brand new drive before you install windows, unless the monitor has died I have seen such simple things get missed, do you get any sound David when you boot?

David · Sep 30, 2008, 16:52:43

Just finished work...one of those days...No the system is dead apart from the fan which is whirling away happily.

No POST bleeps no neon light from mobo which might indicate something quite serious.Had a problem with it yesterday it would not shut down and the fan went into overdrive which was odd but it settled again and I had to shut down by holding in the on/off switch did this and the machine went back to normal.tested it out a few times and it was fine when I shut it down last night

Then this morning nothing.I am awaiting a works number from PC world,as it was bought online you cant just take it into the store for inspection,The Tech Guys"have to have aurthorisation for any works which include looking at PCs

I cannot see how a drive woud or could affect the system its just a drive surely ?

Rik · Sep 30, 2008, 16:57:37

It shouldn't do, David. Given the lack of POST, I'd suspect something fairly terminal, but then I'm a pessimist.

Glenn · Sep 30, 2008, 17:07:59

Soulds like the PSU to me, only 12v DC being supplied to the fans, does the hdu spin up?

Gary · Sep 30, 2008, 17:17:41

Quote from: badpianoplayer on Sep 30, 2008, 16:52:43
Just finished work...one of those days...No the system is dead apart from the fan which is whirling away happily.

No POST bleeps no neon light from mobo which might indicate something quite serious.Had a problem with it yesterday it would not shut down and the fan went into overdrive which was odd but it settled again and I had to shut down by holding in the on/off switch did this and the machine went back to normal.tested it out a few times and it was fine when I shut it down last night

Then this morning nothing.I am awaiting a works number from PC world,as it was bought online you cant just take it into the store for inspection,The Tech Guys"have to have aurthorisation for any works which include looking at PCs

I cannot see how a drive woud or could affect the system its just a drive surely ?

What fan are you talking about? cpu, powersupply, case fans?

David · Sep 30, 2008, 17:36:28

I think its the psu Gary I havnt opened it I had wondered if the fan on the cpu may have failed on me and caused this as the psu fan seemed to go into overdrive yesterday,my first thought was an overheat but as I cant open it (warranty) sealed its not easy to tell.

David · Sep 30, 2008, 17:54:43

Its on the PC worlds system now so once I hear from them I will can take it to the store...its just over the road really.its still got 9 months warranty on it so best to break down now than in 10 months

Gary · Sep 30, 2008, 17:56:06

Quote from: badpianoplayer on Sep 30, 2008, 17:36:28
I think its the psu Gary I havnt opened it I had wondered if the fan on the cpu may have failed on me and caused this as the psu fan seemed to go into overdrive yesterday,my first thought was an overheat but as I cant open it (warranty) sealed its not easy to tell.

Shame its got a seal on it, mine is under warranty but I can open it up without breaking that and put new ram in etc, it could be the psu indeed, your covered so I would just get busy on pc world and get it fixed, don't let them delay you

Gary · Sep 30, 2008, 17:57:03

Quote from: badpianoplayer on Sep 30, 2008, 17:54:43
Its on the PC worlds system now so once I hear from them I will can take it to the store...its just over the road really.its still got 9 months warranty on it so best to break down now than in 10 months

Thats always the way, 13th month and boom

David · Sep 30, 2008, 18:02:52

To be honest Gary they have always given me good service so Im optimistic that they will come good

Sebby · Sep 30, 2008, 18:04:29

Good luck.

David · Sep 30, 2008, 18:08:30

Thanks Sebby .I have just had an Email from them so it will get sorted.I may be guessing but think the fan has failed hope it hasnt fried the processor............

David · Sep 30, 2008, 18:10:04

Quote from: Glenn on Sep 30, 2008, 17:07:59
Soulds like the PSU to me, only 12v DC being supplied to the fans, does the hdu spin up?

Sorry Glenn missed this no nothing from anywhere

Sebby · Sep 30, 2008, 18:11:52

Quote from: badpianoplayer on Sep 30, 2008, 18:08:30
Thanks Sebby .I have just had an Email from them so it will get sorted.I may be guessing but think the fan has failed hope it hasnt fried the processor............

It doesn't sounds like the fan, but who knows.