CPU starts booting but halts and doesn't finish

Status
Not open for further replies.

Performa

Solid State Member
Messages
6
Heyas.

I've done some searching on these forums, but can't find the answer to my problem, although I have a feeling it might have something to do with the POST thingy.

Anyway, here's my problem, I'd be very grateful for any answers!

When I try to boot my desktop computer it initially starts and the power LED lits up on the front. However a second or so after powering up, the boot sequence seems to halt. The power LED is still lit, but nothing more happens. Usually I can hear the HD start spinning, but now it doesn't seem to. No image what so ever comes trough to the screen. I've also tried to boot from a cd, and that didn't work either.

I opened the panel to have a look if I could find anything that seemed susipicious, and there was this tiny red light on the motherboard that was lit. I don't know if it normally is, or not. The light was close to a lithium battery, so I tried replacing that with a new one, which didn't help. Otherwise fans etc seemed perfectly fine inside.

Before this occured I didn't do anything special with the computer, I didn't install anything, didn't connect or disconnect anything, I didn't drop it to the floor etc :), and powered it off normally for the night as I always do. The morning after this problem occured, so something must have happened during the night...?

Normally I usually figure out what caused the problem, and then I can fix it. (Bumped hard into computer, HD start clicking, I replace it etc) but now I have no clue as to what may have caused this.

Any help would be most appreciated!
Thanks, P
 
So your saying it isn't posting but then you said you tried booting from the CD drive. If you're able to get into the BIOS to choose what to boot then that means the computer is passing the POST. I'm a little confused so can you clarify this?
 
I'm sorry, I managed to confuse myself there too I think.

It does not seem to pass the POST, and I am not able to get into the bios. I'm not very experienced with computers when it comes to these things, so I just decided to try to boot with the recovery CD in the drive, to see if I got the option to start from the CD, which I didn't.



Thanks for your reply.
 
First and quickest thing to try is resetting your CMOS. Just take out the small silver battery you see sitting in the motherboard. Leave it out for 15 minutes and then put it back in and boot.

If it still doesn't pass POST, disconnect all peripherals from the computer, including extra PCI cards inside your PC. Leave only one stick of RAM and your video card in. Then try to boot again. If it doesn't again switch the stick of RAM with another one.

If it still doesn't then it sounds like you have a dead motherboard on your hands.
 
Well I tried what you said, also tried to change the videocard to an old one, but still no go, so I guess it's the motherboard then...

Oh well, guess it's time to buy a new one anyway. Cheers for your help guys.

BTW, is there anything one can do to avoid this in the future? Or is it just random/old age? (This cpu is 4.5 years something.)
 
The CPU's life expectancy is over 100 years so it's almost never the CPU that goes. Usually the PSU or motherboard that dies first. There really isn't anything special you can do other than not to buy cheap parts. There really is a difference when it comes to computers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom