PC Woes
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I am having a problem with a PC (P4 2.5Ghz) here in the office that is sporadically refusing to boot up. Sometimes it freezes when it is detecting the IDE drives or it may just sit on the Windows XP loading page with the progress bar just scrolling round and round or it may boot up without a problem. I have just installed a brand new hard drive (a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 250Gb) as the old hard drive died :( I did notice that on occasions when I turned the power on all the fancy lights and fans started but I wasn't getting anything else, the BIOS wasn't even beeping. Any ideas or any suggestions as to where I could look to try and diagnose the problem. :confused: Cheers Andy C There are No Stupid Questions. But there a LOT of Inquisitive Idiots.
My guess is that it is a problem with Motherboard. I had a similar problem with a laptop which was later found to be a Motherboard problem.
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My guess is that it is a problem with Motherboard. I had a similar problem with a laptop which was later found to be a Motherboard problem.
hmmm.... I was worried somebody would say that! Cheers Andy There are No Stupid Questions. But there a LOT of Inquisitive Idiots.
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I am having a problem with a PC (P4 2.5Ghz) here in the office that is sporadically refusing to boot up. Sometimes it freezes when it is detecting the IDE drives or it may just sit on the Windows XP loading page with the progress bar just scrolling round and round or it may boot up without a problem. I have just installed a brand new hard drive (a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 250Gb) as the old hard drive died :( I did notice that on occasions when I turned the power on all the fancy lights and fans started but I wasn't getting anything else, the BIOS wasn't even beeping. Any ideas or any suggestions as to where I could look to try and diagnose the problem. :confused: Cheers Andy C There are No Stupid Questions. But there a LOT of Inquisitive Idiots.
I've actually read about some problems with the DiamondMax not working on some computers and doing exactly what you say.
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I've actually read about some problems with the DiamondMax not working on some computers and doing exactly what you say.
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I am having a problem with a PC (P4 2.5Ghz) here in the office that is sporadically refusing to boot up. Sometimes it freezes when it is detecting the IDE drives or it may just sit on the Windows XP loading page with the progress bar just scrolling round and round or it may boot up without a problem. I have just installed a brand new hard drive (a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 250Gb) as the old hard drive died :( I did notice that on occasions when I turned the power on all the fancy lights and fans started but I wasn't getting anything else, the BIOS wasn't even beeping. Any ideas or any suggestions as to where I could look to try and diagnose the problem. :confused: Cheers Andy C There are No Stupid Questions. But there a LOT of Inquisitive Idiots.
I hear you. I have the same problem with my motherboard at home - the agp slot is loose so unless I really push the videocard in it won't boot or will randomly freeze when I'm working. Sometimes it would start acting up and I would have to open my case, reinsert the videocard and do a little voodoo dance which helps most of the time. During the past week I've had to reinsert it twice X| As much as I would like to throw this thing out and get new conroe, for financial reasons now is not the best time for me to do it. So the only solution is to buy a replacement mobo which is going to be a problem since socket 478 mobos are already hard to find for a reasonable price, let alone P4P800 kind which goes for $75 open box on newegg :~ Damn legacy hardware going up in price... --- As for you problem... If you don't hear any beeps when your PC refuses to boot up most likely you also have a dead/dying mobo. Motherboards will beep on bad videocard/memory so most likely those aren't the source of the problem. It could also be CPU, but that's harder to troubleshoot, and dead CPUs are very very rare.
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I hear you. I have the same problem with my motherboard at home - the agp slot is loose so unless I really push the videocard in it won't boot or will randomly freeze when I'm working. Sometimes it would start acting up and I would have to open my case, reinsert the videocard and do a little voodoo dance which helps most of the time. During the past week I've had to reinsert it twice X| As much as I would like to throw this thing out and get new conroe, for financial reasons now is not the best time for me to do it. So the only solution is to buy a replacement mobo which is going to be a problem since socket 478 mobos are already hard to find for a reasonable price, let alone P4P800 kind which goes for $75 open box on newegg :~ Damn legacy hardware going up in price... --- As for you problem... If you don't hear any beeps when your PC refuses to boot up most likely you also have a dead/dying mobo. Motherboards will beep on bad videocard/memory so most likely those aren't the source of the problem. It could also be CPU, but that's harder to troubleshoot, and dead CPUs are very very rare.
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I am having a problem with a PC (P4 2.5Ghz) here in the office that is sporadically refusing to boot up. Sometimes it freezes when it is detecting the IDE drives or it may just sit on the Windows XP loading page with the progress bar just scrolling round and round or it may boot up without a problem. I have just installed a brand new hard drive (a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 250Gb) as the old hard drive died :( I did notice that on occasions when I turned the power on all the fancy lights and fans started but I wasn't getting anything else, the BIOS wasn't even beeping. Any ideas or any suggestions as to where I could look to try and diagnose the problem. :confused: Cheers Andy C There are No Stupid Questions. But there a LOT of Inquisitive Idiots.
I've just finished repairing a machine with exactly the same symptoms - dead motherboard.
Ryan
"Punctuality is only a virtue for those who aren't smart enough to think of good excuses for being late" John Nichol "Point Of Impact"
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You could try looking on ebay or buy/sell/trade forums on hardware sites for used replacements.
dan neely wrote:
You could try looking on ebay or buy/sell/trade forums on hardware sites for used replacements.
