Hardware Problem!

[xpedient]

My cousin's pc had a hardware problem i think... when the pc is open for about 2 hours, it shuts down... and when we restart it, it doesnt start up even at bios and we noticed that the cdrom is reading... that's weird, the cdrom's up but the power is off... what seems to be the problem here?

 

[Lexluethar]

Need a few more details, like what is the setup, what are the specs of hte computer in question?

I would say if the computer is on for a long time, during that time works fine then randomly shuts off that it is overheating. Try cleaning all fans out with a can of air and ensure that all fans are running.

I'm sure what you are experiencing is that the CD ROM is the first boot device, and the BIOS screen goes by before the monitor even turns on. So you essentially see nothing, hear the computer checking the CD Rom to see if there is a bootable device.

 

[Luke]

I'm sure what you are experiencing is that the CD ROM is the first boot device, and the BIOS screen goes by before the monitor even turns on. So you essentially see nothing, hear the computer checking the CD Rom to see if there is a bootable device.

If that was so then it would sit at a screen saying "insert boot disk" (or something of the like)...are you experiencing this?
By the way you wrote it i can not tell if you have been able to start it up again, or is it unable to start at all after a few tries?

 

[Lexluethar]

No Luke, I mean he would hear the CD rom spin for a few seconds. THis happens all the time on my computers that check the CD rom for a boot device before the HD. The BIOS request the CD rom spin to see if there is are boot files on the CD rom (or DVD).

I don't mean it in the sense that it is asking to boot from the CD, i'm saying the BIOS is checking to see if there is a bootable device in the drive, notices there isn't and continues on with the normal boot sequence.

 

[Luke]

No Luke, I mean he would hear the CD rom spin for a few seconds. THis happens all the time on my computers that check the CD rom for a boot device before the HD. The BIOS request the CD rom spin to see if there is are boot files on the CD rom

Sorry, i miss understood you. I thought you meant something else. I know what you mean now.

 

[xpedient]

If that was so then it would sit at a screen saying "insert boot disk" (or something of the like)...are you experiencing this?
By the way you wrote it i can not tell if you have been able to start it up again, or is it unable to start at all after a few tries?

its starting sometimes but then again, it would not... its random...

No Luke, I mean he would hear the CD rom spin for a few seconds. THis happens all the time on my computers that check the CD rom for a boot device before the HD. The BIOS request the CD rom spin to see if there is are boot files on the CD rom (or DVD).

I don't mean it in the sense that it is asking to boot from the CD, i'm saying the BIOS is checking to see if there is a bootable device in the drive, notices there isn't and continues on with the normal boot sequence.

there is no display... fans are rotating as normal... cdrom is blinking... i switched over to integrated video to rule out the video card and the result is the "no signal" sign blinking in the screen... its just like it powers on and powers off in a fast rate... im sorry i cant fully express myself in english, forgive me readers... hehe!

 

[Lexluethar]

Your English is fine, in fact I think it is better than some people with which English is their first language

Sounds like a dead hard drive. You should put in a Linux Live CD and pull what data you can off of the drive. Then look at replacing the hard drive. You could just reformat the drive first to see if the problem happens again, but IMO once a drive dies you should just recycle it and get a new one.