My computer just died...

doc_1982

My computer might be boned, and i have no idea where the problem might be. About 2 months ago, semi frequently on startup my computer would show a message in red text(even before the BIOS started) saying that there was a problem with the connection on the graphics card. The message would just flash repeatedly on the screen and the internal speaker would emit a high pitched beeping. This could usually be remedied by just powering off and back on again, and i was too lazy to open her up and take a look at what might be causing it. I eventually did, made sure all the wires were connected and cards secure in their slots, and closed the case never to see the problem again.

Then, i started up the computer today, after nothing of note happening to it recently. It gets past the bios, the XP flash screen, then i get a black screen for 5 minutes, all the while the processor light is working overtime. I get tired of waiting, so i restart. Exact same thing happens. I boot into safe mode, which takes roughly 10 minutes(no exagerration). Except it doesn't quite get there. I try go straight to the System Restore screen, it never pops up. I run the Task Manager, and try to get explorer going. It takes forever, but interestingly, the process percentage isn't maxed out, its running at about 3% usage. There's clearly nothing doing, so i shut down, which again takes a ridiculous amount of time.

So again, i open the case up. I check all the connections, and close it up. I plug in the power and start up, and this time, it doesn't start up at all, the screens don't show anything, and there's a low warbling sound coming from the internal speaker. Because there's no error message, i have no idea whats wrong. So i open it up, check all the connections again, and same problem again on startup.

Has anybody ANY idea what this could be? FWIW, i have a second HD fitted, my graphics card was high end like a year ago, and i have a second fan fitted.

Cuddlesworth

doc_1982 wrote:

Then, i started up the computer today, after nothing of note happening to it recently. It gets past the bios, the XP flash screen, then i get a black screen for 5 minutes, all the while the processor light is working overtime. I get tired of waiting, so i restart. Exact same thing happens. I boot into safe mode, which takes roughly 10 minutes(no exagerration). Except it doesn't quite get there. I try go straight to the System Restore screen, it never pops up. I run the Task Manager, and try to get explorer going. It takes forever, but interestingly, the process percentage isn't maxed out, its running at about 3% usage. There's clearly nothing doing, so i shut down, which again takes a ridiculous amount of time.

Sounds like the Hallmark of a dying Hard-drive there. The reason why its so slow is that Windows is seeing bad blocks and moving recovered data onto new ones. But they are bad. So its a vicious circle of slowness culimating in a dead hard-drive.

doc_1982

After i opened it up the second time last night, i tried starting up while disconnecting one or the other of the hard drives, and still the same thing. I should have at least got a BIOS, no?

Cuddlesworth

Yeah you should have. Have you tried clearing Cmos?

I would also start pulling parts, strip it to just cpu and ram and see do you post or even get a coherent error message.

doc_1982

So its most likely not my HD's? I don't know how to clear the cmos, but it didn't occur to me that it could be software related because i couldn't even get a display up.

And i did a half assed attempt at stripping down the comp, but only got as far as the HD's. The graphics card appeared to be difficult to disconnect. I'll try that when i get home tonight.

Cuddlesworth

From my experience, a insanely slow pc with no cpu activity is a saying bad hard-drive.

But, if there is no display on screen, even at a bios level software is not to blame. It would be the screen, card, video cable or mother board that would most likely be the problem.

A screen can ruled out by using another pc/laptop. Same with the cable.

You could try the other vga output on the card, another card in the system or the card in another system to rule that out.

After that, pulling parts to see if you get error messages would be a good test of the motherboard, just seeing if the bios is even loading enough to find a missing part and error.

doc_1982

I'd be almost certain its not the screens. I have a dual monitor setup, so one of them would have displayed SOMETHING, but nothing. I do have a laptop though, so thats easy enough to test.

I think its probably the mobo or video card though, as i can't believe anything else would cause that kind of siren going off.

zilog_jones

Try reseating the graphics card, i.e. taking it out fully and putting it back in.

It could also be a power supply issue, especially wrt the warbling speaker and the sporadicness of it all. So I'd try taking out all unecessary components and see if it starts up then.

doc_1982

Okay, so tonight i stripped EVERYTHING out, the HD's, the gfx, extra fan, both pieces of RAM. Exact same thing happened. When i tried taking out the first piece of ram though and booted up, no siren, but i already had the gfx taken out, so i couldn't see if there was any boot. When i reinstalled the gfx, the siren went again, and also this time, it powered on by itself(without pressing the button on the front), and i couldn't power it down, except by pulling the plug.

So that really leaves the mobo and the PSU. Whats the easiest way to isolate the problem?

kmb

it powered on because you had not pulled the power cord,naughty.
Easy way to blow things.
Why not try a pci graphics card in it?
Also check the beep codes for the bios to identify the problem.

Regards

Kieran

doc_1982

No, i had pulled the plug at the back. What i mean is, when i plugged it back in, it started itself up. Usually it does like a half second "prestart", then powers down, but this time it just went straight into startup. It's still doing this, and i can still only power off by unplugging at the back.

Also, i don't have access to a spare pci card. Where would i get a guide to beep codes?

n/m found it!

So according to the legend, from my 6 beeps

6 Beeps
8042 Gate A20 failure
Bad CPU or Motherboard

zilog_jones

I'd try a different PSU if you can get hold of one. Shops like PC World and Maplin usually let you return something (if undamaged and with the box) if it's not any use to you.

I doubt there's anything wrong with your CPU unless maybe you've been overclocking the sh1t out of it . Also, take a look at the cap's on the motherboard and see if there's anything unusual about them, like on here.

doc_1982

Don't the problems i outlined in my OP sound a lot like CPU trouble?