PLEase Help COMPUTER wont Start

[helpmeplz]

Okay, my friend came over one night to help me set up a Hub. We need to install another network card on my computer. he took out the modem in place of network card. THe stupid thing was that he pulled out the card while the computer was running. As soon as he pulled it out, the power shut off and now the computer wont even start. the only thing that happens is when i push the power on button the lcd light for the hard drive flashes for a second. Im talking about nothign starts, not even the power or motherboard. Im thinking he either blew out the power supply or motherboard. He is really dumb for doing that. can someone please help me and figure out exactly what is wrong wiht it???? he has a PII 450 mhz.

[BigGeek02]

You might try testing the power supply. At Wal-Mart (or any other typical "everything" store), you can buy a tester that tests different types of power supplies. Make sure to get one that tests at least 12 Volts. (that's the amount that the power supply puts out) Otherwise, you'll blow the tester and be out $20 or so. But, if you plug in the computer and test it w/ the tester (put the red hook up on the tester into the yellow wire's spot, and the black into the black wire's spot on one of the 5.25" power hookups that come out of the power supply), the needle should tell you if you're getting the correct amount (if any) of power at the other end. In this case, you're expecting it to read 12 volts.

If that passes, then you know your power supply is ok and you know you need a new motherboard. If it fails, you also might want to check all of the 5.25" and 3.5" hookups, and the motherboard hookup to make sure you didn't just blow one. This way, if only one is bad, you don't have to buy a whole new power supply.

To check the motherboard hookup, test each of the red, orange, or yellow wires w/ the appropriate voltage setting on your tester. Here is the layout for the motherboard connector...

P8-

Pin Name Color Description
1 PG Orange Power Good, +5 VDC when all voltages has
stabilized.
2 +5V Red +5 VDC (or n/c)
3 +12V Yellow +12 VDC
4 -12V Blue -12 VDC
5 GND Black Ground
6 GND Black Ground

P9-

Pin Name Color Description
1 GND Black Ground
2 GND Black Ground
3 -5V White or Yellow -5 VDC
4 +5V Red +5 VDC
5 +5V Red +5 VDC
6 +5V Red +5 VDC

That's the only way I know to determine it. Good luck, and I hope you find out that you only have to buy a $50 supply instead of a $300 motherboard. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Computer Error Haiku-
"Warning: Universe Corrupt. Reboot?(Y/N)"

[tjaymadison]

Good info to know, BigGeek, but don't the P8 and P9 plugs refer to an AT power supply? Are the colors and voltage the same for an ATX?

Anyhow, back to the problem. Don't add or remove any more cards for now. First, handcuff or tie your friend's hands behind his back, lock him in the bathroom, whatever. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif If the case is still open, power up and quickly look to see if the CPU cooling fan is running. If not, SHUT DOWN NOW! It doesn't take very long to cook a CPU. If that's OK, then check the power supply fan. If that's also running, power down and remove your CMOS battery for a minute or two. Put it back and power up. If you're very lucky, it may boot.

IF IT DOES BOOT: http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Give your friend some money to go to a movie or a bar, it will be cheaper in the longer run. Run some programs, see if the system runs OK. You should probably put some tape over that card slot, because it's most likely a goner. I know I wouldn't trust it. Power down, grab your coat, and join your friend at the bar. Get totally sh**-faced, but make him buy. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

IF IT DOES NOT BOOT: http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif
Do that other stuff anyway, but stop and slash your friend's tires on the way to the bar. But Seriously! It may just be the power supply, and you can either get instructions for testing it, let a shop test it, or buy a new one and try it. It's not that expensive, and you'll probably use it eventually anyway. Now comes the real test. With a PS you know for sure is good, if the system still won't boot up, you have three equally unattractive suspects. RAM, mobo or CPU.

I don't mean to make fun of your problem in my reply here, but I've had a similar experience with a friend recently. He set a beer on top of my monitor when I wasn't looking, and bumped it with his elbow. You guess the rest. It wasn't powered on at the time, but that made no difference at all. Today we can both laugh about it, but at the time... http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif

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"When I nod my head, hit it with the hammer."
-- (Moe, holding nail, to Curly, holding hammer)

[This message has been edited by tjaymadison (edited 04-28-2001).]

[helpmeplz]

Okay, i took out the Power supply on my fried computer and put it in my other computer that works. To my luck it worked, so i figure since the power supply works fine the mother board is fried. Do u think Ill have to replace the motherboard and the proccessor, or just the motherboard. I have a PII 450. Im guessing it will run about 115?????

[tjaymadison]

Always try the cheapest things first. Did you try the CMOS battery thing yet? Can you swap your RAM into the working PC? If it doesn't work, that might be what took the power hit. DIMM's are pretty sensitive. Luckily, they are also pretty cheap right now. If you can, try swapping the P-II into your other PC, or see if a "friend" has a Slot-1 system. If it works OK, you know it's your mobo. If it does not, you can get a Slot-1 Celeron cheaper than a P-II 450. If you do have to replace the mobo, you could get one that can be overclocked, and possibly end up with a faster system than your original.

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"When I nod my head, hit it with the hammer."
-- (Moe, holding nail, to Curly, holding hammer)

[helpmeplz]

okay, i took out the ram and put into my other computer. the other computer recognizes the added ram so im guessing it works and thats not the problem. I took out the video card and audio card and those seem to not be the problem. The power is functioning. i dont understand ...what is the cmos battery thinggy? and what is the MOBO??? i do not have the knowlege or resources to swap a pII motherboard. Thanks a lot for your help. my friend is still waiting for his computer back http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif

[tjaymadison]

Sorry. Mobo = motherboard. The CMOS battery kinda looks like a quarter. It's in a plastic holder on the mobo. Sometimes there's a little tab on the holder you can press to release it, or else pop it out with a toothpick. If you leave it out for a minute or two, your PC "forgets" its settings, and when you put it back and boot up the next time, it has to start from scratch. I just thought it might "wake up" something that got jumbled. When you put everything back in your PC, except THAT modem, you know the power suppply and the RAM are good now, so it must be either the CPU or mobo. If you can, find some one with a "spare" Slot-1 CPU, maybe an older Celeron. You will probably have to reset some jumpers on the mobo if you put in a different chip. If you can't find a loaner, then I guess it's time to bite the bullet. If you buy a chip and the system still won't boot, then you have to buy/borrow a mobo. Or take the system in to a shop for service.

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"When I nod my head, hit it with the hammer."
-- (Moe, holding nail, to Curly, holding hammer)

[helpmeplz]

okay, i took out the cmos batter and it did nothing. the thing is, i dont want to take it in, and pay 60 doll just for someone to tell me whats wrong with it. I dont know if i need to replace the mobo or the cpu. how can i check if the cpu is damaged? thanks.

[tjaymadison]

You can't tell by looking at it, unless there some very obvious scorch marks around the gold contacts. There is no other way to test it besides putting it in a system where everything else works. Same goes for the mobo. If you end up having to buy new stuff, there are some pretty good deals at OverStock (http://www.overstock.com), some are mobo & CPU package deals. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif

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"When I nod my head, hit it with the hammer."
-- (Moe, holding nail, to Curly, holding hammer)

[helpmeplz]

1. If you did NOT hear or see the fan in the power supply moving when you hit the power switch, you either are not getting power to the power supply, the "local" power supply switch on the back of the power supply is turned to "0" (should be turned to "1"), the power supply is defective, the power supply fan is defective, the front panel power switch is not connected properly (either at the front panel or at the motherboard), the front panel power switch is defective, or the motherboard is defective.