arrrrghhhhh - help - totally baffling computer problem

It has just taken me 26 minutes to boot up my computer. I've had an intermittent problem over the last week or so that seems to be getting progressively worse.

As my computer boots up I get what I can only describe as the sort of sound you get when a car engine starts pinking. All appears to be booting up fine but then this 'pinking' builds to a crescendo and the computer completely shuts off, as though someone has pulled the plug on it.

Until you disconnect the power lead so that the motherboard LED turns off you cannot reboot the machine at all, the case buttons do nothing. In the past this has happened a couple of times at most then booted fine so I've not been overly concerned by it. It's been about 15 consecutive times now before, by chance, it's working.

I thought maybe a dodgy power lead but swapped with no change in the problem. I doubt its the PSU as the computer works fine once you've got past the boot-up and into windows.

It can only be the motherboard but I can't understand why if it's a mobo problem the computer works at other times??

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

 

If you mean a 'beep' type noise as you start up then the list on here http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml should help determine what the problem is

 

Still have the box the PC came in?

What I sugest is packing it up, sending it back, and getting your money back.

Some people should stay well away from technology. Failing that, a technical tap with a sledgehammer usually does the trick.

Hope that helps!

 

Will the thing start up in Safe Mode?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/

The only moving parts are:
The Hard Disc Drive
Fan in the Power Supply
Fan attached to the processor on the Motherboard.


Stephen

 

Nope, not a beep at all. The machine appears to be booting fine, completes memory test, IDE scan etc, can sometimes make up right up to the log-in screen for windows.

 

Hit & Miss again

I've had the PSU open and cleaned all the dust out. Fan on processor is working fine ...

 

If you can get it booted in safe mode - my usual first thing is to reinstall Windows - amazing how that usually solves the problem!

 

Only a guess

The mechanical sound of a computer comes from two sources:
Fans and drives.

It sounds like something (wire, ribbon cable, molex connector etc) isinterfering with the rotation of a fan which causes the component to overheat and the machine shut down and refuse to reboot.

The only other thing that can make "pinking" noises is a dying hard drive.

If the machine is out of warranty and you are confident with thesethings, take the side panel off and try to track the noise inside themachine. If it's the hard drive back up EVERYTHING and pronto!

 

RE: 'pinking'

Sounds like something, possibly a cable, could be catching in the fan by the power supply. This could then cause the thing to overheat and shut down the processor.

 

RE: Only a guess

Was just going to say it sounds similar to when my hard drive died. 

 

They be fast and I be slow (n/t)

 

RE: Only a guess

I've thought that mesen ... which is why I've had the PSU apart to check there is nothing catching internally.

Nothing interferring with the processor fan, and again, the strange thing is that if the fans were being interferred with then I'd expect the problem to reoccur after boot-up but it doesn't. Once the computer makes it past boot up it runs as well as it ever has.

 

Or

If nothing is catching in any of the fans it could be fan bearings wearing out, in which case a new CPU fan will be required.

 

RE: Or

CPU fan is only 7 months old so I'd be surprised if there was owt wrong with the bearings. At the moment it's running at 41C with the Mobo temp at 37C.

Looks like it can only be the HD ... which is also only 7 months old ... crappy thing.

 

Is there a fan on the northbridge of the motherboard?

Or even on the graphics card?
Rule out every fan for starters.
Then disconnect the power from the hard drive(s) and CD drives and try again.
It should get as far as the bootup screen but come up with a non-system disc error when it tries to start Windows.

What it will extablish, though is whether one of the drives is making the noise.

 

RE: Still have the box the PC came in?

Nob

 

Out of interest, what make is the HD?

 

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to create a backup copy of your files and settings, which can then be used to restore your detailed configuration data following a reinstall.

DELL machines come with a restore disc (rather than just an XP disc) to put the machine into the same state as when you bought it. Not sure if you have a Dell though.

 

RE: Is there a fan on the northbridge of the motherboard?

Good plan.

I'll give that a go ... perhaps later now though. I'm scared to turn it off at the moment in case I can't the bugger back on.

 

RE: Out of interest, what make is the HD?

Seagate Barracuda ST3160021A 160GB 7200RPM ATA/100 2MB Cache