Computer will not post on reboot

Discussion in 'hardware' started by TimaN, Feb 29, 2012.

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  1. AlexC

    AlexC Registered Member

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    One symptom of problem with the CMOS battery is normally wrong time-settings...
     
  2. TimaN

    TimaN Registered Member

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    Replaced CMOS battery, that did not help. Switched out RAM with every combination possible, still no luck.
     
  3. pidbo

    pidbo Registered Member

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    Just some thoughts

    Is your cpu/heatsink cooling properly and does it have a good layer of thermal paste?
    Have you tried the pc with a different graphics card?
    Have you tried completely different ram (just to test)
    Have you re-checked all connections? (anything with a wire, plus connections to floppy drives, cd/dvd etc).
    In older pcs, sometimes you have a little bank of connectors, a little rectangle of tiny wires which look like a block but are actually individual connectors (they can get knocked loose) You may need a magifying glass to see
    Take a photo of it with a digital camera (if you have one)
    and take a photo of your motherboard and connections as they are now.
    (It helps when putting things back)

    Could you reflash your bios if it came to it?
     
  4. TimaN

    TimaN Registered Member

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    The CPU gets a proper cooling, idling at 25C. I tried two different sets of RAM and checked all the connectors, big and small. If I remove VGA card the board doesn't even acknowledge that it is not there, it should give me error beeps and it doesn't. Same thing happens if I remove all sticks of RAM, it won't beep either.
     
  5. mack_guy911

    mack_guy911 Registered Member

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    Last edited: Mar 8, 2012
  6. TimaN

    TimaN Registered Member

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    In my case I don't get any beeps. It's not posting most of the time. I have to try really hard to make it bootup.
     
  7. mack_guy911

    mack_guy911 Registered Member

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    Last edited: Mar 8, 2012
  8. pidbo

    pidbo Registered Member

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    Some more thoughts

    Sometimes faulty usb devices can freeze up a pc so that it wont boot...check usb devices (maybe try to disconnect)
    Card readers can cause problems too
     
  9. mack_guy911

    mack_guy911 Registered Member

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    also one more thing i notice remove all devices

    and put them one by one and make sure they dont very tightly insert they also give problem if ram/pci are pushed/insert very very deep tight they dont work and create problems
     
  10. TimaN

    TimaN Registered Member

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    I've been messing around with this issue long enough to notice when it's not booting up and just sitting there all powered up and if I let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and after that I do a reset it will post and boot. I'm not sure what prevents it from booting up successfully right away, but maybe this small observation will help to troubleshoot.
     
  11. stapp

    stapp Global Moderator

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    I would think if you get the same problem in safe mode it's a definite hardware issue.
     
  12. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    There could be a bad component or connection that works after the machine has warmed up. Have you reseated everything that can be reseated? When it's hung, you could maybe try gently poking at various components with a wooden chopstick.
     
  13. TimaN

    TimaN Registered Member

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    The computer is on most of the time. When it's time to restart is when I'm having this problem. I'm suspecting a hardware acting out, most probably a motherboard.
     
  14. mack_guy911

    mack_guy911 Registered Member

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    well one more thing you can do is run Ubuntu 10.04.4 LTS live cd

    and from inside it system testing it will generate your hardware profile in HTML formate telling you a lot about system working properly .......etc you see detail at end and if lucky you get idea of which bad component giving problem :rolleyes:

    or

    http://www.liberiangeek.net/2010/07...information-ubuntu-10-04-lucid-lynx-hardinfo/


    also if second time it bootup on restarting it might be battery problem as 1st time its not taking charge.......

    did you change your cmos battery by the way o_O

    also check ram by running memory test from Ubuntu or any other live cd

    if you have multiple ram and one ram is faulty i could be the cause as well i face that on my laptop so start with memory test


    Parted Magic is a small live CD it can run as small as about 200 ram on ram copy and on 64 ram running form cd there you can test memory

    http://distrowatch.com/?newsid=07112

    http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=partedmagic
     
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