Computer start up Problem

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Oldman
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Computer start up Problem

Post by Oldman » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 22:21

Hi :)

Just been using my (old) Amd Crossfire 3 computer when it suddenly died on me :(

Symptoms as follows...

1st..Computer screen suddenly went all pixilated then blank, message came up on blank screen, no signal.
2nd..Pressed the reset button on comp...no beeps of any kind...and reset button not having any effect restarting computer.
Switched it off, then switched it on, (on off button works) Fans start, ram shows it's lights (Balistic tracer), fan on processer working all looks normal but blank screen, and no beeps from internal buzzer on computer. Reset button not working still.
Checked connections on mb. from on/reset switch in case they had worked loose, all seems okay.

Checked all plugs sockets to motherboard and Hard Drives but nothing seems loose. Computer wasn't moved etc prior to this happening. It's always been more or less in one position on floor.
Computer monitor is ok as it's also connected to a newer comp. and the monitor is good/working.
There's a start button on mb and a reset button on mb, both are lit up, but don't seem to work either.

My 1st thought is the motherboard has developed a fault. Or perhaps the processor?...as no 'beeps' of any kind are heard.
Any thoughts/ideas welcome as it's my main comp for doing stuff/web etc.
I can use my other computer (and it's newer) but as you may well imagine...it's going to be a pain to re-build. It's not given me any real problems for years so I'm a bit miffed it's suddenly given up the ghost.

The thing is I don't really know how to pinpoint the exact problem, or where to start faultfinding.


Oldman :)

Alan Phipps
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Post by Alan Phipps » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 22:36

Start by checking the cheapest components. You checked some connections but now check the rest. Then go on to check the next item being the various voltages of the psu.

Can you call up any BIOS reports using the relevant keypress during initial boot? Unlikely if you get no display at all. Have you tried connecting the monitor by a different method (or using a different type of display to the one that shows nothing)?

I had a PC that wouldn't start at all and it was due to the graphics card being uncooled due to accumulated dust-bunnies such that it signalled no-fan/overheat immediately on system boot.

If nothing obvious jumps out, you might have to consider a visit to a computer repair centre where a plain diagnosis (not necessarily a repair) may not be too extortionate.
Last edited by Alan Phipps on Mon, 31. Jul 17, 22:45, edited 1 time in total.
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pjknibbs
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Post by pjknibbs » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 22:42

Since it's an AMD Crossfire setup and you presumably have two graphics cards in there, have you tried it with just one installed, and if that doesn't work, swapping over to just have the other one installed?

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Post by burger1 » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 22:57

Does the mainboard have onboard video? If you are using a video card then you can remove it and try the onboard video.? Which might eliminate the video card. You could also pop out the video card if there is one and pop it in your new pc. Not sure of the risk involved to your new pc.

You power supply from your new pc may fit your old pc for testing. Which would eliminate the power supply.

If these work then mainboard, ram or cpu might be at fault. You could also pop your hard drives over as slaves on your other pc.

I wouldn't let it run long if the video card or cpu fans don't run. You said the fans run though.

One of your friends might have an old pc you can mix and match parts on. My old cpu I can buy for $8 Canadian (intel e8500 dual core, no on cpu video). It still runs the internet just fine. Sometimes Universities and Governments have surplus sales on old computers. I picked up one for $60 (?) about 8 years ago.

Oldman
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Post by Oldman » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 23:00

Alan Phipps wrote:...
Can you call up any BIOS reports using the relevant keypress during initial boot? Unlikely if you get no display at all. Have you tried connecting the monitor by a different method (or using a different type of display to the one that shows nothing)?

...
Hi Alan :)

Nope, can't even get into motherboard bios (pressing delete on keyboard). Keyboard is a Logitec G19....that doesn't light up either, nor the joystick (thrustmaster t16000 m).

As I mentioned, there's no initial beep on switching the computer on, which kinda tells me something might have gone west on mb.?

