My computer powers up but does not boot

[Ash90]

Hello,

A couple of days ago i decided to upgrade some of the hardware inside my computer. I bought a new ram and graphics card , but now the now the powers up but does not boot. Its stuck on a screen which has the manufacture and intel logo. The mouse and keyboard do not work

The computer starts up and then beeps (short) once. I've tried removing other pci cards but its not improved. what could be the problem?

I have a fujitsu siemans scaleo p
Intel Pentium 4HT 2.0ghz
Windows XP Home
1GB RAM
ATI RADEON 9550 AGP 256MB

Thank you in advance
Ash

 

[esbo]

You need to find out what sort of BIOS you have that should help with the beep codes.

Knowing the problems I had inserting memory I would have a really good look to see if they are inserted correctly.

I initially though mine were ok but they were not, it's easy to think they are in properly when they are not.

Try reseating the graphics card too. You could also try without the card to see if it boots (obviously nothing on screen).

Sounds very much like ram problem. I'd put money on it (a small sum anyway - lol).

 

[raybay]

AS esbo suggests, pull everything and start over.
Also, it is good if you get away from it for a few hours so you are no longer feeling frustrated... Very often it is just a simple mistake or connection that you have overlooked.
Nearly everybody on TechSpot has gone through what you are facing now. It usually works out with a little patience and some re-thinking.
Make your next setup as simple as possible for the first try then if it works, begin to slowly add to the configuration.

 

[esbo]

Yes I have had problems every time I have installed memory or a graphics card.
Fortunately re-doing it with more care sorted things for me.
I tend to rush things first time in my eagerness to get it up and running better and faster!!

 

[Ash90]

i cant reseat the graphics card as its currently sitting in an AGP slot and i only have the one. Ive reseating the RAM but no change. Ive double checked all the cables and they are all in place. Ive tried removing the RAM but a get a weird sound (rapid short beeps) and when i remove the graphics card i get 1 long and 2 short beeps.

i only got the RAM a couple of days ago. do you still think its the RAM

im stuck on a screen with the intel logo and it say press tab for post screen and del for setup, but my keyboard and mouse do not work

 

[mailpup]

Generally, reseating merely means to pull out the card from the slot and put it back in firmly to make sure it is seated correctly, not find another slot for it.

i only got the RAM a couple of days ago. do you still think its the RAM

What RAM did you get and what amount?

 

[treetops]

Reseating means taking out and putting back in the same spot, also cleaning connectors if need be(woops looks like mailpup covered this part). So take out your graphics card and put it back in the same agp slot. Likely it is your new ram or your graphics card. So use your old graphics card and ram to confirm this. After you confirm your system runs fine with your old setup replace 1 part with a new part. Then see if your computer runs fine, if it does add another new part. If it does not take out that new part and put in the other one. This way you can see what new part is the problem. After you find out what new part is the problem make sure your computer is compatible with the new part, get driver updates for the new part, check power requirements, see if your bios needs to be upgraded to support the new part and then google for known issues with the part. Tell us your old part and what your new part is that's not working.

And as always make sure your windows is up to date.

 

[trashmetal11]

hmmm... this is really a serious problem....

 

[treetops]

hmmm... this is really a serious problem....

Reseat= very easy
Swapping parts= easy
Updating= easy
Checking requirements= easy

If its a new part in which I would bet it is, then it wont be hard to fix. I will guess the worst case scenario the new part needs to be exchanged or refunded. Best case scenario, graphics card is reseated and poof everything works.

 

[Ash90]

i got the Kingston RAM 1GB 333MHz DDR Non-ECC CL2.5 184 Pin DIMM. i replaced the new graphics card with the old one same problem, but unfortunatley my old ram doesn't work any more.

to me its starting to look like the ram is messed up. the requirements of the new ram meet the PCs.

