30 min. startup

[J. Yazel]

I have a new problem that I've never seen before.

My machine is a 500mhz running Windows 98SE.

When I power-on my PC, there is no response for a minimum of 30
minutes.

I've tried a new battery (even though the old one appears to be O.K.

The drives spin up.

When the machine finally decides to start, everything is completely
perfect from that moment on.

Has anybody run into this before?

Thanks for any help.

Jack

--

 

[RobertVA]

I have a new problem that I've never seen before.

My machine is a 500mhz running Windows 98SE.

When I power-on my PC, there is no response for a minimum of 30
minutes.

I've tried a new battery (even though the old one appears to be O.K.

The drives spin up.

When the machine finally decides to start, everything is completely
perfect from that moment on.

Has anybody run into this before?

Thanks for any help.

Jack

Are there any messages about "SMART" errors during the POST? I had a
hard drive that simultaneously started showing SMART errors during the
POST and taking a LLLOOONNNGGGG time to boot. Both problems disappeared
when I replaced the hard drive.

 

[Ken]

I have a new problem that I've never seen before.

My machine is a 500mhz running Windows 98SE.

When I power-on my PC, there is no response for a minimum of 30
minutes.

By "No response" do you mean nothing appears on the monitor? Or do you
mean it fails to boot into Windows?

 

[Grinder]

I have a new problem that I've never seen before.

My machine is a 500mhz running Windows 98SE.

When I power-on my PC, there is no response for a minimum of 30
minutes.

I've tried a new battery (even though the old one appears to be O.K.

The drives spin up.

When the machine finally decides to start, everything is completely
perfect from that moment on.

Has anybody run into this before?

Although 30 minutes seems extreme, extra slow startups can be caused by
a hard drive that's flaking out. What happens during those 30 minutes?
ie, What screen is up when the PC hangs?

 

[Michael Hawes]

I have a new problem that I've never seen before.

My machine is a 500mhz running Windows 98SE.

When I power-on my PC, there is no response for a minimum of 30
minutes.

I've tried a new battery (even though the old one appears to be O.K.

The drives spin up.

When the machine finally decides to start, everything is completely
perfect from that moment on.

Has anybody run into this before?

Thanks for any help.

Jack

Try a different PSU.

Mike.

 

[J. Yazel]

By "No response" do you mean nothing appears on the monitor? Or do you
mean it fails to boot into Windows?

It means that absolutely nothing appears on the monitor except the
built-in bouncing test pattern (that shows up without the PC being on
at all except for the monitor).

After the delay time, I turn the main power off, wait 10 seconds,
turn it on and everything starts perfectly normally.

It almost has to be the BIOS or the power supply. Since I'm
inherently lazy, I would rather not expend a large amount of physical
labor on wild guesses if I can first narrow down where the problem
really is.

Anybody else have anything?

Thanks again.

Jack

--

 

[J. Yazel]

Although 30 minutes seems extreme, extra slow startups can be caused by
a hard drive that's flaking out. What happens during those 30 minutes?
ie, What screen is up when the PC hangs?

=====================

Nothing happens because the machine never starts (until about 30
minutes later).. Therefore it doesn't hang.

When it first started a few days ago, I thought it might be a hard
drive, so I used XCLONE to copy drive 1 to drive 2, physically
reversed the drives and there was no difference at all.

--

 

[Plato]

I have a new problem that I've never seen before.
When I power-on my PC, there is no response for a minimum of 30
minutes. I've tried a new battery (even though the old one appears to be O.K.

As you see it wasn't a battery problem. Does the hard drive light blink
while starting up?

 

[kony]

=====================

Nothing happens because the machine never starts (until about 30
minutes later).. Therefore it doesn't hang.

When it first started a few days ago, I thought it might be a hard
drive, so I used XCLONE to copy drive 1 to drive 2, physically
reversed the drives and there was no difference at all.

