Pc Will Not Start

[ignis]

Please can anyone H E L P…

Got back after being in the south for a week, plugged in and switched on my PC, the Asus load screen comes up but nothing will load. Have tried about 30 times always the same, just the Asus M2N4-SLi screen and at the bottom to press DEL to enter setup…..

Key board will not work, tried 2… + tried in all 14 USB sockets on my PC….

I built this PC in December AMD 2 core 5200 + Ice Cooler, GeForce 8600 GTS, 2x 200 gig Sata 2, 650w power, 4 gig memory etc..

When I closed down it was working 100%, so have no idea why I now have a problem.

Both the keyboards work perfect… all 3 hard drives in my PC work perfect, as I have external USB cases for IEE and Sato drives and have taken then out and tried then via the USB on my laptop as checked the keyboards…

My laptop is for work only, so need my home PC urgently, any advise please ??

[sbk]

Can you enter the bios? Did you leave it plugged in while you were gone?

[ignis]

Can you enter the bios? Did you leave it plugged in while you were gone?

Yes It was unplugged......... Cannot enter anything as no keyboard

/ mouse or any USB will work

[ballbreaker]

I don't know how old your computer is but you might replace battery on motherboard. I had a PC do the same and it was the MB battery but computer was 5 years old. Batteries are usually good for 5-7 years.

[stumonster]

have you tried a PS2 keyboard or an adapter to convert USB to PS2 for your keyboard ?

then hit delete on boot and enter the BIOS setup - hit F10 to save settings and exit - it will reboot , then see if it hangs again.

what is the exact message you get when its stops booting ?

[opalhort]

This is what I would try (from past experience):

Since the PC is quite new there could be something that drained the battery while the PC was unplugged or the contacts oxidised - replace battery and clean contacts.

Unplug and re-seat every connector on the MB especially the RAM cards. Clean the RAM cards contacts with a pencil eraser and first try with only one card (this worked for me whenever we had the same symptoms).

opalhort

[ignis]

have you tried a PS2 keyboard or an adapter to convert USB to PS2 for your keyboard ? Have both PS2 and UBS Keyboards

then hit delete on boot and enter the BIOS setup - hit F10 to save settings and exit - it will reboot , then see if it hangs again. MAKES NO DIFFERECE AS THE KEYBOADS WILL NOT WORK, already tried many times + if I could would get the screen of Boot Options and try 'Start in last good known conf..'

what is the exact message you get when its stops booting ? the Asus load screen comes up but nothing will load. Have tried about 30 times always the same, just the Asus M2N4-SLi screen and at the bottom to press DEL to enter setup

[ignis]

I don't know how old your computer is but you might replace battery on motherboard. I had a PC do the same and it was the MB battery but computer was 5 years old. Batteries are usually good for 5-7 years.

Asus MB warentee runs out December 2012.

Will try the battery as soon as I get rid of the Flue and can manage to drive the 30 odd km to Nontaburi to Pantip 2

[ignis]

This is what I would try (from past experience):

Since the PC is quite new there could be something that drained the battery while the PC was unplugged or the contacts oxidised - replace battery and clean contacts. Will try the battery as soon as I get rid of the Flue and can manage to drive the 30 odd km to Nontaburi to Pantip 2

Unplug and re-seat every connector on the MB especially the RAM cards. Clean the RAM cards contacts with a pencil eraser and first try with only one card (this worked for me whenever we had the same symptoms). Many thanks will try this tomorrow if I feel better

opalhort

[opalhort]

You may not need to go to Pantip to find the battery.

If your MB uses the same one as all of our ASUS MBs use then it should be a CR-2032 which is available everywhere, even smaller supermarkets carry them.

opalhort

[ignis]

You may not need to go to Pantip to find the battery.

If your MB uses the same one as all of our ASUS MBs use then it should be a CR-2032 which is available everywhere, even smaller supermarkets carry them.

opalhort

Many thanks, will ask n Tesco Express[only 7km] feel sure Tesco Lotus will have as there is a parts shop outside at Bang Yai [17km away]

[endure]

Try unplugging everything external apart from the keyboard and rebooting the machine.

[ignis]

Try unplugging everything external apart from the keyboard and rebooting the machine.

Yep already tried that

[stumonster]

have you shorted the link to reset the Bios to default ? ( or taken the battery out for a bit )

do the keyboard lights flash once during boot ?

[Tony Clifton]

I'm thinking RAM.

Do you even see the memory test that should follow the Asus M2N4-SLi screen?

Edited June 29, 2008 by Tony Clifton

[stumonster]

I'm thinking RAM.

Do you even see the memory test that should follow the Asus M2N4-SLi screen?

unless you disable the splash screen in the BIOS or hit a button to show it , all that is hidden on boot.

[opalhort]

I also suspect the RAM.

Take the cards out, clean the contacts and re-seat them one by one.

Also, as suggested above, force the BIOS into default mode by removing the battery for a few minutes if the RAM clean-up does not work.

opalhort

[ignis]

have you shorted the link to reset the Bios to default ? ( or taken the battery out for a bit )

do the keyboard lights flash once during boot ?

