Computer gone.....

[WilSurf]

Hi all.
Hopefully there is someone here with pc knowledge. 
Last week after starting up my computer ( a nearly 2 year old desktop) I inserted an USB stick.
When I clicked on "open files" in the pop-up screen, a blue screen appeared and I could read something about data dump.....100%
Then the computer shut down and started again.
Only to come up with a black screen.
No working mouse and no keyboard anymore.
It looks like it dosn't go through its normal startup cycle.
What is it and more importantly what can I do?

[Bird]

Hi all.
Hopefully there is someone here with pc knowledge. 
Last week after starting up my computer ( a nearly 2 year old desktop) I inserted an USB stick.
When I clicked on "open files" in the pop-up screen, a blue screen appeared and I could read something about data dump.....100%
Then the computer shut down and started again.
Only to come up with a black screen.
No working mouse and no keyboard anymore.
It looks like it dosn't go through its normal startup cycle.
What is it and more importantly what can I do?

1 - throw USB stick in fireplace and start fire..

2 - if it doesnt go thru normal startup cycle, not much really.
Take it to a shop to get looked at.

are there any warning beeps? Does it make any sound?

[Trex_s4m1]

you are WA hey? im near Perth mate if you want i can have a look for you.
whats it running? XP or Win 7?

[WilSurf]

The fans are running, no beeps.
It is running Windows 7 64-bits.

I am in Perth, northern suburbs in Tapping.

[Mallory Black]

My desktop misbehaved and wouldn't start up last week, according to my geek the files got currupted by an update from microsoft.
It's running XP, he says that he's been to a dozen PC's with the same problem

had to re-install windows to fix, I've since bought an external drive to save my pictures etc just in case something like that happens again

[l0ckym]

Press F8 as it tries to boot, and select Start in Safe Mode - if it lets you. Then reboot once its all loaded.

OR

Depending on the machine, try to access the BIOS - turn the pc on, and press delete, or F2/F12 (again - depending on type).

Then select Load BIOS defaults.  Could have forgotten where its disks are.


Oh - and double check the screen is pugged in and turned on.. (thats been responsible for more than one 'My screen is black' moments)..

[WilSurf]

Press F8 as it tries to boot, and select Start in Safe Mode - if it lets you. Then reboot once its all loaded. Tried this, nothing
OR

Depending on the machine, try to access the BIOS - turn the pc on, and press delete, or F2/F12 (again - depending on type). Haven't tried this, will do tonight
Then select Load BIOS defaults.  Could have forgotten where its disks are.


Oh - and double check the screen is pugged in and turned on.. (thats been responsible for more than one 'My screen is black' moments).. Checked, is connected. Screen only tells me alternating: Analog   Digital

See comments in red.
I have also loaded he Windows CD, started the machine: nothing.

[Bird]

So if your only getting digital/analoge flashing by, your not getting any start up screens/windows screen at all.. So its not gettign to the OS. Which could be  a motherboard issue.
If it was memory you'd get beeps.

The USB file dump thing has me thinking, but that shouldnt kill hardware

If you can get into the bios, find the reset to default.

Do you have another PC at home? EG: swap monitor keyboard mouse etc (all one at a time though)...

[POD]

Seems to be working fine on Myswag, I wouldn't worry about all of the other crap and just have a Myswag dedicated desk top!

POD - The Problem Fixer. . . . .

Thank you, come again. NEXT PLEASE!

[D4D]

No beeps but fans could be a rail in the power supply has died. No video sync could be your video card is dead.

[WilSurf]

Seems to be working fine on Myswag, I wouldn't worry about all of the other crap and just have a Myswag dedicated desk top!

POD - The Problem Fixer. . . . .

Thank you, come again. NEXT PLEASE!

Ssttt, tell nobody but I am typing this from work.

