Sometimes boots others No Video, No Beeps

[DarthGreedius]

Hi,

Ive recently started using again an old pc (parts circa 2003) that had been lying unused for a bit over 6 months.

After a few days of using it seemed to have died: no video signal, no beeps. The case has lights and fans they all turned on, the DVD drive got power and would open and close. Just no video. I reseated RAM and Video Card. It booted again fine. I used it for a bit, turned it off and when I came to use it again no video again. Its been doing this for a couple of days I'll list the things I've tried most of them with the same result it works again for a bit and then no video again.

0. Reseated RAM and video card. Booted.
1. Unplugged everything except CPU, 1 stick RAM and video card. No go.
2. Tried stick of RAM in both available ports, no go.
3. Reseated video card. Booted.
4. Tried another known good video card. No go.
5. Blew out a lot of the dust with compressed air (can). No go.
6. Bought new stick of RAM tried it in every combination (with the other one, together). No go.
7. Took out CMOS battery, left it alone for about 15 mins, popped it back in. Booted.
8. Same as 6 but no go.
9. Nothing, just left it alone for several hours and it's working again.

I've just done step 9. Stumped by this mistery I decided to post.

Here's the hardware involved

Mobo: MSI KT4A-V
CPU: AMD Sempron 2800+
Video: GeForce FX 5200 (Old, 4? 5? years)
RAM: Two sticks of no name brand 1GB each. (One new one at least 5 years old)
HDD: Seagate 80GB (at least 5 years old) Maxtor 160GB (New)

Here are some other details:
0. PSU fan is working.
1. CPU fan is working.
2. The two fans in the case are working.
3. I have not touched the CPU in any way.

My only guesses are:
1. Something is overheating.
2. CMOS battery is dying.

Thanks in advance for your help, and the guides and posts... I read and tried a lot of the things mentioned here in guides and other posts.

...,
DarthGreedius

[Sylvander]

Sounds like a poor connection of the video card in its slot.
Try cleaning the connectors of both the card and the slot with Isoprpyl alcohol on a Q-tip/cotton bud.

[sassie05]

While you're at it..
change that very old battery.

[DarthGreedius]

I cleaned the card contacts and the pci slot... that seems to have solved it, for now.

I saw some weird graphic glitches once before doing it, I hadn't seen that before. I guess that confirms the poor contact theory, no?

Thanks for your quick replies :)

PS: I'll be replacing that battery soon, just gotta hunt down a place to get it, turns out it's not something many places are carrying around these parts... *shrug*.

[Sylvander]

1. "I cleaned the card contacts and the pci slot... that seems to have solved it, for now"
Good! :cool:

2. "I saw some weird graphic glitches once before doing it, I hadn't seen that before. I guess that confirms the poor contact theory"
Seems to me.

3. "turns out it's not something many places are carrying around these parts"
How about doing a Google search for the item an include the name of the place you live or somewhere nearby you think most likely to have them?
Not sure of the code number of these batteries; CR-2032 I think.

[sassie05]

Wal-Mart, Target, Radio Shack.

It does depend where you are located.

[DarthGreedius]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic

*shrug*

Thanks again for the help. The PC is still working :)

[Sylvander]

"The PC is still working"
Amazing the trouble that can be caused when a microscopically thin layer of any non-conducting substance comes between the two conducting metals that need to make good contact.

[DarthGreedius]

Hi,

The PC is acting up again. Here are the symptoms (in order of appareance):

- Screen freezes for a few moments, then returns to normal
- Some graphic glitches
- Screen freezes completely does not return to normal, PC is unresponsive.

Here's what I did:

- Turned off and unplugged.
- Removed graphics card, softly cleaned contacts on card and PCI slot with Qtip lightly dipped in isopropyl alcohol.
- Blew contacts and PCI slot with can of pressurized air.
- Left it alone for a couple of minutes.
- Plug graphics card back in
- Got video (sorta): single blinking cursor on top left of screen.
- Removed CMOS battery (still the old one) and replaced after a few minutes. Same blinking cursor.
- Reseated RAM
- Booted fine.

After about 15-20 minutes of use the cycle started again, but this time I didn't get any video (no blinking cursor, nothing)

I just left the PC alone for now, since what I've done so far does not seem to fix things permanently.

I can think of removing the motherboard from the case to see if anythings shorting things... besides that I can't think of anything *shrug*.

How about you guys? What do you think?

Thanks again for your help :)

...,
DarthGreedius.

[Sylvander]

Try this:

1. Go into the BIOS Setup and make notes on paper of all the BIOS's configuration settings seen there.

2. Shut down and remove CMOS battery and this time LEAVE IT OUT, so that the defaults are used and are unaffected/uncorrupted by a possibly failing CMOS battery.

3. If this seems to fix the problem you've found at least one culprit responsible.
Some time later you can get a new CMOS battery and fit it.
That would give you the ability to change settings from the defaults.

4. If it makes no difference, it does no harm to have fitted a new/good battery.

[DarthGreedius]

I'll have to wiggle it a bit to get into the BIOS. Though I know the "correct" settings by heart, I've had to reset them quite a few times during this whole deal.

I say "correct" because though they work I'm not 100% sure they are the ones that were on before the PC started failing, specially the FSB Speed and Multiplier. I have an AMD Sempron 2800+ (2Ghz) and I've set it to 166mhz x 12. That's worked so far, when the PC does decide to boot up, hehe.

I'll be reporting back on this tomorrow or the day after that... *shrug*

Thanks again :)

...,
DarthGreedius

[minus-sign]

Is this happening at random or after a set period of time? What is your OS or is it even getting that far? Do you remember what you were doing when it happened (the last time or as many times as you can remember)?

Also; can you elaborate on the graphics glitches? Are they streaks on the screen? Blocks of garbage in one spot? Or is it flickering like an old CRT?

[minus-sign]

Called MSI to confirm: your mobo uses a CR-2032. You can pick one up wherever they sell lithium watch batteries.

[DarthGreedius]

Thanks for the info! :)

It happens at random. Last time I 'fixed' it the computer worked fine for several days. Today it worked for about 20 minutes after I 'jury-rigged' it.

I'd be browsing and reading pdfs (most likely) when the computer failed.

The graphic glitches I've seen so far are garbage blocks in some spots, they were quickly followed by complete failure.

The monitor is a 19'' LCD, so no flickering.

...,
DarthGreedius

[DarthGreedius]

Hi,

The PC is working again, I'm using it right now to post.

I went out and got a new CMOS battery, turns out a hardware shop near here carried them :rolleyes:

I did the following:

1. Replaced the battery. No video.
2. Removed RAM and turned it on to see what would happen. No video, but noticed that when the RAM is in simply pushing the power button turns the pc off, but with no RAM i have to keep the button pressed down... Does that mean anything?
3. Reseated RAM, still no video.
4. Reseated video card. Booted.

*shrug*

Let's see how long this jury-rig lasts :P

thanks again for all your help,
DarthGreedius