Computer won't start

[Marisass]

Last week my computer began freezing (regardless of what I was doing). I started and restarted so many times that eventually the screen was blank when I powered on and the moniter was blinking. The fans are working (I even cleared the dust) but it just won't catch! Any suggestions?

Just a quick not, I may have solved the freezing problem when the computer is actually on by repairing Windows 2000 but the power issue won't even let me access Windows.

[thronka]

Make sure your cards are secured in. You may have chip creep on your video card. Are you getting post beeps?

[Marisass]

All the cards are secured. I don't get any beep. I may be imagining things but I don't really hear the system starting when I turn it on, only the fans. Do you think there is any chance it could be the moniter? I really doubt it but I was going to btest it with another moniter to see if thats the problem.

[Martoch]

Start with the easiest fixes...

Have you tried clearing the cmos using the 'clear cmos' jumper on the motherboard?
Have you tried pulling hardware components out of the system and replacing them 1 by 1 to see if/when the system fails to boot?
When you say you hear the fans, is the chipset fan spinning up? I would worry about that one more than anything else...if you have one of course.

BTW, Welcome to TechIMO!!!


Mike

[Marisass]

I'm not sure what you mean by spinning up. Originally I pulled the CD/RW drive that I installed and it said CMOS was reconfiguring, other than that, no. How do you where is it located? one of the few times it started. There is really no way of pin pointing why it starts after several attempts. The process of elimination hasn't really worked, for example I unplugged the CD/RW it started, got all the way to the desktop, it froze, I restarted (but first pulled out the Cd/RW- didn't work. I am so frustrated! OR one time I cleared the dust from the chipfan and it turned on, went to the desktop, froze, restarted, didn't work! I am so frustrated!

If I can't fix this does anyone know the best type of computer to buy for the cheapest price?

Thanks for the welcome!

[thePh@r@oh]

so it boots but just freezes at windows? how abotu some system specs this may help us diagnose the problem...it sounds like a memory issue to me

[Marisass]

No actually two seperate problems.

Initially the computer froze after it reached the desktop, regardless which program was running. To resolve this I reinstalled Windows 2000 and everything seemed fine- it was starting, shutting down, restarting THEN I downloaded Kazaa (I know! I will never do it again!) and it started to freeze during the installation, it may have had something to do with the firewall as well.

Problem #1-1/2
So I wanted to get back in there and delete all components of Kazaa and thats when the power problem started. I can't access the system at all. But their are occasions that it will start, last night and this morning it has not started at all though. Basically I just want to get in there and repair Windows cause it seemed to work the first time.

1st obstacle: Get the maching to boot

2nd obstacle: Begin running the Windows 2000 disc before it freezes.

[atomicstomp]

If you put your ear to the computer speaker do you hear anything? Any burnt smells? Did you test your ps? I think the fans will come on w/5 volts but the mobo needs 12 I think?

[Prison Kids]

I had a similiar problem once, and eventually went into the device manager, deleted the video card then shut down the computer, re-seated the card, and rebooted. The computer will recognize the card as new hardware and install it. (make sure you have the drivers avail. during re-boot, so you can point to them if needed).

[Galaxy_EGS]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Marisass
[B]I'm not sure what you mean by spinning up.

Marisass, when Martoch said "spinning up", he meant "working."

So your problem began after removing Kazaa. How did you remove it, manually or with an antispyware program? We can start from there.