Yes keyboard flashes just the once....... holding down the DEL on restart can get 'searching' but never gets past that

[ignis]

Feeling better today, so can see + am no longer dripping sweat 24/7 so will take out the battery for 5 mins later, to see if that works.... [could not before or the motherboard would have been full of water/sweat]

On another topic,

Having Diabetis have for years always had the Flue Jab, this year forgot,

It is so hard to get rid of the Flue, today is day 12, and still very very week, but can at long last start to see clear, and know what day it is.. 3x injections and 20 different tablets 3 or 4 times aday later........

N O will NEVER forget the Flue Jab again.

[stumonster]

the keyboard flashing is a good sign

you can also clear the BIOS to defaults by moving a jumper link to short 2 pins then put it back to its original position - check your motherboard manual - this method will ensure resetting your bios.

I would suggest using the PS2 keyboard until your fault is resolved.

[ignis]

Removed the battery for 5 mins and put back...... keybord now works...... what do I now do?

From what I can see need to set the Time and date ?? everything appears to be there and in order, [1x Floppy, 2x DVD Drives, 3x Sata HDD, 4112GB Memory etc] just the time says 0-0-0 but seconds are counting... date say Weds 01 Jan 2006

Changed the time easy, but the date not sure how...... can change day but Month is grey and will not change, the year is black and changes to 2008... How to change Jan to June ??

Left it on Jan and pressed F10 Save & Exit....... the screen went blank with a blinking white bar on the left corner.

Help..

Just about to go down to the local electrical repair shop for a new battery, [they also appear to repair PC, TV's and everything electrical, but speak NO English at all, so do not want to take the PC there and leave it... Friend in the next Village did last year, they ftted a new motherboard yet his was 3 months old, reformatted, he lost over 400MB of data]

but wanted to know what to do

Fit new Battery > start holding down DEL > Now in setup screen .. what now?

Many thanks in advance

Edited June 30, 2008 by ignis

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

Just an idea. Seems to be a somewhat common problem of the Asus nForce-boards - had it happen on my machine too, there it was a dodgy device in a USB port (first time the connected IrDA adaptor, second time the internal (!) memory card reader that is plugged into a USB header on the mainboard.

In either case resetting the BIOS didn't do any good, only unplugging the device did, and after one boot/shutdown cycle i plugged it back in and everything was fine again.

Many people think about the USB devices, but NOT about the internally connected once, such as memory card readers or even the front USB sockets which are no less but an internal hub that hooks up to a mainboard USB header. And moist dust (or dead ants or similar material) in a USB socket can cause above mentioned misbehaviour. I've lost one USB header on the mainboard because one of the front USB ports (the one NOT holding the IrDA thingy) had collected dust that became conducting - enough to short something out and now that socket won't work anymore, the actual header on the mainboard is dead.

Using canned air to clean the (un-used) USB ports works wonders at times when mysterious boot problems occur

Best regards.....

Thanh

PS @ the OP

To get that battery, go to any place that sells either watches or cameras, and ask for a "CR 2032". They cost like 39 Baht at TESCO Lotus (right by the cashier, with the other batteries, brand "Panasonic") or 80 or 100 Baht at the watch shop (usually brand "Energizer"). No need to go to Panthip for these - in Panthip you may receive old stock that dies after mere weeks, i had that happen - bought a pack of 10 because i have a type of watch with integrated camera that uses those, and wondered why they'd last only a few days in the watch. Put one in my PC and sure enough after less than three weeks it showed signs of dying. Old stock or simply fake batteries (which i don't think..... who would fake such cheap stuff??)

[ignis]

New Battery in, clock reset = nothing……. So have looked a bit more and found the problem, the Sata2 200g hard dive with my OS reads 80g…….. so guess the problem is the hard drive ??

I rebuild or build new my PC every 18 months, but there is a problem…

Last rebuild was last December, now have 2 Core, so was new MB, CPU, 1x HDD, new Power 650w as now 24 pin, new 4g Memory as DDR 2…

My question is how long should a hard drive last + what is the best make?

I have W.D + IBM + Seagate Barracuda, yet non last, my newest 200g Sata 2 has it would appear failed after just 6 months. I have been in Thailand now just over 5 years…… This is my 3^rd ‘NEW’ build PC, and have 7 failed Hard drives in this time.

My old Sony Laptop is now 7 years old and still has the 1^st Hard Drive, [bought in UK] so am a a loss as to why the PC Hard drives fail every few months

Any help or advise please, as looks like will have to buy another Hard drive, add the OS and then see what I can get off the old drive

[sbk]

Ignis, I have hardware failures on a regular basis. But, I live right on the sea, my computers are not in an aircon room, just fan. They rust, they get sticky from the salt air. They die.

Could something like that be an issue for you?

[ignis]

Ignis, I have hardware failures on a regular basis. But, I live right on the sea, my computers are not in an aircon room, just fan. They rust, they get sticky from the salt air. They die.

Could something like that be an issue for you?

Maybe, live out in the sticks, and never use air con

[stumonster]

what has reported the size of your HD ?

BIOS ?

[ignis]

what has reported the size of your HD ?

BIOS ?

Yes, shows all drives, notice that the 'c' partition size is missing and just showing is the 'd' partition size

Could it be MS automatic updates? when I closed down MS installed 7 updates.. Genuine XP Pro

[ignis]

Just got back from Pantip 2, no problem with the hard drives it was the Power Supply [650w] Engineer put in a new High End Dual Core 450w [1,200baht in Sale] and all is running fine.

Also now have dual boot Visa & XP Pro