Power supply is a strong suspect. If you have a lot of USB
devices, temporarily unplug a few in case it was the 5VSB
which is weak - then unplug the system from AC, wait 10
seconds or so and plug it back in, wait a few seconds and
turn it on. Measure voltage with a multimeter or at least
get some readings from a bios health screen or windows
hardware monitor utility. Check battery voltage.

If you think it might be a drive, temporarily unplug the
drives from power and data cables.

You did not adequately describe the system. "500MHz" just
isn't enough, remember it is a hardware group. All major
components including make and model would help, including
PSU.

Inspect the motherboard for capacitor failures. While you
have the system open if it looking like it needs cleaned
out, do so and check fans - which are not likely the problem
but might as well make sure a system this age doesn't have
multiple problems. If I had to guess I'd say PSU is #1
suspect but then we know almost nothing about the hardware
thus far.

 

[Ken]

It means that absolutely nothing appears on the monitor except the
built-in bouncing test pattern (that shows up without the PC being on
at all except for the monitor).

This symptom would indicate that the motherboard is not starting to
boot. Your hard drive has not even entered into the equation yet. As
others have said, it could be a power supply that is unable to bring up
the power sufficiently to allow your computer to boot. It could also be
that a poor connection exists for your RAM. There must be some RAM
recognized in order to boot most all computers. Try taking your RAM out
of the sockets, cleaning the contacts with a pencil eraser, and
re-installing it. If that fails to work, look to the PS as a possible
reason. Sometimes lessening the load on the PS will help in determining
if it is the cause of your problem. You can do this by removing power
from drives that are presently wired. You do not need a HD or CD
attached in order for the computer to start POST. If it consistently
allows the computer to start (some text on the monitor ie POST info) it
would point to the PS.

If you are really into fixing things, you could open up the PS and look
at the tops of the caps. If you see any that are bulging, that is
probably your problem. Visual checks are not a sure way of determining
if a cap is bad however. But if they are bulging they are generally bad.

 

[J. Yazel]

You did not adequately describe the system. "500MHz" just
isn't enough, remember it is a hardware group. All major
components including make and model would help, including
PSU.
==================

The computer is a custom unit. Eight years old.

Motherboard is a Micro-Star MS-6163A 440BX.

CPU is a Celeron 500 PPGA.

Hard disks, a couple of WD 40GB

Windows 98SE

Power supply is a 450 w. unit.

Inside is very clean.


I just swapped the power supply with a newer unit
from a working machine .and no difference.

Thanks for the help.

Jack

--

 

[Michael Hawes]

As you see it wasn't a battery problem. Does the hard drive light blink
while starting up?

Strip to motherboard, CPU and PSU. Should give 'memory problem' beep
code, usually continuous series of beeps. Check motherboard for leaky
capacitors, bulging top, or leaking electrolyte.

Mike.

 

[jameshanley39]

I have a new problem that I've never seen before.

My machine is a 500mhz running Windows 98SE.

When I power-on my PC, there is no response for a minimum of 30
minutes.

I've tried a new battery (even though the old one appears to be O.K.

The drives spin up.

When the machine finally decides to start, everything is completely
perfect from that moment on.

Has anybody run into this before?

Thanks for any help.

Jack

--

They probably have run into it before, googled, and found no answer.

I had a slow or non startup once. Was a cat5 cable in an ethernet
socket. (the right place for it!). That motherboard didn't last long.

I once had a slow windows startup, that turned out to be when a USB
device was plugged in.

I have a laptop which was perfect. Then suddenly. I saw a spark/light
under the keyboard (no doubt from the MBRD), and the screen went
blank. I turned it off and on. It goes into windows, then the spark
appears, the screen goes blank. I wait less than a minute, and windows
starts up. I haven't won't and can't look into fixing that one!
I guess MBRD is slightly, but not completely, buggered.

There's a good chance that your MBRD is fairly buggered.

 

[Alex Harrington]

When the machine finally decides to start, everything is completely
perfect from that moment on.

