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dead computer
I’m having a helluva day ………. my pc was playing up this morning, freezing etc. It also had decided not to switch off or or reboot when prompted. But now …………. it’s not booting up……… completely blank screen when i switch it on 🙁
Should I just smack it with a hammer?
I’ve got access to the internet through another pc and a laptop, but as neither are mine, they don’t have my email accounts, programmes files etc …………… I’m stuck! 👿
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57 Replies
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Oh no… can you hear anything when you turn it on, like hard disk running? cooling fans?
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Have you tried your emergency boot disc?
Have you got and emergency boot disc?
If not, try your windows CD.
Good luck 🙁
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there was me thinking you were blanking the e mails i sent for 15K’s worth of work up your way 😉 your not having much luck with technical stuff lateley Marcella i hope your luck changes
G
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the cooling fans are running and the hard drive light comes on …… but blank screen, nothing at all, like it’s not attempting to boot up.
Can’t find my windows discs …… 😕 …. I’ll need to keep looking for it.🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁
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quote George Elsmore:there was me thinking you were blanking the e mails i sent for 15K’s worth of work up your way 😉 your not having much luck with technical stuff lateley Marcella i hope your luck changes
G
as if I would ignore you Georgio! 😀
15k sounds fine by the way 😉
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Make a boot up disc from your friends laptop (?)
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Emily’s laptop runs XP home edition ……… mine runs xp pro. Wouldn’t that cause a possible problem (?)
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sounds bad if you don’t even get a boot sceen 😕
the windows disc idea is good to try.
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Can’t see a problem with that Marcella, anyway, what have you got to lose 😕
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at the minute not much Dave! So you reckon I should just put in the windows XP disc and then switch it on again?
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Yup, Go for it girl 😎
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ok ……… here goes, fingers crossed (hmm)
……….. so how do I get the disc in if it isn’t booting up??????? 😮 I can’t get the bloody disc drive open! 👿
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A paper clip got it open
But ………….. still nothing 😥
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Can you not make an emergency floppy boot disc? Used to know how but have forgotten 🙁
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On your laptop, go to my computer and to the A drive, insert a floppy and format it for use in ms dos mode. Try that in your comp.
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does it not even boot up in safe mode?? I think you turn on power and keep tapping F8
where are the geeks when you need em 🙂
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If the cd is not working then maybe mother board / power supply
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no safe mode G. As for the geeks ………… my geek is out working and I’m hoping he’ll be back soon….. this’ll cheer him up. 😮
Dave, this pc runs the exact same version of XP as mine whereas the laptop is a different one. If I knew how to make a boot disc I’d do it from this ……….. but I dunno how 😳
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quote Nick Minall:If the cd is not working then maybe mother board / power supply
Nick ……….. could be the motherboard. I can’t hear the hard drive run, only the cooling fans. Me thinks a disc won’t do the trick 😥
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quote Dave n Rob Lowery:On your laptop, go to my computer and to the A drive, insert a floppy and format it for use in ms dos mode. Try that in your comp.
otherwise
KEEP SMILING -
Marcie, just googled this but if your mother board is ill it wont work anywa
CREATING A WINDOWS XP BOOT DISK
Create MS-DOS bootable diskette
When formatting a floppy diskette, users have the option of creating a MS-DOS startup disk, follow the below steps to do this.
Place diskette in the computer.
Open My Computer, right click the A: drive and click Format.
In the Format window, check Create an MS-DOS startup disk.
Click Start
Create Windows XP Setup diskettes
Microsoft is beginning to phase out bootable floppy diskettes in favor of bootable CD discs and has not included a method of easily creating a bootable floppy diskette in Windows XP or from the CD. However, Microsoft has downloads available for users who still need to create bootable diskettes to install (not upgrade) Windows XP. These downloads can be found through the Microsoft download center.
Additional help and information about troubleshooting bootable CDs not booting is found on document CH000217.
HOW TO USE A BOOT DISKETTE
Once the bootable diskette has been successfully created, following the below steps you will be able to boot from the diskette.
Place the diskette into write-protect mode (in case a virus is on the computer, this will not allow the virus to transfer itself onto the diskette).
Insert the diskette into the computer and reset or turn on the computer to begin the boot process.
As the computer is booting, answer the questions prompted (if any).
Once at the A:\> take the appropriate actions depending upon the situation of the computer.
If you are unfamiliar with MS-DOS we recommend you see our MS-DOS page.G
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I think you need to try parts, try a hard disc first, you can fit one from a anther pc, but only do it if you are confident
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Got to leave you to it now Marcella, on my way out to fit.