Oldman :)

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Post by Cpt.Jericho » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 23:04

Pixel chaos on starting up looks a lot like a video card (or VRAM) fault. As PJ said, taking one out and retry with the removed card might be the best guess. At least it's worth a try.
If it doesn't do any good, then at least the cards OK and most probably the PSU, too.
Next step would be to remove the RAM bars from their sockets - at least at some point you should get some POST beeps - if the internal speaker is correctly wired and in working order, that is.
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Post by burger1 » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 23:06

Cpt.Jericho wrote:Pixel chaos on starting up looks a lot like a video card (or VRAM) fault. As PJ said, taking one out and retry with the removed card might be the best guess. At least it's worth a try.
I have seen this on video cards.


I also forgot to mention the usual step of clearing the cmos with the jumper or however it's done these days. Your mainboard might also have 2 bios you can switch between if it matters.

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Post by Oldman » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 23:08

pjknibbs wrote:Since it's an AMD Crossfire setup and you presumably have two graphics cards in there, have you tried it with just one installed, and if that doesn't work, swapping over to just have the other one installed?
Hi :)

I've only got one Graphics card on the board, it's an old Radeon 4870.
Would a duff graphics card not allow the computer to at least boot up into the bios?
All fans are working on the Graphics card, cpu, and 5 cooling fans btw.

Oldman :)

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Post by burger1 » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 23:17

What are your computer specs?

Oldman
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Post by Oldman » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 23:34

burger1 wrote:Does the mainboard have onboard video? If you are using a video card then you can remove it and try the onboard video.? Which might eliminate the video card. You could also pop out the video card if there is one and pop it in your new pc. Not sure of the risk involved to your new pc.

You power supply from your new pc may fit your old pc for testing. Which would eliminate the power supply.

If these work then mainboard, ram or cpu might be at fault. You could also pop your hard drives over as slaves on your other pc.

.....
Hi :)

No onboard video,
Power supply is a Corsair HX 850 W. Newer comp has a Corsair AX 860.
It's a bit late in the evening to start striping stuff down so I'll have a look tomorrow when I get the time :thumb_up:
I tried re seating the ram just in case it might be that, I could replace the ram as it's the same type in both computers to check, but It's probably okay...worth a try though.
It's the no 'beep' from the motherboard when I switch on the computer that's bothering me, as this might mean the reset switch is not getting power, or not registering on the mb?
When I switch it on (when it was working) I get a single beep, then it boots into the OS (win 7) usually.

Oldman :)

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Post by Oldman » Mon, 31. Jul 17, 23:58

burger1 wrote:What are your computer specs?

AMD Crosshair 3 Formula motherboard
Phenom 2 cpu (stock fan).
Crucial 8gb ballistic tracer ram (4x2GB) DDR 3
Radeon 4870 HD GPU
Corsair HX 850 W psu
Coolermaster Haf X case
Kingston Hyper X 60 GB HD SSD

Windows 7 home premium.

Plus 2 Western digital 500 gb HD's (storage etc.)


Oldman :)

Cpt.Jericho wrote:Pixel chaos on starting up looks a lot like a video card (or VRAM) fault. As PJ said, taking one out and retry with the removed card might be the best guess. At least it's worth a try.
If it doesn't do any good, then at least the cards OK and most probably the PSU, too.
Next step would be to remove the RAM bars from their sockets - at least at some point you should get some POST beeps - if the internal speaker is correctly wired and in working order, that is.
Hi :)

The computer was working normally (in use..it booted up previously with it's usual 'beep') it was about 15 miutes later when the screen suddenly went pixilated...then it went blank.
I was browsing the web as normal when it happened :)

Oldman :)

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Post by Cpt.Jericho » Tue, 1. Aug 17, 00:17

Still sounds like your GFX board. Had something like that too long time ago. Was running a game - the GFX card never even hit the turbo mode - and suddenly I get pixels where no pixel should be and the GFX card went to smokes.
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Ketraar
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Post by Ketraar » Tue, 1. Aug 17, 01:34

I suggest to remove components except CPU and HDD, if there is still beep (or multiple in this case since there is no RAM and Graphics) then I'd suspect the board or CPU is at fault. If it does give life signs, add components one at the time.