Did that already. Searched anandtech and hardforums for various versions of P4P800, and there are a few deluxe versions for sale, but the sellers ask $90 for them. I also checked an ebay, but the going prices right now are almost the same if not more than an open box on newegg. Unless I can snatch one for cheap in the next couple of weeks I'm afraid I'll have to order from newegg as the computer becomes increasingly unstable. BTW, No.1 motherboard manufacturer my ass. :mad: I've had more problems with asus motherboards than with any other brand. Even their recent motherboards like an32 are problematic. Next time I'm going to look hard to avoid purchasing asus mobo.
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I am having a problem with a PC (P4 2.5Ghz) here in the office that is sporadically refusing to boot up. Sometimes it freezes when it is detecting the IDE drives or it may just sit on the Windows XP loading page with the progress bar just scrolling round and round or it may boot up without a problem. I have just installed a brand new hard drive (a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 250Gb) as the old hard drive died :( I did notice that on occasions when I turned the power on all the fancy lights and fans started but I wasn't getting anything else, the BIOS wasn't even beeping. Any ideas or any suggestions as to where I could look to try and diagnose the problem. :confused: Cheers Andy C There are No Stupid Questions. But there a LOT of Inquisitive Idiots.
I wouldn't buy a Maxtor hard drive on a bet...
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001 -
dan neely wrote:
You could try looking on ebay or buy/sell/trade forums on hardware sites for used replacements.
Did that already. Searched anandtech and hardforums for various versions of P4P800, and there are a few deluxe versions for sale, but the sellers ask $90 for them. I also checked an ebay, but the going prices right now are almost the same if not more than an open box on newegg. Unless I can snatch one for cheap in the next couple of weeks I'm afraid I'll have to order from newegg as the computer becomes increasingly unstable. BTW, No.1 motherboard manufacturer my ass. :mad: I've had more problems with asus motherboards than with any other brand. Even their recent motherboards like an32 are problematic. Next time I'm going to look hard to avoid purchasing asus mobo.
I'm currently having issues with an abit board, and have seen the asus version as hte recommended alternative. My first a8n-ultra died after about 4mo. MY replacement enters 'failsafe mode' if any parameters are changed towards overclocking and requires pressing F1 to boot every time, as well as not being able to support my CPUs max speed (tops out at 255, I need 260x10).
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I wouldn't buy a Maxtor hard drive on a bet...
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001 -
I am having a problem with a PC (P4 2.5Ghz) here in the office that is sporadically refusing to boot up. Sometimes it freezes when it is detecting the IDE drives or it may just sit on the Windows XP loading page with the progress bar just scrolling round and round or it may boot up without a problem. I have just installed a brand new hard drive (a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 250Gb) as the old hard drive died :( I did notice that on occasions when I turned the power on all the fancy lights and fans started but I wasn't getting anything else, the BIOS wasn't even beeping. Any ideas or any suggestions as to where I could look to try and diagnose the problem. :confused: Cheers Andy C There are No Stupid Questions. But there a LOT of Inquisitive Idiots.
Check the motherboard, and the power supply.
"Money talks. When my money starts to talk, I get a bill to shut it up." - Frank
"Judge not by the eye but by the heart." - Native American Proverb
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I'm currently having issues with an abit board, and have seen the asus version as hte recommended alternative. My first a8n-ultra died after about 4mo. MY replacement enters 'failsafe mode' if any parameters are changed towards overclocking and requires pressing F1 to boot every time, as well as not being able to support my CPUs max speed (tops out at 255, I need 260x10).
dan neely wrote:
MY replacement enters 'failsafe mode' if any parameters are changed towards overclocking and requires pressing F1 to boot every time, as well as not being able to support my CPUs max speed (tops out at 255, I need 260x10).
When you say replacement, do you mean abit or asus motherboard? Because that's one of many issues I have with my P4P800, every week or two it refuses to boot saying "overclocking failed" even if I'm running at stock speed. I have to press F1 to enter bios and then "save and exit" whitout actually changing anything. That works 98% of the time.
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dan neely wrote:
MY replacement enters 'failsafe mode' if any parameters are changed towards overclocking and requires pressing F1 to boot every time, as well as not being able to support my CPUs max speed (tops out at 255, I need 260x10).
When you say replacement, do you mean abit or asus motherboard? Because that's one of many issues I have with my P4P800, every week or two it refuses to boot saying "overclocking failed" even if I'm running at stock speed. I have to press F1 to enter bios and then "save and exit" whitout actually changing anything. That works 98% of the time.
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dan neely wrote:
You could try looking on ebay or buy/sell/trade forums on hardware sites for used replacements.
Did that already. Searched anandtech and hardforums for various versions of P4P800, and there are a few deluxe versions for sale, but the sellers ask $90 for them. I also checked an ebay, but the going prices right now are almost the same if not more than an open box on newegg. Unless I can snatch one for cheap in the next couple of weeks I'm afraid I'll have to order from newegg as the computer becomes increasingly unstable. BTW, No.1 motherboard manufacturer my ass. :mad: I've had more problems with asus motherboards than with any other brand. Even their recent motherboards like an32 are problematic. Next time I'm going to look hard to avoid purchasing asus mobo.
I've never had any problems with Asus motherboards. I've built about 15 PC's all with Asus boards in and only one of them has had any problems. The one and only Epox motherboard I bought caused me no end of trouble though, so I had to send it back.