Good Luck 🙄 -
thanks for that George
I think I’m cursed………. I put a floppy disc in and this pc shut down!!!!!!!
I think I’ll wait until John comes back in, he can pull it apart and fit a new motherboard or whatever if necessary.
If i ‘break’ this pc as well he’ll want to murder meHappy days 🙁 😕
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If the screen stays TOTALLY blank then the PC BIOS isn’t even making it to POST – ie. it’s deid.
Usually accompanied by either NO or a STEADY HDD light.Usually the MoBo in these cases…quite often it’s the graphics (if onboard)that throws a wobbly.
Always a good idea to check the power leads to all the connections. Drives, main board etc…never know.
In MOST instances – all the other components will be OK – just £30/40 for a motherboard and an hour time.
If you can try to get the same model board otherwise XP will throw a hissy-fit and take forever to reconfigure all the system drivers.
Dave
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followed those steps George but unfortunately there’s still nothing happening, it’s obviously a hardware at fault. 😥
think I’ll scream …………. 2007 isn’t starting out well for me.
where’s the brandy ………. stuff the resolutions!
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DEEP BREATHS MARCIE DEEP BREATHS
:baby: dont spit it out
G
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quote George Elsmore:dont spit it out
G
bet you say that to all the girls! 😉
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quote Marcella:where’s the brandy ………. stuff the resolutions!Good girl. You know it makes sense. 🙂
Sorry I can’t be more helpful than that. 🙁
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I do Marcie!!! :lol1: :lol1: :lol1: :lol1: :lol1:
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OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH! 😳
Is all your work on the P.C? -
:yes1:
:hung:
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Nightmare! :nag4: :headbang2:
I am crying for you!
This may be a long shot, But try putting this drive into another PC. there may be a slim chance this will give you access to your jobs. My laptop drive threw a wobbly before xmas, hard drive was not responding. A guy up the road managed to transfer the work onto a caddy drive. I was s******g myself. -
quote Marcella::yes1:
:hung:
Lets hope its the m/Board then 😕
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Marcella, if you are getting nothing on the screen at all then you have a hardware fault of some description. The machine should at least boot to the BIOS screen and if it is not getting this far then the system is finding a fault in a hardware component.
Best thing to do is unplug everything and clean all the gold contacts believe it or not even a dirty memory terminal can give you problems like this.
What ever you do do not connect your hard disk to another computer without first setting it as a slave device. If the system boots from you drive then you will end up with a windows validation problem. -
OK ……………. my geek has just come home ……..announced it did that yesterday, pulled out the power leads from the back, put them back in and hey presto ……….. it’s started to boot up! 😀
Now, here’s a thing. Over the weekend I had tried to installed XP SP2 as my pc wouldn’t install it before ………. anyway it went so far then stopped. Could SP2 be causing a problem????????
Just in case I’ve restored my pc to see if that will make a difference anyway. Although it’s only allowing me to restore to the point at which SP2 first went in 😕I think I ought to back everything up tonight.
Any ideas why this is happening anyone?
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marcella, if you have partly installed SP2 but not fully then yes it is possible it is causing you problems, I would make sure you have everything important backed up and then try to sort out windows. How are you trying to install SP2? From a disk or is it saved on your hard disk? How much memory do you have installed in the machine?
If you know you have a problem then I would first back everything up, then try doing a non-destructive repair of XP and then try installing SP2 again. -
Martin, it’s on my hard disc. I’ve got 1gb of RAM. But I’m going to back everything up …………. I’ve got a spare hard drive here so I think I’ll just copy whats on this to the other …….lock stock and barrel then see what I can do from there.
thanks 😀
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I would just do a normal back up if you can, the problem with just copying stuff is 9 times out of 10 when you do that you leave parts behind that means a lot of what you have copied is no good to you.
Do you have any software like norton ghost that you can use to clone your hard disk? -
Marcella, the pc should start to boot even with no hard disc in it and you should still be able to get to the bios to set it all up, so I do not think it is a software problem, if as you say it would not do any thing at all.
Nick.
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quote Marcella:OK ……………. my geek has just come home ……..announced it did that yesterday, pulled out the power leads from the back, put them back in and hey presto ……….. it’s started to boot up! 😀
Now, here’s a thing. Over the weekend I had tried to installed XP SP2 as my pc wouldn’t install it before ………. anyway it went so far then stopped. Could SP2 be causing a problem????????
Just in case I’ve restored my pc to see if that will make a difference anyway. Although it’s only allowing me to restore to the point at which SP2 first went in 😕I think I ought to back everything up tonight.
Any ideas why this is happening anyone?
I’m on again Nick …………. just trying to suss out what has caused this.
