My computer broke

[Rik]

As if it's not enough to chew a crown off on Tuesday, I fired up the main machine this morning and it wouldn't boot. Being Good Friday, I can't get warranty service until at least Wednesday. Luckily, my backup regime means that I was able to transfer to the other desktop, after a quick check on the forum via the netbook, with almost everything intact. (I have the data for everything, but in a couple of cases, the app isn't installed - plus there's three shared printers I can't access.)

I want a better week next week.

[DorsetBoy]

CMOS battery?

[Niall]

The CMOS shouldn't stop it booting. My mums PC had a dead battery in it and you had to go into the bios to set the time on every boot or it wouldn't start. Other than that, it worked fine for months (until I found the key to open the case and replace the battery )

[Rik]

CMOS battery?

Possible, Dorset, though a scrambled CMOS seems more likely. Unfortunately, with my tremors, I can't get to the battery without risking the SATA leads nearby.

[DorsetBoy]

SATA leads are also good for coming loose  

[Rik]

They seem OK. The initial message was "Initialising USB controller" at which it hung. A reset got no further so I powered down and disconnected all the USB devices. On powering up again, the fans and drives all ran up OK, but no graphic output, no beeps and the drive lights just stayed on. It doesn't respond to the power button or the reset button either.

[DorsetBoy]

Can you get to BIOS setup?

[Rik]

No, it's not even entering POST from what I can see - and the graphics card is giving no signal, ie the monitor shuts down into standby.

[DorsetBoy]

That could be the power supply failing.

[kinmel]

Just as well it's under warranty Rik

[Niall]

It could be a long list of things. This is what irritates me about PCs

It could be the graphics card itself, it could even be a soundcard that's died stopping it booting (or any other PCI device for that matter). I doubt it's a power supply issue as it would more likely not even start to boot. The motherboard controllers could have killed themselves though as I saw that happen on my sisters PC, although I forget the exact message the screen showed when booting, or even where it got to.

[Rik]

Just as well it's under warranty Rik

Indeed.

[Glenn]

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20071112150542734&board_id=1&model=P5W+DH+Deluxe&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

[Rik]

It could be a long list of things. This is what irritates me about PCs

Definitely one to hand off to an engineer with a van load of spares.

[Supanova]

Fixed my brothers after it wouldn't boot. Corrupt boot-sector. Takes about 5 minutes to fix with the install disk and a commandline. Worth a try.

[Rik]

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20071112150542734&board_id=1&model=P5W+DH+Deluxe&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

Lots of possibilities, none that I can do for myself.

[Rik]

Fixed my brothers after it wouldn't boot. Corrupt boot-sector. Takes about 5 minutes to fix with the install disk and a commandline. Worth a try.

I don't get a POST screen or any video, though.

[kinmel]

Follow the flowchart

Go with the flow

[zappaDPJ]

Sounds like power to me or at worst a motherboard/CPU failure. If it was any other component or a device boot failure you would still have the potential for BIOS entry or the BIOS would be beeping out a merry tune.

[Rik]

Follow the flowchart

Go with the flow

Sadly, I can't.

[Rik]

Sounds like power to me or at worst a motherboard/CPU failure. If it was any other component or a device boot failure you would still have the potential for BIOS entry or the BIOS would be beeping out a merry tune.

Well, any of them are covered by the warranty.

[DorsetBoy]

Sounds like power to me or at worst a motherboard/CPU failure. If it was any other component or a device boot failure you would still have the potential for BIOS entry or the BIOS would be beeping out a merry tune.

That is what I thought, I had a power supply that failed on 2 coils so that drives and fans came up but 2 of the ATX leads were dead.

You have several supplies in one,there are 6 different supplies on mine.

[Rik]

Anybody want to pop round with a spare?

[adamr8965]

Have you tried shouting at it rik?

[DorsetBoy]

Have you tried shouting at it rik?

Shush,everybody else thought it was thunder in MK.