Major problem with PC - won't boot

[Bernie]

I have a major problem with my PC, running XP, and would be very
grateful for any help or advice.

Here's the sequence of events:

· Installed CD-rewriter with no apparent problems
· Some problems after playing a specific game (Medal of Honour -
Allied Assault). PC seems fine and shuts down fine but sometimes
indicates that there may be a hard-drive problem when starting up -
goes through checking, etc. At one point, I receive an error relating
to the PC's clock and calendar, which had been re-set to a bizarre
setting (some time in 1605 or something). I sorted this out, ran
system restore, and the PC started behaving itself.
· I try to add a DVD-Rom as a slave drive E. This does involve
changing several leads. At the same time, I try to clean it up as
there has been a major build-up of dust.
· Installation is a qualified success. CD-RW and DVD appear to work;
system profile recognises both and floppy Drive A. However, floppy
light is on continually and it doesn't appear to read disks.
· Something it clearly wrong, though, as when clicking "shut down", it
actually restarts. I carry this out again and eventually use the power
switch at the back, having waited until the fans have stopped when
repeating the shut-down process.
· I am 99% certain that I shut down the PC properly but it is on the
next morning. Nobody else has touched it. The PC is working and I
download some freeware to play DVDs. Seems to work.
· I shut down the PC as before, switching off the power switch, and
come back later to investigate the glitches. However, the PC won't
boot up at all.
· It beeps, goes to the initial screen with American Megatrends etc,
then onto the next screen which shows the things it has detected.
Everything seems to be detected okay: hard drive, CR-RW, DVD, Floppy,
etc. but I get a flashing cursor at the bottom of the screen and can't
get any further. I can get into the BIOS but not safe mode.
· It does indicate two devices using IRQ 10
· I have a particular problem because, even removing everything, the
floppy problem seems to remain. I have tried booting without the
floppy attached, removing it from the BIOS etc, but the effect remains
the same.

Now, I can't even get close to investigating the problem. I am curious
about the floppy as the major problems seem to have coincided with the
issue of the light being on permanently and I did change the cable to
the floppy. Looking at the socket the floppy connects to on the mother
board there is a possibility that a pin has been broken.

So, I'm wondering - could it be something as simple as the floppy;
might I have shorted something on the mother board or could I have
lost my hard drive?

Right now, I'd just be grateful for any help that would point me to
the next step.

 

[Terry Stockdale]

I have a major problem with my PC, running XP, and would be very
grateful for any help or advice.
...
· Installation is a qualified success. CD-RW and DVD appear to work;
system profile recognises both and floppy Drive A. However, floppy
light is on continually and it doesn't appear to read disks.

You've got the floppy drive cable on the floppy drive backwards.

· Something it clearly wrong, though, as when clicking "shut down", it
actually restarts. I carry this out again and eventually use the power
switch at the back, having waited until the fans have stopped when
repeating the shut-down process.
· I am 99% certain that I shut down the PC properly but it is on the
next morning. Nobody else has touched it. The PC is working and I
download some freeware to play DVDs. Seems to work.
· I shut down the PC as before, switching off the power switch, and
come back later to investigate the glitches. However, the PC won't
boot up at all.
· It beeps, goes to the initial screen with American Megatrends etc,
then onto the next screen which shows the things it has detected.
Everything seems to be detected okay: hard drive, CR-RW, DVD, Floppy,
etc. but I get a flashing cursor at the bottom of the screen and can't
get any further. I can get into the BIOS but not safe mode.
· It does indicate two devices using IRQ 10
· I have a particular problem because, even removing everything, the
floppy problem seems to remain. I have tried booting without the
floppy attached, removing it from the BIOS etc, but the effect remains
the same.

Now, I can't even get close to investigating the problem. I am curious
about the floppy as the major problems seem to have coincided with the
issue of the light being on permanently and I did change the cable to
the floppy. Looking at the socket the floppy connects to on the mother
board there is a possibility that a pin has been broken.

