Hi,
I was running Vista and stated to get momentary video failures, the driver would recovery and continue operation. Machine was pretty much in OEM configuration.
Problem became more frequent and started blue screening with various error messages. I could re-start system and if I booted windows "safe mode" the problem never occured. Only happened in normal mode.
I went through start up and down loaded some diag tools and removed anything that should be there and suspected that I may have a virus problem with "Privacy Concerns". Nothing fixed the fault.
I copied my data and formated the disk, reinstalling vista and worked my way through the patches. System worked OK for shot while but before I had completed installing applications etc, the momentary video failures reoccured. I was convinced that it was now the on board video hardware and installed a new graphics card, all of which worked fine, fast and no faults.
The machine then started not booting, and would take several power cycles to get going. It would also keep changing the BIOS seting back to defaults. When it did start it run like a train, even if I power cycled it would restart, if I left it running it would go for days.
I turned the machin off for a few days and now will not boot, nothing to the screen (on any video port), I replaced the 280 watt PSU with a 500 watt, and I have cleaned memory connectors and replaced the 2 gig with the original 1 gig boards. Nothing.
Is there a magic way to start the machine or force the BIOS to use a default configuration.
Check the capacitors on the motherboard, I have 3 units that did the same thing. See how many are bulging on the top, they should be flat.
Check the ones around the cpu or the video card slot.
1. Full power down. Unplug the power cord from the Power supply. Then hold down the pc power button (this discharges any residual power in the capacitors).
2. Open the case and reseat the graphics card, hard drive, and RAM.
3. Take out one of the RAM sticks if there is 2 or more. Swap the RAM sticks in different RAM slots. Try one stick at a time to see if you can get the PC to boot. If this works, then the remaining ram sticks are damaged.
4. Set the Cmos jumper to clear. Power up the pc. Power down the PC. Set the Cmos jumper back to normal position, power up the PC.
5. Unplug and replug all the power supply cables.
6. Check the powersupply function. Either by a powersupply voltage checker (20-25 dollars at local PC shop), get the supply tested at a PC shop (usually a free service), put the powersupply in a different pc, or try a different powersupply in the problem computer.
If the Powersupply checks out ok, then you will have to do a process of elimination to find out what part or parts are the culprit of the No-Boot.
Start by pulling all the ram sticks if you have not already. This is the easiest components to check and usually a culprit.
Take out one of the RAM sticks if there is 2 or more. Swap the RAM sticks in different RAM slots. Try one stick at a time to see if you can get the PC to boot. If this works, then the remaining ram sticks are damaged.
If it is not the RAM, you have to continue removing items such as sound cards, un-plugging hard drives and optical drives, other PCI cards. Do this one at a time until you find the culprit. If a POST screen, meaning you can see Anything from the PC brand name to Motherboard brand name appearing on the screen.
You have done everything imaginable. My only suggestion is to check the fan and in general for dust. But, if not the problem, it looks like a motherboard issue, since it's not the OS, memory, power supply and video card, which typically would cause the problems you are describing. Good luck.
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In the end this problem was solved by replacing the mother board. The new mother board with the old CPU, Memory and disk runs like a train. Thanks for your help.
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