REQ: Gateway 2000 Won't start - Help

[young]

My neighbor has a Gateway 2000 G5-233 that may have been damaged by
lightning-caused surge. Anyway now it doesn't fire up at all - no
beeps. The PSU runs, as does its fan. I notice that the front
outside panel has an LED that purports to show different conditions -
it is amber which is so-called 'sleep mode'. It says to hold the
power button down for 5 seconds to turn off. Then hit power button
again to turn on. I tried this - the LED goes out, but when I power
back up, there still are no beeps - the LED is amber again. The HD is
running - I hear it spinning. There is no monitor raster whatsoever.
Anything i can try????

 

[kony]

My neighbor has a Gateway 2000 G5-233 that may have been damaged by
lightning-caused surge. Anyway now it doesn't fire up at all - no
beeps. The PSU runs, as does its fan. I notice that the front
outside panel has an LED that purports to show different conditions -
it is amber which is so-called 'sleep mode'. It says to hold the
power button down for 5 seconds to turn off. Then hit power button
again to turn on. I tried this - the LED goes out, but when I power
back up, there still are no beeps - the LED is amber again. The HD is
running - I hear it spinning. There is no monitor raster whatsoever.
Anything i can try????

More background on why you suspect a lightning surge might be useful
(or maybe not).

Try using the clear CMOS jumper. A Gateway document I have suggests
that it's necessary to start the system with the jumper in the clear
position, to clear it... I don't recall this being necessary but if so
then keep it in mind.

If that doesn't help try disconnecting (from motherboard and power
supply) non-essential components. Leave the CPU, CPU fan (if
applicable), one memory module (or two if they're SIMMS), video card
and power switch. Everything else including keyboard, mouse, modem,
etc, can be removed for the time being.

I recall some Gateway systems had rather anemic power supplies, so if
you turn it off you might want to wait 10 seconds before retrying to
power-on.

If you have a voltage meter you might check power supply voltage at
the ATX connector, while the system is in this on-but-not-posting
mode. If you determine that you need a power supply I "might" have
one or two of those around here somewhere, as they're usually a
proprietary shape (narrower and different case mounting) so replacing
it would require such a proprietary unit.


Dave

 

[young]

More background on why you suspect a lightning surge might be useful
(or maybe not).

Because this neighborhood was badly hit by a bolt - including my
house. Several people lost TVs etc.

Try using the clear CMOS jumper. A Gateway document I have suggests
that it's necessary to start the system with the jumper in the clear
position, to clear it... I don't recall this being necessary but if so
then keep it in mind.

I tried this - there are two. No change.

If that doesn't help try disconnecting (from motherboard and power
supply) non-essential components. Leave the CPU, CPU fan (if
applicable), one memory module (or two if they're SIMMS), video card
and power switch. Everything else including keyboard, mouse, modem,
etc, can be removed for the time being.

Did this. There are two DIMMs. I tried one at a time and none. I
tried running without a HD or FD or CDR.

I recall some Gateway systems had rather anemic power supplies, so if
you turn it off you might want to wait 10 seconds before retrying to
power-on.

If you have a voltage meter you might check power supply voltage at
the ATX connector, while the system is in this on-but-not-posting
mode. If you determine that you need a power supply I "might" have
one or two of those around here somewhere, as they're usually a
proprietary shape (narrower and different case mounting) so replacing
it would require such a proprietary unit.

I'll check the voltage tomorrow.

Thanks