I've been a freelance computer repairer for a couple years now, but this one has me stumped.

I was playing an online game when suddenly I heard the sound of a fan hitting something from inside the CPU. So I quickly shut down the computer, flipped off the power strip and took the side panel off. Sure enough the processor fans had come untaped (yes, untaped, they were being held in place by 2 strips of duct tape... Don't ask). So I removed the processor (AMD 500MHz, it inserts into the mobo sideways), removed the heat sink and retaped the fans to the sink. I put the sink back on the processor and put everything back in. After putting the side panel back on the tower I turned the power strip back on and hit the power button. The fans spin up, and I can hear the HDD spinning, but the monitor comes on with a No Signal or Cable Disconnected message then goes to 3 vertical bars of colors... Doesn't start up. So I press the reset button, the monitor turns off and it still doesn't start.

Any ideas?

Download a copy of my diagnostic flowcharts from here
www.erniek.eclipse.co.uk/downloads/sylvanderdiags.zip
and print them to leaf through.

Begin on the STARTUP page.

Do you hear the single, short beep that indicates successful completion of the POST?
I bet not.
You probably have NO POST, so the video card is not enabled and there is therefore no video signal being sent to the monitor and that's why "the monitor comes on with a No Signal or Cable Disconnected message then goes to 3 vertical bars of colors".

Just follow the NO POST instructions.

Also, check to make sure your Slot A processor is seated properly. They can be troublesome if they are not snug to the board.

Most processors reach max op temp in about 2 to 3 seconds from startup, and if for some reason you leave your fan off, those 3 seconds before your nose gets the alert and your hands flail at every off button around, are exactly enough time to melt the solder out of an Athlon XP1800.

Of course I would never be dumb enough to do that, but this story i heard in a pub once would tend me towards thinking that your CPU is fried.

As said, the PSU starts up and feeds the fans etc, firing the BIOS POST, at some point it will attempt to warn you by beeping that it is having problems with your fried chip - actually it wont say the CPU is faulty but a pound to a pinch of salt the bits that aren't playing with the BIOS are controlled by your CPU.

PS - BIOS hands control to the AGP BIOS initially so you may well see something, for a bit, then nothing for a lot

PS Duct tape is the force that holds the universe together also like the jedi 'force' it has a dark side and a light side.

PPS Duct tape loses adhesion with heat... oh you know that :-)

Addendum - ignore the bit about AGP BIOS - I misread your post, it is'nt getting there and thinking on it won't as the processor controls the grafix card.

BTW your discs will spin up when they get power on, try taking the CPU out I bet you get the same effect (at least I think you will)