Has anybody run into this before?

It's almost certainly the PSU (assuming it's ATX? there's a pin that
tells the mainboard that the initial power ripples have settled and that
it's safe to power up) or faulty capacitors on the board.

8 years is a pretty good innings for either.

Inspect the mainboard closely. Look for buldging capacitors, or caps
with brown gunk around their tops/bottoms.

Alex

 

[J. Yazel]

They probably have run into it before, googled, and found no answer.

I had a slow or non startup once. Was a cat5 cable in an ethernet
socket. (the right place for it!). That motherboard didn't last long.

I once had a slow windows startup, that turned out to be when a USB
device was plugged in.

I have a laptop which was perfect. Then suddenly. I saw a spark/light
under the keyboard (no doubt from the MBRD), and the screen went
blank. I turned it off and on. It goes into windows, then the spark
appears, the screen goes blank. I wait less than a minute, and windows
starts up. I haven't won't and can't look into fixing that one!
I guess MBRD is slightly, but not completely, buggered.

There's a good chance that your MBRD is fairly buggered.
=======================

As soon as the BIOS starts the boot, everything is perfect.

Thanks for the response.

Jack


--

 

[J. Yazel]

It's almost certainly the PSU (assuming it's ATX? there's a pin that
tells the mainboard that the initial power ripples have settled and that
it's safe to power up) or faulty capacitors on the board.

8 years is a pretty good innings for either.

Inspect the mainboard closely. Look for buldging capacitors, or caps
with brown gunk around their tops/bottoms.

Alex

========================

I replaced the PSU with a newer one from a 1200mhz machine (that runs
perfectly) and the same delay occured.

After the BIOS starts the boot (memory check, etc.), everything is
absolutely perfect.

Thanks for the suggestions anyway.

Jack

--

 

[kony]

========================

I replaced the PSU with a newer one from a 1200mhz machine (that runs
perfectly) and the same delay occured.

After the BIOS starts the boot (memory check, etc.), everything is
absolutely perfect.

Thanks for the suggestions anyway.

Jack

What's the history of the system? Was it previously working
fine in your presence and/or did you change anything?
Unplug all devices unessential towards posting (including
keyboard, mouse, all USB, etc... leaving only CPU,
heatsink/fan, 1 memory module and video) and retry system.
If the pause still occurs try clearing CMOS. If pause no
longer occurs add back components until it does, also being
mindful that when you add one drive at a time (if PATA)
there may be jumper settings changes required.

 

[Alex Harrington]

I replaced the PSU with a newer one from a 1200mhz machine (that runs
perfectly) and the same delay occured.

and you checked all the capacitors on the motherboard carefully?

Alex

 

[~misfit~]

The computer is a custom unit. Eight years old.

Motherboard is a Micro-Star MS-6163A 440BX.

CPU is a Celeron 500 PPGA.

Hard disks, a couple of WD 40GB

Windows 98SE

Power supply is a 450 w. unit.

Inside is very clean.


I just swapped the power supply with a newer unit
from a working machine .and no difference.

Thanks for the help.

Jack

I had a couple of 6163 pros that failed over time due to capacitor problems.
They those green ones with 'gold' writing on them? Look for bulging tops or
leaking electrolyte. They could be failing without showing any signs at all
even.

 

[ProfGene]

I have a new problem that I've never seen before.

My machine is a 500mhz running Windows 98SE.

When I power-on my PC, there is no response for a minimum of 30
minutes.

I've tried a new battery (even though the old one appears to be O.K.

The drives spin up.

When the machine finally decides to start, everything is completely
perfect from that moment on.

Has anybody run into this before?

Thanks for any help.

Jack

--

The only thing I have seen comparable are computers that have too many
programs in the registry and too much in the startup menu initializing
programs especially involving web connections. Also spyware is a big
player in slowing down machines. The only thing to do in these types of
cases is to clean up the computer or if is really bad reformat the hard
drive and start over fresh.