53 replies to this topic

[King Mustard]

Trying to repair an uncle's PC (Athlon 64 3200+, 512 MB RAM, Windows XP).

When the machine is switched on, the system and CPU fans speed at their maximum level constantly until I keep the power button pressed to switch the system off.

There are no beeps, and there is no display.

I believe the fan's maxing out is normal, but only for a second or two, before normal POST/boot resumes.

Any ideas?

[Soul Taker]

Check the bios settings, sometimes there are settings there for fans

[Detection]

Could be a few things, try each stick of RAM on its own

Remove the graphics card if there is one and use onboard (if it has one)

Could be the motherboard

Reset the CMOS by removing the battery for 30 seconds

[King Mustard]

Soul Taker, on 28 December 2012 - 20:03, said:

Check the bios settings, sometimes there are settings there for fans

You missed the part when I said "no display"

Detection, on 28 December 2012 - 20:04, said:

Could be a few things, try each stick of RAM on its own

Remove the graphics card if there is one and use onboard (if it has one)

Could be the motherboard

Reset the CMOS by removing the battery for 30 seconds

Only one RAM stick. I'll try the other things now.

[seta-san]

did you check the heat sinks? are they clogged with dust?

[Detection]

King Mustard, on 28 December 2012 - 20:05, said:

Only one RAM stick. I'll try the other things now.

Try that stick of RAM in different slots too, if you have any spare RAM, try that instead

[Hum]

bad PSU ?

[Soul Taker]

King Mustard, on 28 December 2012 - 20:05, said:

You missed the part when I said "no display"



Only one RAM stick. I'll try the other things now.

Indeed I did , Detections ideas should be the next course, sounds like an old AMD i had, CMOS battery was dying

[Guth]

sorry OP this is a little off topic but I always wondered why some PCs do that full speed fan thing for a few seconds on power up.
all 3 of my PC's have been self builds and they haven't done that, but my mum and dads computers are bought and they both do it.

[King Mustard]

As soon as I take the NVIDIA GeForce 6600 out, the fans only spin fast for one second.

However, I can't confirm it's the video card at fault since I can't get anything onto the display!

[Detection]

King Mustard, on 28 December 2012 - 20:19, said:

As soon as I take the NVIDIA GeForce 6600 out, the fans only spin fast for one second.

However, I can't confirm it's the video card at fault since I can't get anything onto the display!

Sounds like that's your culprit

If you have speakers, plug them into the machine, let it boot up and see if you hear XP startup sounds

HDD activity light should give up its secrets if its booting

[King Mustard]

This is a PCI-E video card, right?



If so, which one?:

• PCI Express ×1
  
• PCI Express ×4
  
• PCI Express ×16

[Detection]

King Mustard, on 28 December 2012 - 20:24, said:

This is a PCI-E video card, right?

eb_pciemaybe.jpg

If so, which one?:

• PCI Express ×1
  
• PCI Express ×4
  
• PCI Express ×16

PCI-E yep, x16 if the board supports it, x8 if not I would imagine but you could test with any other PCI-E card so long as the PSU has the appropriate power adapter for it / or it doesn't need a power supply

[King Mustard]

Detection, on 28 December 2012 - 20:26, said:

PCI-E yep, x16 if the board supports it, x8 if not I would imagine but you could test with any other PCI-E card so long as the PSU has the appropriate power adapter for it / or it doesn't need a power supply

Unfortunately, I have no way to plug speakers into the machine.

The HDD doesn't sound like it's doing much from what I can tell/hear.

His current video card doesn't need any power adapters from the PSU.

[Detection]

King Mustard, on 28 December 2012 - 20:28, said:

Unfortunately, I have no way to plug speakers into the machine.

The HDD doesn't sound like it's doing much from what I can tell/hear.

Unless this is dust, it looks like this cap has popped





Possible because of so many failed boots, its stuck on some safe mode / repair screen, or can't boot at all

King Mustard, on 28 December 2012 - 20:28, said:

His current video card doesn't need any power adapters from the PSU.

Yea, I meant if you had another card to test in his machine, or were you going to test that one in your machine ?

Either would work


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From a closer look I'd say this was definitely the problem, or at least one of them, maybe could be repaired if you can solder