Reasons why my machine will not start up at all (power okay just no Bios screen)

  • Thread starter Thread starter A_Newsreader
  • Start date Start date
A

A_Newsreader

Hi there,

I'm trying to resurect a machine but for some strange reason, it isn't
firing up on bootup.

If I power on, the machine whirls into some sort of life, but for
example the it won't boot up from the CD, from the floppy nor from the
HD.

Any ideas ??

The power comes on, but the monitor doesn't fire up.

I'm wondering whether it'd be worth checking the Ram, taking it out,
putting it back in etc, checked cables everything looks fine.

Any ideas how to get this thing back to the land of the living.

Even if I put a floppy in the drive - nothing !!

What could be up ??

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

MB is a Supermicro P6DGU - dual P3 1000, 1024mb ram, Maxtor D740X-6L
75gb, Matrox G400dualhead.

I tested the hard disk in another machine, it's fine, (it's got 2
partitions, and 15gb of unformatted free space). Maxtor utilities
said the disk is fine.

I'm 100% certain this has nothing to do with the HD (this is a new hd
and this problem was happening with prior with a different HD).

Thanks.
 
Hi there,

I'm trying to resurect a machine but for some strange reason, it isn't
firing up on bootup.

If I power on, the machine whirls into some sort of life, but for
example the it won't boot up from the CD, from the floppy nor from the
HD.

Any ideas ??

The power comes on, but the monitor doesn't fire up.

I'm wondering whether it'd be worth checking the Ram, taking it out,
putting it back in etc, checked cables everything looks fine.

Any ideas how to get this thing back to the land of the living.

Even if I put a floppy in the drive - nothing !!

What could be up ??

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

MB is a Supermicro P6DGU - dual P3 1000, 1024mb ram, Maxtor D740X-6L
75gb, Matrox G400dualhead.

I tested the hard disk in another machine, it's fine, (it's got 2
partitions, and 15gb of unformatted free space). Maxtor utilities
said the disk is fine.

I'm 100% certain this has nothing to do with the HD (this is a new hd
and this problem was happening with prior with a different HD).

Thanks.
Click to expand...

If you're not even seeing a bios splash screen, you're correct that the
problem is highly unlikely to have anything to do with the hard drive.

Try reducing the problem to a single dimm (if possible) and single processor
(definitely possible) and disconnect or remove everything other than the video
card (you don't need hard drives, CDROM, diskette drives, network cables, etc
to start). If you still don't get to a bios splash, perhaps the power supply
is toast, or the bios rom has gone to Heaven...

/daytripper
 
Hi there,

I'm trying to resurect a machine but for some strange reason, it isn't
firing up on bootup.

If I power on, the machine whirls into some sort of life, but for
example the it won't boot up from the CD, from the floppy nor from the
HD.

Any ideas ??

The power comes on, but the monitor doesn't fire up.

I'm wondering whether it'd be worth checking the Ram, taking it out,
putting it back in etc, checked cables everything looks fine.

Any ideas how to get this thing back to the land of the living.

Even if I put a floppy in the drive - nothing !!

What could be up ??

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

MB is a Supermicro P6DGU - dual P3 1000, 1024mb ram, Maxtor D740X-6L
75gb, Matrox G400dualhead.
Click to expand...


If it is a P3 slot, maybe that the connector is a bit dirty. I had a
similar problem and cleaning with alcohol the connector solved it

Nick
 
Hi Daytripper,

From what I've read, it could also perhaps be the battery on the mb.
I'm going to test that later today.

I'll let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for the ideas - though I don't think/hope it's not what you
suggest !!
 
I'm trying to resurect a machine but for some strange reason, it isn't
firing up on bootup.

If I power on, the machine whirls into some sort of life, but for
example the it won't boot up from the CD, from the floppy nor from the
HD.
Click to expand...

I've had machines do this when the IDE cable is connected the wrong way
around or when the AGP card is not inserted completely (needs to go in
about another 0.1mm!). Otherwise you don't say what sort of work you'd
just been doing on it so it could be anything - mobo shorted on the
mounting plates etc or just plain dead.
 
Hi Nick,

I tried everything on this machine that I could think of.

Haven't tried removing, cleaning and replacing the Processors though.

Is that what you are suggesting ??

I was wondering if it could be the on-board battery - don't know how
long those things are meant to last.

Regards.
 
Hi Trevor,

Not sure I understand how an IDE cable can get put in the wrong way around ??

It's got a notch in it that has to marry up with the recipient connector ??

Or is there another consideration to be made ??
 
A_Newsreader said:
Hi there,

I'm trying to resurect a machine but for some strange reason, it isn't
firing up on bootup.

If I power on, the machine whirls into some sort of life, but for
example the it won't boot up from the CD, from the floppy nor from the
HD.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I've seen that when the CPU fan became disconnected -- I think
some BIOS may check for fan spinning before allowing a boot.
 
Not sure I understand how an IDE cable can get put in the wrong way around ??

It's got a notch in it that has to marry up with the recipient connector ??

Or is there another consideration to be made ??
Click to expand...

There are cables that don't have the notch.
 
Back
Top