I think this is a hardware problem...

[Gregavi]

but it could be software. I'm trying to solve a problem my mother is having with her computer. It is an Acer desktop running XP. When she turns it on, it will not boot. The computer is on, but monitor states "No Signal". She does a hard shut down (Holds power button for 8-10 secs.) ,then turns on power again and it will boot properly. Then she shuts down the normal way (Start>Turn Off Compurter>Turn Off). If she powers up again within a minute, it will again boot properly, but if she waits a few minutes, she has to go through the same "Turn Off, Reboot" process.
Any ideas to help solve this problem is greatly appreciated.
Happy Holidays!

 

[oldskool]

You could look under Device Manager to see if there is an issue with the video adapter. I am wondering if the video card is just ever so loose causing intermittent success / failure startups. I don't know what has been tried and not tried other than what you stated.

If she hasn't had a problem all along and then suddenly has this video issue, I am not thinking it's a loose video card, but it is worth looking at if other things don't pan out. Has she (or you ) tried looking at the video card to see if it is seated properly ?

 

[KSoD]

Sounds like a issue with the CMOS battery. It sounds as if it is dead.

Reason for saying so is cause it does nothing when first booted. But then there is enough power stored for it to boot the 2nd time cause it had juice left over.

Then as she waits a few minutes the juice goes out of the capacitors and she has to cycle the system again to get power back in there for it to boot.

I say CMOS cause that controls the BIOS. So it certainly sounds that way.

 

[oldskool]

It makes a lot of sense, Mak. You're probably right.