Topic: PC won't boot

[Noel]

Hi all,

I have a Pentium III 600mhz Gateway PC running Windows 98.  I recently installed a driver for my digital camera in order to connect it to the USB port but after installation windows kept crashing when I connected the camera.  I tried various things to fix this but to no avail and I eventually gave up.  I switched on my PC the next day and it wouldn't boot up - it beeps three times (I don't know if it did this before or not!!!) when switched on and the hard disk spins for a few seconds but then it just stops.  Nothing shows up on my monitor either so I can't tell what's happening.

When I was connecting the camera to the PC I had to move the PC so maybe I loosened something inside when I did this but I'm not really expert enough to go opening it and working out what's wrong.  I rebooted the PC several times while I was having the problems with the USB connection and it booted fine everytime so I can only think that it was when I put the PC back in it's original position that I knocked something out.

Has anybody got any ideas?

[Simon]

Hi Noel,

Welcome to the forum!  I hope you find your time here useful and fun!  

I'm not an expert by any means, but maybe your first, and easiest option might be to check all the connections into the back of your PC, and monitor.  Make sure they are all fitted nice and tight.

The three beeps are a signal from your motherboard that something is wrong (but I expect you gathered that!), which could mean opening your PC case, and checking things inside, but check back here again this evening, and hopefully one of our more techie people will come to your rescue!

One question: you said nothing shows on your monitor?  Are you saying it doesn't even power on?

[Hitch]

3 beeps on general boards ie and ami bios board means that your memory needs checking, it could just have come unseated or it could have blown.
Open up your case and touch the sides to reduce static content in your body (the metal sides) then just puch the memory modules very gently till you feel some resistance.
then try to boot up.
If this does not work remove the memory and if you have more than one replace one at a time and try to boot, if it fails take it out and try another one.
If this boots at some time then the memory left out is bad.

It sounds liek when you moved it you may just have banged an already loose module and its come out.

[Hitch]

oh yeah please turn the pc off first i aint calling you daft but ive seen it done (boooooooooom).
And keep the plug in the wall to help earthing, just make sure the socket is off

[Tony]

There is usually something in the house or garage that you can make a 'anti static' lead out of.

I used a length of bell wire connected to the earth pin on a 3-pin plug and the other end split the two seperate wires back and bare them. Then twist the bare ends  together at the base and the ends. and there you have a  anti static wrist strap. Ladies wearing nylon panties are advised to remove them before working on their PC, they are a know source of static  

catch

[Sandra]

Does that mean I have to work on my PC in the nude Catch for safety reasons  

[Tony]

I reckon that would sort out the static, but you may end up with raising temperature problems amoung other things  

catch

[Mustapha Phagg]

Does that mean I have to work on my PC in the nude Catch for safety reasons  

Yeh, Yeh  

[Noel]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions - I'll try opening the case tonight and see if I can locate the problem (luckily I'm not wearing nylon panties today!!).

Simon - the monitor is switching on, it's just that it's not receiving any output from the PC.

[Tony]

Hitch,

I'm no expert, but assuming it was a memory module problem, would'nt the set up screen still appear at boot up, and would it not show a failed memory test.Of course I'm probubly totally wrong in my thinking, but in anycase why should Simon get all the flak  

Noel,

have you tried your monitor on another PC, that's what neigbours are for  

catch

[Simon]

I don't know what the 'beep' codes mean, but I wondered if the graphics card may have (also?) become dislodged.

When you're inside, Noel, just push gently down on all the cards in all the slots, and make sure everything is fitted in securely.  

[Sandra]

It depends on the type of memory Catch,I looked at one last week and someone had taken a stick out and not reinstalled it fully(it was a SIMM) and it just beeped constantly and never showed anything on the screen.
As this ones a 600 its probably on sdram dimms.If it has just the one stick of memory it would do the same but if it has more than one then it would start up on the other/s and just not read the "loose" one  

You wouldnt believe how much stuff I have read about memory this last week,I may prepare a thesis on it later so that Clive can get me another doctorate  

[Simon]

I may prepare a thesis on it later so that Clive can get me another doctorate  

I hope you and Clive haven't been playing doctorates, and nurses again, Sandra!  

[Hitch]

Hitch,

I'm no expert, but assuming it was a memory module problem, would'nt the set up screen still appear at boot up, and would it not show a failed memory test.

ya partly right of course, and i should have said that if he had more than one it would still boot so that makes my second comment sound a bit daft. but i blam work for that
If his one stick is out then it wont boot.

[Sandra]

If his one stick is out then it wont boot.

Isnt that what I said,Your Hitchiness