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If you didn’t have a problem before you tried to install SP2 then thats the first place I would look, I always like to install SP2 from disk so it might be worth you putting it on a disk and trying to install it that way rather than trying to install from your hard disk.
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thanks Martin, I’ll save it to disc anyway.
I had some problems before installing sp2, which was why I thought I would install it, to see if it would sort out the niggles. But in saying that, it didn’t chuck it before like it did yesterday and today, just kept freezing before.I hate computers 😕
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look at all the boys rushing to marcy’s side! :lol1: :lol1: :lol1: sorry im late marcy, i think you might need to give the computer more TLC
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Dave, I try to help everyone out if I can not just the good looking young ladies !!
Marcella, if it kept freezing before and John pulled the power leads and plugged them back in again it may well be a problem with the power supply. Power supply problems often cause computers to freeze all the time so it might be worth getting John to check the power supply with a multimetre.
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Nothing at all accompanied by no "beep" = big problem.
However, best solution first is to disconnect any USB devices from the pc and anything else you have (apart from keyboard, mouse, power and monitor cable). Very often get USB conflicts and driver problems causing this to happen.
Failing that, what was the last thing you did before it stopped working? This may lead to an answer.
I assume when you say "blank" that there is not even a single thing on the monitor? even if the bios cant perform Power On Self Test (POST – that beep confirms basic hardware is working), you should at least get a screen with some white writing or your PC manufacturers logo. If this does come up, perhaps try doing as suggested above, use a XP CD (either will do), go to setup and when it says exisiting windows found, choose REPAIR. Then run from the command prompt, FIXMBR and/or FIXBOOT (literally just type these in at the black screen / white writing prompt). Maybe you have had a virus causing the Master Boot Record of your hard drive to corrupt.
Last resort, open the case and remove all PCI expansion cards, reset the bios using the dedicated jumper or by removing the lithium battery for a couple of minutes and try again.
Proper last resort………. DYNAMITE…….. or call a local professional 😛
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Martin, I’m just jealous as I’m late in posting!
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glad yor back online
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quote Dave Rowland:Martin, I’m just jealous as I’m late in posting!
thats nothing…….. I didnt even read the full thread to realise that Marcella had "fixed" it……. hehe :lol1:
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quote Marcella:pulled out the power leads from the back, put them back in and hey presto ……….. it’s started to boot up!
You hadn’t plugged it in right had you :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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quote Dave n Rob Lowery:quote Marcella:pulled out the power leads from the back, put them back in and hey presto ……….. it’s started to boot up!
You hadn’t plugged it in right had you :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
I felt I would be taking the piss if I had said that……. (:)
Still, it happens quite often 🙄
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quote Phil Barnfield:quote Dave n Rob Lowery:quote Marcella:pulled out the power leads from the back, put them back in and hey presto ……….. it’s started to boot up!
You hadn’t plugged it in right had you :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
I felt I would be taking the (oh i swore !) if I had said that……. (:)
Still, it happens quite often 🙄
I swear, honest, I wasn’t ‘extracting the urine’!….
quote David Rogers:Always a good idea to check the power leads to all the connections. Drives, main board etc…never know…..Happens all the time here!! :lol1:
Dave
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:lol1: Dave …………. I’d be disappointed if you didn’t take the p1ss!
Martin, referring to me as ‘young’ earns you big bonus points in my book :lol1: :lol1: :lol1: thats a drink I owe you 😉Don’t know what’s caused the problem ……. software or hardware. Or probably both! But if it does it again, I’ll unplug everything for a few seconds then start again.
Oh, and I’ll keep backing everything up as I go along ………. just in case! 😮thanks for all the advice 😉
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Reminds me of the woman that phoned the computer helpline when her computer packed in.
"First of all, have you checked that your main power cable hasn’t come loose from the back of your PC" said the expert
"Which one is the main power lead" said the woman
"It’s the heavy duty cable that plugs into the back" said the expert
"Oh I can’t tell – it’s too dark to see here" said the woman
"Why’s that" said the expert
"We’re in the middle of a power cut" said the woman
🙄 😉
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sounds like a power supply unit to me madge 😀
nik
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Marcella, I would still look at the power supply first if you still have problems with the computer freezing all the time. That may also be the reason why SP2 didn’t install properly, if the computer froze part way through the install. If you have a lot of peripherals plugged into it scanners, printers, cameras etc etc then you may need to upgrade it to a larger power supply.
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Hi Martin,
there’s not much plugged into this at all, no printer, no scanner only 1 usb for my digital camera when I’m using it and my surround sound speakers, that’s all. Touch wood it’s been fine all day today.
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