hardware trouble

[daveparki]

my system has just crashed and when i tried to boot it up , it has a black screen and will only recognise the floppy and does not go any further........can anyone possibly assist. cheers

[mjc]

Well....some specs please?

[daveparki]

not sure but will find out as it is for a friend of mine,

[gopi_vs]

Welcome to the PCGuide forums!!!

Ensure that everything is plugged in properly without any loose connection. Boot with the bare minimum ie., Processor, RAM, display, keyboard and note the results.



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<font color = "green"><b> B </b></font><font color ="maroon"><b>positive</b></font> and <font color="navy"><b> never</b></font> ever look <font color="navy"><b>back</b></font><b>.</b>

[Budfred]

Welcome

When you say black screen, do you mean a black background with print on it? If not, how do you know that it is recognizing the floppy? Also, when you check with your friend, find out as much as you can about what was being done with the computer before it died. Did friend recently download any programs? Was it having any problems before the final fall? Were there any indications of overheating, burnt smell, or things like that?

The more you can tell us, the more we can help.

Budfred

[daveparki]

will find out, cheers

[Sylvander]

Hello daveparki.

I’m using diagnostic charts.

START UP
1. Is the PC dead? No.
2. Did POST appear to run? Yes. [You’d see it polling the hardware (lights flashing on various items)]
3. Were there any audible beeps? I’ll assume yes. [This signifies successful POST completion.]
4. Is the monitor display correct? Yes. [It started to display white text on a black background.]
5. Is there an error code? I’ll assume no. [You would have said so if there was.]
6. This is a problem with BOOT UP.

BOOT UP
1. Does the system boot from the Hard Disk Drive? I’ll assume no. [It only boots from the floppy.]
2. There is a problem with the HARD DISK DRIVE.

HARD DISK DRIVE
1. Does the system boot from the floppy? Yes.
2. Run diagnostic software from a floppy to check the HDD.
Go to the HDD manufacturers website and download their diagnostic software onto a floppy disk.
3. Is an error reported? I’ll assume yes.
4. Does the error appear to be “software” or “hardware” related? If it is software related, check the files & the configuration & use software diagnostics. [I’m not exactly sure what it means by that.] If it’s hardware related then:
5. Check if the HDD’s signal cable is ok. If it isn’t replace it and re-test the system. If it IS ok then:
6. Replace the HDD with a known good drive and re-test with diagnostics.
7. If the new drive tests ok, then the original drive was faulty. If it does not test as ok then the system board or an adaptor on it is faulty.

It seems like Gopi’s idea of reducing the components to a bare minimum would be a good first move since it would eliminate [or point to] peripherals as a cause right at the start. Then you know it’s either the software or the signal cable or the drive or the board.

If he’d made an anti-virus “Rescue Disk” [by AVG for example] he could have scanned for viruses in [the files and] the partition & boot sector and restored the partition/boot sectors if necessary.

[daveparki]

cheers will try and get back to you all