hardware problem

[My News Servers]

I have set aside my old computer while working up a new one. Now that the
new one is smooth, I decided to move my old one upstairs and add a pci
wireless card(old 400mhz desktop we're talking about here)

Installing the pci wireless card was difficult, space constraints, etc.
Long story short, I had to remove my graphics pci card from the slot next
door. (its a taller card and easier to install) So, the graphics card came
out, the wireless went in next door slot and reinstalled the graphics card.
So far, so good.

I was anxious to see what I had and this was my undoing. I hooked up
everything but the monitor power cord and the keyboard. Then I plugged in
the computer to an outlet. I had forgotten that doing this powers up the
computer!

Then I made another obvious blunder....plugging in the monitor power cord
while the computer was powering up?? or was this something I should have
been able to get away with???

Anyways, I have nothing on the monitor screen. I have powered down and back
several times, trying to get into 'safe mode'...is this possible even under
these circumstances?

My next question, what happens if I power down, stick in my original and
genuine XP install disk, and boot up? Since this is going to be more or
less an experimental setup anyway, I really don't care if I lose anything
already on the hard drive.

Best suggestions appreciated. I do know a bit more about computers than
this short note suggests, still, I can use a hand here.

Thanks!
Thomas Byers
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Unknown]

I know of no computer that powers up when being plugged in. Power supplies
are of
switch mode design and need a start pulse to start up. (Power on button).
Could you elaborate so I/we may help you?

 

[Sinner]

I have set aside my old computer while working up a new one. Now that the
new one is smooth, I decided to move my old one upstairs and add a pci
wireless card(old 400mhz desktop we're talking about here)

Installing the pci wireless card was difficult, space constraints, etc.
Long story short, I had to remove my graphics pci card from the slot next
door. (its a taller card and easier to install) So, the graphics card
came out, the wireless went in next door slot and reinstalled the graphics
card. So far, so good.

I was anxious to see what I had and this was my undoing. I hooked up
everything but the monitor power cord and the keyboard. Then I plugged in
the computer to an outlet. I had forgotten that doing this powers up the
computer!

Then I made another obvious blunder....plugging in the monitor power cord
while the computer was powering up?? or was this something I should have
been able to get away with???

Anyways, I have nothing on the monitor screen. I have powered down and
back several times, trying to get into 'safe mode'...is this possible even
under these circumstances?

I did have an old monitor, can't remember brand or model, that having
suffered a power loss, needed to have one of the menu buttons cycled to get
anything onscreen. I am not referring to the Power button on the monitor.

With a "Black" screen, it doesn't make any difference what mode you boot
into. If you get nothing during POST, it may require swapping out hardware
to fix.

 

[My News Servers]

Please, if you know how to help, get past the fact that plugging the
computer into the power supplies starts the boot cycle. Of course, it
doesn't seem normal, but this Compaq(model 5140) has always done so. My
fault for not remembering this. Lets go on....

Tom

 

[Bob I]

Please look at the "AC Recovery" setting in the BIOS. OFF, ON and Last.
Determines what will happen when AC power is restored.

 

[Bob I]

I would suspect the issue lies with the video card move. Bad slot
perhaps, not fully seated, possible damage during swap, are a few
possibilities.

 

[Unknown]

Unfortunately every system/board manufacturer has a different BIOS.

 

[Bob I]

The ones where you set AC Recovery to "ON", are intended to start up
when AC power is restored.

 

[Lil' Dave]

Okay, you snuck around the normal way to turn on the PC. Most bios will
lock with a failure if the keyboard is not connected. But, you should see
this on the monitor screen during the bios routine.
As someone else said, sounds like the video card ain't puttin' out due to
the slot you moved it in. Obviously, not an AGP or PCI express slot. Most
older PCs and recent ones as well only designate specific hardware irqs to a
given slot. Most video cards require a hardware irq specific for itself, no
sharing, on old PCs. Best this way even now. Has nothing to do with XP
regarding this matter.
Dave