Over the last few days my main desktop PC has had trouble starting. You press the on switch and nothing happens. To solve this I've been unplugging it and re-plugging it in.

I have now tried and found the fans work, it checks the CD Drives and but not the floppy one. (normally does it first) the hard drive light is on all the time however I have nothing on the screen.

I can't run anything from the CD drive (ie linux Live CD) so I'm guessing it's a hardware problem. It is a quite old PC, so I guess you'll say get a new one, but does anybody think there will be anyway for it an be saved?

Try each stick of ram separately.

Try reseating the graphics card.

As repeated above, unplug and reseat EVERYTHING!

Then try booting without any drives connected (CD roms Hard drisks etc).

If you can get your computer to POST (ie you can access the main BIOS page) then you're battle may be almost won. After that try one, then both sticks of memory and reboot into BIOS to see if they're registered, then the drives, then anything else..

If you can't do the above then try to locate the jumper pins that allow you to reset the BIOS settings. These are the bit settings normally held constantly powered by your coin battery. Change the jumper to the other side (should only be 3 pins in total, two of which should be already connected). Do a reboot, then power down. Change the jumper settings back again, check the battery has charge (normally 1.5V or 3V across the terminals depending on the battery used).

If you have the mainboard manual then this procedure 'should' be given.

These are the things that have worked for me time and again with success..

Failing all of this - Check to see if your PSU is sending voltage to the board on the main power bus connector (meter out the two endmost wires on the long white nylon connector(usually black and white to denote positive & negative).

Also check the board carefully for processor misalignment and any components that look overly blackened by burning/overheatin duch as resistors,capacitors, power transistors etc.. you can normally smell a burnt component if you scan your nose over the board at close quarters!

I had a couple of tiny electrolytic capacitors go on a mainboard of mine a few years back. They were so small I didn't even realise they'd popped. I'd spent hours trying everything else!

If this is the case then time for a new pc methinks..

Edited 1 June, 201115 yr by Trilogy2k

I was wondering about the graphics card, however the fan on it is working so i'm not sure. I'm just surprised it doesn't do the normal 'post' checks at all.

Update: Strangely, I left it running for at least 10 mins and it suddenly came to life. It said "PC wasn't shut properly and now running in safe mode speed, Please go into BIOS and reset correct CPU Speed"

Done that and it started up normally. However it has done that before (Thursday) which was the fist sign something was wrong.

now read your update.. looks like your pc is ok then..

just change the coin battery to see if it helps.

Sounds like your BIOS is forgetting it's settings.

I hope it's as easy as just changing the battery, but I'll give it a go. (fingers crossed). I'm not sure if that would stop the PC totally start up ie PCU supply from powering up, but I can only but try. I did wonder if it could be the power button, until this afternoon.

Anyway, whilst it's running this is a very good opportunity to back every thing up on our USB hard drive, (not done it for a long while).

Edited 1 June, 201115 yr by Jim H

if it happens again listen out for beeps from the pc speaker. These are a simple way of letting you know what is wrong. Normally u will hear a single short chirp which is the "all ok" message. Anything else and it can be a warning something is failed.

If you get noises you'll need to do a search online for 'beep codes'.

Sounded like a faulty memory module but since it's come back up who knows.

I'd pop the case and have a look round. If it's very dusty you can blow out the muck with a air duster or if you're brave the hoover (earth it with the power cable if your going to do that).

It's possible it was overheating.

Give all the cards a firm push to make sure they're seated properly.

Finally have a look round the mother board at the tops of the capacitor. If any of them look rusty or are bulging then your motherboard is a gonner.

That was a big problems few years back but not so much now.

If it is the caps, they can be repaired if your handy with a soldering iron

also make sure there is no dust on any of the fans because it slows the fan down

Unless the fan was really clogged with dust it won't slow much (if at all). I would put my money on the PSU going U/S. A very similar thing has happened to my brothers PC where it would only power up if you pulled out the power cable from it before trying to turn it on. It also stopped responding to WoL commands, etc.

Saturday, I vacuumed out all the dust on the motherboard, and all inside the computer, then changed the battery. Strangely it started first time. However on Sunday and yesterday it didn't.

Today, I eventually started it (2 or 3 goes), then left it to start. When I came back up I found it doing a post check (and the normal Beep), then suddenly restarting. I then turned it off, and now I can't restart it at all.

It's a quite old PC, made by MESH, who I've just read have recently gone bust. :( I'm thinking of trying a new power supply, have they changed design in the last 5 or so years?

Edited 7 June, 201115 yr by Jim H

Saturday, I vacuumed out all the dust on the motherboard, and all inside the computer, then changed the battery. Strangely it started first time. However on Sunday and yesterday it didn't.

Today, I eventually started it (2 or 3 goes), then left it to start. When I came back up I found it doing a post check (and the normal Beep), then suddenly restarting. I then turned it off, and now I can't restart it at all.

It's a quite old PC, made by MESH, who I've just read have recently gone bust. :( I'm thinking of trying a new power supply, have they changed design in the last 5 or so years?

Nope - it's just standard. I had to replace a Mesh power supply on my Dad's computer a few months ago. Just used a cheapo £25 ebuyer special.

Before buying a new PSU see if you can get a friendly mate to lend you these for a day.... Or try your local computer shop, mine has a little PSU tester device which checks all the power rails, etc...

Maplin do one for £19.99

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