Also clearing CMOS is never a bad thing, had cases where PC was stuck and clearing CMOS did the trick.

MFG

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Post by Redvers Ganderpoke » Tue, 1. Aug 17, 12:41

Could it be the PSU?
A flower?

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Post by pjknibbs » Tue, 1. Aug 17, 13:05

Redvers Ganderpoke wrote:Could it be the PSU?
I would suspect not because he says the fans are spinning--they usually wouldn't be if the PSU were dead.

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Post by Oldman » Tue, 1. Aug 17, 14:02

HI Folks! :D

Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate your input :thumb_up:

Well...it turns out it was the graphics card!
I didn't think that a duff card would totally stuff the computer?...but it seems like it can. The no beep on boot up really had me perplexed as I'd imagined that even with a duff card it would at least boot up into bios or something, and I thought the reset switch would work?

Anyhow...I'd got a comparable GPU card that I knew was faulty in some games/applications. I nearly chucked it out at the time, glad I didn't!
I removed the old card and substituted the semi duff one. Computer booted up, one beep from the internal loudspeaker, a few minor adjustments to screen resolution and computer runs normally....HOORAY!! :D

So...computer needs a partial strip down (to clean.. it's filthy :psoo: ) and I'll be buying a more up to date GPU quite soon.
At least now I know what the problem was, so all knowledge is useful.

Once again thanks for your help and advice, you're all bloody brilliant! :D


Oldman :)

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Post by Redvers Ganderpoke » Wed, 2. Aug 17, 13:51

pjknibbs wrote:
Redvers Ganderpoke wrote:Could it be the PSU?
I would suspect not because he says the fans are spinning--they usually wouldn't be if the PSU were dead.
I would generally agree with you but I have on occasion had a PSU that seems to work but couldn't pump enough out to power the more power hungry components. (like GFX cards, HD).

Anyway Oldman has got it sussed!
A flower?

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Post by Alan Phipps » Wed, 2. Aug 17, 16:27

Great to hear you have a good handle on how to fix it. It sounds a bit like the sort of graphics card issue that I described at post 2 except that yours cooked.
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Post by Oldman » Wed, 2. Aug 17, 19:54

Alan Phipps wrote:Great to hear you have a good handle on how to fix it. It sounds a bit like the sort of graphics card issue that I described at post 2 except that yours cooked.
Hi :)

Not surprising as it's a very old GPU...and I'm a bit ashamed to say once removed and I had a good look at the card it was well and truly bunged up with dust/grime etc.
I did think of cleaning it and trying it in the comp. again but it's about time I bought a new one. (GPU)
I've got a Radeon MSI R7950 3gb in the newer computer so I've been trying to find a Radeon card that's roughly comparable to that.
Trouble is AMD have changed their card designations again since I last looked. I think a Radeon RX 560 would do for what I need/afford, but I'm not sure if it's better or worse compared to the R7950, as there doesn't seem to be many reviews of the RX's about on the web.
I don't want to spend too much as the computer MB and CPU are quite old as well. The games I play for example, Elite Dangerous, work fine on my R7950 card (newer comp.) So something round about the same performance and DX12 should be ok to fit in my older comp. I can play ED (or did) on my old computer but the graphics were getting pretty basic/crappy after the last two or three ED/Horizons game upgrades on the HD 4870. :roll:

Round about the £100 to £150 mark is my budget, and preferably a Radeon card.
So any advice in that area from anyone would be most welcome as well... as I'm still searching for a suitable card to buy at the moment. :)

Oldman :)

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Post by birdtable » Wed, 2. Aug 17, 20:24

This comparison may help you get started in your search

http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AM ... 3641vs2160

Hope it helps a bit ... :)

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