PC won't start up...! Please help...!

[Max Dread]

Hi all

I was on my PC just now when I accidentally unplugged the power cable whilst the PC was running. I started fiddling under the desk to get the cable back in, but I then managed to collapse the table holding my two 19" TFTs! That'll teach me a lesson for being lazy! Not a good day so far....

And now it's got worse....

Once everything was back up and together, I switched the PC back on. The very initial screen (black background and white writing) flashed up; the one which states the graphics card details, etc. Then it goes to a black screen with a single underscore in the top left hand side of the screen. The nothing happens.....

Of course, I don't know if the initial unplugging whilst the PC was on, or the subsequent collapse have caused the problem. But something has!

I've opened her up and all the system fans, the PSU fan and the CPU fan are all firing up.

So if anyone has any ideas as to how I can find out what is wrong and help me out of this panic I'd appreciate it hugely.

Cheers

Max

[Masaaki]

That doesn't sound good, but...

Can you press DEL button to show BIOS?
Did you check all the RAMs are firmly seated?

Do you hear the hard drive spinning?

[Max Dread]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. The POST is not going far enough to reach the screen which allows me to enter BIOS.

I have tried changing the CMOS battery and it made no difference.

I've tried feeling the HDs and there is vibration. So it seems they are working fine.

I've pushed the RAM to ensure it is seated well. Seems fine. I do have some spare RAM modules, so i could try replacing if it sounds like it could be the RAM that is gone. How likely is that do you think?

I've been reading up a bit and it seems the other possibility is that the PSU is failing. Apparently, the fact that the PC starts and that the PSU fan rotates does NOT mean the PSU is working as it should and it can still be th cause of the fault. Would you agree?

Cheers

Max

[Masaaki]

I can only say "maybe". In my case, when PSU failed, it was dead silent. Nothing happens with power button.

Since the POST doesn't go far enough, I would remove hard drive, just to protect it, and try replacing RAM and PSU next. It is possible motherboard has been fried, if everything is firmly seated as previously, and still hand before the BIOS.

[cpu28]

Check your hd data cables. Thats the most probable cause for the problem.

[Blast9]

[EDIT - oops - ^what he said^] Are you sure the cable/connector to the HD is not loose?

ALSO - you may need to re-seat your RAM in the slots - that happened to me once

[Max Dread]

Hey guys - I think I have fixed it!

I was surfing on the laptop and looking for solutions, and one site suggested that ANY hardware problem can cause this black screen. The article asked (amongst other things): "Has one of your CD/DVD drives started to play up and not always open?". Well, it has only happened two or three times - but yes, I have a drive which occasionally has not opened.

So I disconnected both CD/DVD drives and the PC booted! Strangely thought. I have now reconnected both drives and the PC is still booting!?!?! So should I carry on regardless, or should I look to replace the CD/DVD drive just in case?

One other question...

I noticed that removing the CMOS battery has reset the date and time in the BIOS. What else might have changed as a result of replacing the battery?

Many thanks

Max

[Treva]

I had a similar problem when my dog kicked my cpu.
It caused a loose dvd recorder cable.
It drove me crazy till I realised that was the problem.