So, I'm wondering - could it be something as simple as the floppy;
might I have shorted something on the mother board or could I have
lost my hard drive?

Reversing the cable to the floppy won't kill your motherboard. That
is, I've reversed mine multiple times and never had any problems other
than (1) the floppy light stays on and (2) the floppy drive won't read
disks. Putting the cable back in the proper position solves those
problems -- havent' even fried the floppy (unlike what would have
happened on the old Apple 2 floppy drives -- which would have fried
the $200 floppy drive!).

Right now, I'd just be grateful for any help that would point me to
the next step.

Once you get the floppy working, make sure you can boot from it.
Then, see if you can access your hard drive from the floppy -- even
with FDISK-- don't FDISK it, just run it and see if it will recognize
it. IF you're running Win98 or WinMe, then see if you can access the
hard drive from the DOS prompt.

If you're running WinXP/2000/NT, try booting a bootable CDROM and see
if you can access the NTFS C: partition (assuming it's NTFS).

Terry
Visit my computer tips, coffee pages, forums and more at:
http://www.terrystockdale.com

 

[johns]

Sounds like you have the floppy cable backwards.
Reverse it and see if the light goes out. Fix the power
on by turning off the psupply, and then turn it back
on. If the PC starts up that way, then turn it off at the
front switch. That should set the sequence to normal
turn on. About a broken pin .. sounds like you are
being kind of rough with the thing. Can't fix that. If this
system is very old, then your hard drive is probably
not spinning up always. Rest is too vague to figure
out much.

johns

 

[Als]

I have a major problem with my PC, running XP, and would be very
grateful for any help or advice.

Here's the sequence of events:

· Installed CD-rewriter with no apparent problems
· Some problems after playing a specific game (Medal of Honour -
Allied Assault). PC seems fine and shuts down fine but sometimes
indicates that there may be a hard-drive problem when starting up -
goes through checking, etc. At one point, I receive an error relating
to the PC's clock and calendar, which had been re-set to a bizarre
setting (some time in 1605 or something). I sorted this out, ran
system restore, and the PC started behaving itself.
· I try to add a DVD-Rom as a slave drive E. This does involve
changing several leads. At the same time, I try to clean it up as
there has been a major build-up of dust.
· Installation is a qualified success. CD-RW and DVD appear to work;
system profile recognises both and floppy Drive A. However, floppy
light is on continually and it doesn't appear to read disks.
· Something it clearly wrong, though, as when clicking "shut down", it
actually restarts. I carry this out again and eventually use the power
switch at the back, having waited until the fans have stopped when
repeating the shut-down process.
· I am 99% certain that I shut down the PC properly but it is on the
next morning. Nobody else has touched it. The PC is working and I
download some freeware to play DVDs. Seems to work.
· I shut down the PC as before, switching off the power switch, and
come back later to investigate the glitches. However, the PC won't
boot up at all.
· It beeps, goes to the initial screen with American Megatrends etc,
then onto the next screen which shows the things it has detected.
Everything seems to be detected okay: hard drive, CR-RW, DVD, Floppy,
etc. but I get a flashing cursor at the bottom of the screen and can't
get any further. I can get into the BIOS but not safe mode.
· It does indicate two devices using IRQ 10
· I have a particular problem because, even removing everything, the
floppy problem seems to remain. I have tried booting without the
floppy attached, removing it from the BIOS etc, but the effect remains
the same.

Now, I can't even get close to investigating the problem. I am curious
about the floppy as the major problems seem to have coincided with the
issue of the light being on permanently and I did change the cable to
the floppy. Looking at the socket the floppy connects to on the mother
board there is a possibility that a pin has been broken.

So, I'm wondering - could it be something as simple as the floppy;
might I have shorted something on the mother board or could I have
lost my hard drive?

Right now, I'd just be grateful for any help that would point me to
the next step.

well they all ready gave the fix for the floppy. You may want to check the
battery on the mother board as well. The date and being wrong leads me
there. Other than that ensure all jumpers are configures right on the drives
and look at the bios screen carefully.

Al