help for a newb

[mr.dunder]

My computer I built a few years ago has crashed. Can someone give me an idea where to start looking?


After it's been sitting a while i can power on and get to the Windows logo (where it has the loading status bar) and the screen freezes. After i shut it off and turn it back on i get no output on the monitor at all. The computer seems to be running (all fans are on, cd tray ejects) but there's no output to the monitor & the keyboard lights don't function. I thought maybe the video card came unseated so I reseated it and still nothing. I've also tried another monitor.


These are the specs as best as i can remember (it's been 3 years or more since i messed with anything tech related):
Asus A8N-E Motherboard
Athlon dual core (can't remember the speed or model)
EVGA 7800GT video
2 gigs ddr RAM
Windows XP pro

 

[tastegw]

try reseating the cpu with a new application of thermal compound if you have any.

also, before doing that, reset cmos by either using the jumper on the mobo, but if you cant find that just take the round battery out for a few minutes and put it back in.
(be sure to reset the time in bios before moving on to windows)


a few other things you can do while you have your case open is to dust it out with a air can, this may not fix your problem, but be sure to blow out your heatsink/fan very good.

and when you turn back on your pc, see if the heatsink fan is working.

hope you get it all fixed up.

 

[Trotter]

With it freezing up while loading Windows, it sounds like your installation may have become corrupted. Luckily you are on XP so you can do a repair installation.

Boot from your Windows CD (not a restoration disk unless you want to wipe your hard drive because a restoration disk will). Go through like you are going to install Windows. It should detect your current installation and give you an option to repair it.

 

[mr.dunder]

Thanks for the input.

I tried re-seating the cpu and resetting the cmos. Still no output to the monitor.

I also tried to boot from a windows disc. I'm not getting anything. Monitor never comes on.

 

[Asylum]

May be your video card then!! See if you can get 1 from some1 and see if thats it!!