Computer Broken?

Pali

My computer is broken again, only this time I have no specific idea what has happened.

So the past few days my computer did not like detecting the primary hard drive, but after it found it once more it went back to being a stable machine.

So I turn the machine off last night, and this morning it's broken or it seems that way anyway. When the computer is turned on, i notice no signal to one of my monitors. That is problem number 1 as one of my monitors does not seem to be getting power, and that looks like it is the monitor itself as i've tried the power cable from the other monitor with no luck.

Okay, so one monitor is working and the computer does it's own bios beep, THEN there is a clicking sound and it seems to be the primary hard drive (maybe a month old) and that hard drive that caused the original problem a few days ago is not available in BIOS.

Now I unplug this hard drive and turn the computer back on.. no signal is going from the computer at all. the computer does the little beep to say it is okay, but my one working monitor does not take a signal from the computer.

1) Is one of my monitors dead?
2) I take it the primary hard drive is dead, after a month =(
3) Is my video card broken since it is not sending out a signal?

I can try my best if needed to find the make/model of all the parts if required.

To be honest, it's not looking like I can afford to fix anything until September if any of the parts are dead. Just my luck.

Misanthropic

As for the hard drive, it sounds like it is dead. The clicking sound is the head trying to move out of the locked position onto the platter to read data, and not being able to. I'm not sure if it is fixable or not. Personal anecdote: I had this happen to one of my hard drives, so I cracked it open and tried to fix it. Didn't work - but I was going to toss it anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

The other problems may be linked to a faulty PSU or your mobo. Do you have another PCI port to test your video card with? Or perhaps another computer? Or can you test your monitor with something else - a console, another computer, etc.?

Can you get into the monitor's settings (brightness, contrast, etc.)?

Pali

I'll see if another Slot works for the Graphics, i'll report back with the findings.


For the monitor, there is a flash of the power light as the computer is switched on, but it goes off more or less instantly. it wont actually turn on normally like the other one will. The monitor will also no accept that there is a 360 signal (through VGA cable) to make it work. Fuses are all okay too.


Hard drive, ah well stuff happens.

Misanthropic

Try different outlets / power strips as well, if the computer and monitor are plugged into the same. If the monitor won't power up and recognize anything, it is probably dead.

Viscountalpha

Misanthropic wrote: »

As for the hard drive, it sounds like it is dead. The clicking sound is the head trying to move out of the locked position onto the platter to read data, and not being able to. I'm not sure if it is fixable or not. Personal anecdote: I had this happen to one of my hard drives, so I cracked it open and tried to fix it. Didn't work - but I was going to toss it anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

A clean room is almost needed for a HD repair involving the heads and the platter but hard disks are so inexpensive that its almost not worth the hassle. Some heads sit so close to the platter that its almost mind-boggling.

http://www.storagereview.com/guide2000/ref/hdd/op/heads/opHeight.html


As for the original problem. Hopefully you can find an inexpensive hard disk somewhere as something to get your system working again.

Its possible that your monitor might also be dead. If the cable is removable, you might try and swap it for another.

Hopefully that helps.

Pali

The monitor wont take power from the other monitors cable, and using a connection to that monitor wont make it spur into life.

The only time any life is seen from the monitor is when the computer is turned on and for the briefest second there is the flash of the monitors power light. Ah well it'sx only 6 months old, still under the 12month warrenty, guess thats a good thing.


I was just told today that my computer had turned itself on last night, I have no idea how since I did not get out of bed myself and it woke the g/f up just by having the fans on. So that is another thing that is confusing me alot.

Misanthropic

Sounds like a bad PSU.

Viscountalpha

Misanthropic wrote: »

Sounds like a bad PSU.

All of those cheap PSU's out there eventually die. Usually when they do, they can take out components when they go. I was thinking this too but was uncertain without more information. I can't stand the garbage PSU's people think are sufficient when they are clearly not.

Pali

Turns out it's just the hard drive being bad (Clicking sound), everything else is working again except the monitor which i'm sending back because it's under 12months.

So i've got no idea what happened with the monitor, but the hard-drive is nothing in the scheme of things.