computer won't boot

[sparky2032]

Last night, my friend and I cleaned his computer. It is three years old, and badly needed it, so we removed the PCI cards including his 3Dfx card (Voodoo 3000). We put everything back where it belonged, and plugged in everything as it was, but now it doesn't boot right. The computer starts the boot, it beeps once, the hard drive, floppy drive, DVD, and CD-R drives all start up, and the fan on the processor (it's slot based) starts whirring away. Unfortunately, that's where it stops. The monitor never comes out of its stand-by mode, and the computer just sits there. The monitor does work, because we tested it with another computer. The PC was not "professionally" built (i.e. Compaq, etc.) so we have no one to contact for assistance. Also, because of how it was built, the only graphics the computer has is the Voodoo card, and there isn't even a monitor port on the PC itself. The PCI cards that is has are the modem, ethernet, DVD, ATA, sound card, and of course the 3Dfx. The CPU is a Pentium III 500mHz, and the RAM is PC100, 128 MB if that helps any. It uses Windows 98. Any help or suggestions would be very greatly appreciated. THANKS!

[Whyzman]

Hello sparky2032,

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif Forums!

I realilze this may be the obvious...but since everything worked well before disassembly...I would suspect that the problem resides in reassambly.

I would reinsert each card a couple of times to make sure the contacts are making contact. Same for the cables you might have disconnected...remove and plug back in a couple of times. Make sure everything is snug! The RAM also...same procedure!

Was everything placed back into the same PCI slots as before?

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!


Whyzman
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Reserved for Punishing Humor...A Pessimist's blood is always B-negative!

[This message has been edited by Whyzman (edited 02-19-2002).]

[mjc]

My first guess is that the video card is not seated properly...it looks like it is going through the POST routine and starting, probably finishing the boot process, but the monitor just isn't coming on...

Try pulling the video card again, reinserting it making sure that it is level and firmly pushed into the slot. If you look closely at it all the little pads on the bottome should be completely in the slot. Do this with the machine unplugged. Also try to power up before you put the screw for the card back in...I have seen sevearl cards that will work without the screw but not with it...it is like the screw pulls the card out of the slot slightly...


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mjc
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