[KingBilly]

I won't tell ......  if you don't 

KB

[Trex_s4m1]

ill put a dollar on it being the vid card. check that its mounted properly.
if the usb was plugged into the back you could have bumped the cable and dislodged the vid card. if you plugged it into the front.. well ignore my comment

[WilSurf]

ill put a dollar on it being the vid card. check that its mounted properly.
if the usb was plugged into the back you could have bumped the cable and dislodged the vid card. if you plugged it into the front.. well ignore my comment

I will ignore your comment. 
I have opened up the housing, pulled the video card and inserted it back into its place.
No change.

[Bird]

I will ignore your comment. 
I have opened up the housing, pulled the video card and inserted it back into its place.
No change.

while the case was open, did you try and power it up? See what fans are turning?

I think its more likely power supply or mobo
but if fans were going, it aint powersupply.

[Trex_s4m1]

yep im with lost.. ignore away  

[WilSurf]

Lost, I did.
Both fans (in the back of the casing and on top of the motherboard) are spinning.
So power supply should be fine.

[D4D]

Lost, I did.
Both fans (in the back of the casing and on top of the motherboard) are spinning.
So power supply should be fine.

Fans take 12V, could be the 5V rail that is stuffed. I had this exact issue about a month ago.

[xcvator]

There are several steps you need to do here to isolate the problem

1/Turn on computer, and listen, do you get a single beep, if no, replace the bios battery and try again (bios will lose it's settings if the battery is flat ) if yes watch for any error messages and listen for any other beep sounds( make a note of number and length)

1/Try another known good video card ( $10-00 will do) if still the same

2/Try another known good monitor (while keeping known good video card installed)

3/Check if system lights and fans are on (if not motherboard is very suspect)

Try and get hold of a copy of Scott Mueller's book "upgrading and repairing pc's" borrow or steal it, don't even think about buying, I've got edition 14 from about 10 years ago when it cost about $170-00
cheers Keith

[Bird]

There are several steps you need to do here to isolate the problem

1/Turn on computer, and listen, do you get a single beep, if no, replace the bios battery and try again (bios will lose it's settings if the battery is flat ) if yes watch for any error messages and listen for any other beep sounds( make a note of number and length)

1/Try another known good video card ( $10-00 will do) if still the same

2/Try another known good monitor (while keeping known good video card installed)

3/Check if system lights and fans are on (if not motherboard is very suspect)

hes already done all that..

[xcvator]

hes already done all that..

No he hasn't 

[WilSurf]

What I have done so far:

- start the pc --> nothing, only small light on front of casing, no mouse, no keyboard, no beep
- opened up the casing (removed dust). start the pc --> 2x fans running nothing else, only small light on front of casing, no mouse, no keyboard, no beep
- inserted the Windows 7 CD, start the pc --> nothing, only small light on front of casing, no mouse, no keyboard, no beep
- unplugged the power, removed the video card, removed the 3V battery, checked the voltage (over 3V), reinstalled battery, video card, power --> nothing, only small light on front of casing, no mouse, no keyboard, no beep
- unplugged the hardddrive, opened up a Dell computer I have lying around, connected the hard drive, started that pc --> beep, nothing else. Can't connect monitor a it is a different connector.
- tried the hard drive from the Dell pc in my normal pc --> nothing at all. But I might have had one small 4-pin connector on the motherboard still disconnected.

Tried delete, F2, F12 yesterday, but as I don't have keyboard function --> nothing

[Bird]

its ****ed.

[xcvator]

Does your old Dell computer work ok, if it does remove the video card from it and install the card in the computer that's playing up and try it, if that doesn't work try it in a different slot.If the Dell has a built in video chip just buy a cheap and nasty card and try that in a couple of slots.Still no joy, then it's probably the mb which is pretty easy to replace and cannabilise your old parts.
The usb stick and the pc playing up is probably just a coinsidence

[D4D]

Do you have a multimeter? Turn the PC on and measure the DC V at the power connector for the HDD, red should be +5V, yellow should be +12V, black is earth.