 

[Ash90]

okay ive managed to find the other ram the came with the computer which i think works. so now i have all of my old hardware in the tower. ive checked all the cables again and switched the computer on the it still shows (and stays) on the intel screen. By the way i may have removed the battery in the motherboard when i was initially installing the new hardware.
now im just totally confused....

hope the new info helps

 

[treetops]

So your old and new parts produce the same problem. Did your computer used to work? You want to put the battery back in if its still out. Try disconnecting everything besides your hard drive, monitor, cpu, video card and ram. Disconnect your mouse keyboard cd rom floppy disk etc. See if that changes anything. If it still has trouble its either your ram video card mobo power supply ram or software. If it does not have trouble connect 1 item at a time and see what part is causing the problem.


Look in your manual and make sure you do not have to use dual channel ram. You can try to see if its software, try starting in safe mode. Try system restore. You can also try putting in your windows disc and reinstalling windows. You can try flashing your bios.

By the way I hope you took out the new ram when you put in the old ram and tested it. Same goes for the video card.

 

[Ash90]

You can try to see if its software, try starting in safe mode. Try system restore. You can also try putting in your windows disc and reinstalling windows. You can try flashing your bios.

By the way I hope you took out the new ram when you put in the old ram and tested it. Same goes for the video card.

i can not get any other screens im still stuck on the intel screen..it asks me to press TAB for post screen and DEL for setup. ive tried the windows disk hoping that id get the blue screen but no change.

i removed all if the new parts when i was testing


btw what do you use thermal paste for (i know is got something to do with the proceesser)

 

[treetops]

Thermal paste goes between the cpu and the heat sink(edited), google it for more info. It keeps the cpu cool by dispensing the heat to the cpu fan. Without it your cpu can fry up pretty quick.


Did you do this?

Try disconnecting everything besides your hard drive, monitor, cpu, video card and ram.

Did you look in the mobo manual and make sure your not supposed to be using dual channel ram?

Welp you might have let out some static on your mobo while putting in the new parts, probably not though, maybe someone else on here has some ideas.

Still thinkin

what the story with the old ram anyways?

 

[Ash90]

Nah my mobo and cpu are all standard... they came when i bought the pc

i was wearing an anti static wrist band when i was workin with the mobo

should i remove the disk drive, floppy drive etc aswell?

at the momenet everything inside the computer came when i bought the pc. ive removed all the new hardware, but like i said before its still stuck on the intel screen

 

[mailpup]

Thermal paste goes between the cpu and the mobo...

treetops meant to say that thermal paste or thermal compound actually goes between the CPU and the heatsink.

 

[Ash90]

do you guys think i should just buy a new mobo and cpu? or do you think i should send it for repairs? because im not making any progress.

 

[g4mer]

There is no need to buy new parts unless you are sure they are damaged.

 

[captaincranky]

This thread is becoming sort of wandering with no orderly structure. Why not do it "by the book", so to speak, and follow the steps in our "No Post" tutorial.

https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic53866.html Or perhaps this by kimsland on the same topic; https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic113137.html

As for the rest of it, we should probably proofread what we're posting, so we're not opening our mouths to change feet. For example;

Thermal paste goes between the cpu and the mobo,

No it doesn't, primarily because the CPU socket is in the way. The fact that it won't work there either notwithstanding.

do you guys think i should just buy a new mobo and cpu? or do you think i should send it for repairs? because im not making any progress.

Well unless you broke it, no! This because, unless you buy a direct replacement factory board, your Windows disc won't work, and you'll have to buy a copy to replace it.

 

[treetops]

Oopsy I meant heat sink, yeah follow crankys links. And yes remove all that, it will help you narrow down the problem, follow the links use the force.

 

[Jhong]

Computer won't boot

I need help! My computer won't boot. I opened up the computer and I tryied to reseat the RAM memory. Now the computer doesn't post. The fan turns on, and the power light comes on. I don't even get a bios setup screen. HELP ME!

 

[treetops]

I need help! My computer won't boot. I opened up the computer and I tryied to reseat the RAM memory. Now the computer doesn't post. The fan turns on, and the power light comes on. I don't even get a bios setup screen. HELP ME!

Make your own topic bud. And read those links cranky posted. You probably did not push the ram back in all the way.