[RESOLVED] Win XP won't boot.

Sublimus

Hey guys. I'm having a bit of a computer problem.

I was away on for a week, and when I came back to turn my computer on, I was prompted by spybot search and destroy about some sort of change. (I don't how many people use that, but from what I can tell it just lets you know any time a change is being made to something important.) Since I did not recognize the program it that was trying to make the change, and since I was not installing anything, I declined it.

All was fine for a few minutes, then I got a blue screen. Not sure, but it looked like it was mentioning the same program as the issue. So I turned off the comp, and turned it back on. At this point it starting making a bizzare beeping noise (that I now know was a bios code.) I had no clue what it was doing, so I started it again and it seemed to be working fine at that point.

It was on for a while, and then I ended up leaving for a bit. When I came back, the screen saver was on, and the music that was playing was acting all funny. Almost sounded like chiptune actually haha. At this point, the lights on the keyboard were off, and the comp was locked up. When I turned it back on, the fans started blowing like crazy, and the os did not boot. It was not sending any info to the monitor as far as I could tell. I was taken aback, so I turned it off.

With the fans acting like that, I figured it may just have been some sort of dust build up. So I opened her up and went to it with a fresh spray can. But that did not work.

And that's where it stands now.

I like to think I'm pretty good about keeping my pc clean, so I don't know what the issue is. Maybe its a hardware issue?

Or is it some sort of automated self cleaning thing the triggers when there is too much dust?


Thanks so much in advance! Hope I don't have to get a new computer...

TychoCelchuuu

What motherboard do you have? Or alternatively, reset the CMOS. Also, it would be worth turning off the PSU and unplugging it and letting it sit for a bit. And does it beep at all when you turn it on, or do you just get fans and nothing else?

Sublimus

Uhhh, the thing is pretty old by now. So the motherboard is like pentium 3 era. whatever came stock on dell.

I had to google your acronyms, but from I can tell you want me to unplug the power supply from the mother board for a bit, and also take out the little battery?


And it no longer beeps, just straight fans on full blast. I've never heard them operate to loudly.

TychoCelchuuu

Yeah, first order of business is taking out the little battery for a minute or two then popping it back in. It's about the size and color and shape of a quarter, generally.

Second order of business is unplugging the power supply for a few minutes (make sure to flip the on/off switch on the power supply first, if it has one).

Sublimus

ok.

I unplugged both for a few minutes and plugged them back in.

Now when I turn it on, it beeps at me, and the fans run normally. But the monitor is still not getting a picture of any kind.

Straygatsby

That sounds pretty ugly. Spazzy mobos are one of the toughest things to diagnose properly (aside from saying, damn, that's a spazzy mobo). I didn't notice in your OP, have you tried removing and reseating the memory a stick at a time and have tried either swapping in another hard drive or testing the one you already have in another machine? I don't know if you have the parts or capability, but it's always a chance it is that as well, but it certainly does sound like some whackadoo board issues. When I begin to suspect mobo issues is when I usually enter the old yeller phase of my PC relationship, but you never know, could be salvageable.

Edit: Also, are the beeps in a noticeable, repeated format and is your PC a pre-built dealie from a manufacturer like IBM, Dell, Gateway, etc.? You may be able to look up post codes if so (though I'm not sure if they still even use stuff like that - I just see it a lot on our old fleet of IBMs from the 90s).

RadicalTurnip

My brand new MoBo does, so I assume so.

Also make sure all the wires inside are firmly connected to everything they are supposed to be connected to.

JustinSane07

It's a P3 era mobo?

There's a good chance either your motherboard or the video card (either on board or stand alone) crapped out. I mean, that's a decade old at this point.

If that's the case; the good news is your data is all safe and sound on the hard drives. You haven't lost anything, you just can't access it right now. The bad news is you need a new computer. Replacing a P3 era mobo is simply not worth it. It'd be like buying a new engine for a 1991 Geo Metro. It's cheaper to just get a different Metro.

Sublimus

Thanks for all of the advice guys!

I have been saving for a new computer for a couple of months anyhow, but I wasn't quite ready to buy it yet.

Looks like fate has forced my hand a bit!

Good thing my HDD is fine, because I have a lot of files on there I need (I'm a digital artist).

I guess the good news out of all of this is that I get a new computer! (Even if I wasn't quite prepared to spend the money just yet.)

Thanks again!