Computer won't boot from restart. Motherboard seems to be the only suspect?

[stalker7d7]

It boots just fine if it's initially off, or if I shut it down and then turn it back on. But if I try to use the automatic restart functionality of the system, it just turns on but doesn't boot. (fans spin up to max speed, no video, no beeps, just no signal from the computer as if the processor were bad).

I know the CPU isn't bad as it's been tested in other machines. I've also used multiple processors, sets of RAM, HDD's, etc. in the system.

Any clues as to what the issue is? Can I fix it?

 

[i7Baby]

What automatic restart 'functionality of the system'?

Post your build.

 

[stalker7d7]

What automatic restart 'functionality of the system'?

Post your build.

Fancy way of saying restart. When you just select restart and it does it on it's own, as opposed to shutting down and then turning back on manually.

It's a Lenovo Thinkcentre M55e 9645 j6u. It currently has 2GB 667 DDR2 RAM, an e6600, a 160gb seagate HDD, DVD RW, and the stock psu.

 

[i7Baby]

So - your selecting restart and wondering why it shuts down then restarts?

 

[stalker7d7]

So - your selecting restart and wondering why it shuts down then restarts?

I suppose I may have been able to word it differently...

What I'm saying is:

When I tell the machine to restart, it turns off, turns back on, but never even posts. The fans are spinning and the DVD will open/close, but there is no work being done by the computer, no video, audio, no nothing.

The only way I have to restart the machine is to tell it to shut down completely, and then manually start it by pushing the button. If I tell it to restart it will just send power through but not actually start.

 

[i7Baby]

OK that's different. It's not loading Windows on the restart.

Does it post - go past bios?

What Windows?

eg http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows-xp/help/setup/how-to-fix-computer-that-will-not-start

 

[stalker7d7]

OK that's different. It's not loading Windows on the restart.

Does it post - go past bios?

What Windows?

It doesn't even post. The monitor receives no signal from the machine and goes to sleep.

Doesn't matter which windows (8.1 btw). It does it even when making changes to the bios settings. When I Save and Exit it goes blank. It keeps the settings, but just goes blank until I manually restart it.

 

[i7Baby]

Maybe the Restart button has been changed to Shutdown - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/2720.changing-windows-7-shutdown-button.aspx

 

[stalker7d7]

Maybe the Restart button has been changed to Shutdown - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/2720.changing-windows-7-shutdown-button.aspx

...
No...

That doesn't even make sense as a problem, for a number of reasons...

It's not an OS based issue, I assure you.

It had this problem before I installed an OS on it...

I never even press the button to begin with, except for holding it to shutdown when it fails to post and starting it back up...

 

[i7Baby]

If you are using the Restart button in Windows Start menu and it's been reprogrammed as 'Shutdown' as in that link I posted then when you pressed Restart, it would just Shutdown instead.

 

[stalker7d7]

If you are using the Restart button in Windows Start menu and it's been reprogrammed as 'Shutdown' as in that link I posted then when you pressed Restart, it would just Shutdown instead.

Yes, I know.

Let me pose this question to you then, assuming that was the case.

How come, if I press the button, the computer turns off, but then the power to it comes back and turns all of the fans and HDD and DVD drive motors on?

My point is, that's not the problem.



After looking closely at the board, I'm beginning to think it may be a capacitor issue. I can see some of the caps beginning to bulge out a little bit. None have blown yet, but they look like they're well on their way to it...

 

[i7Baby]

You said it doesn't post. Not "it comes back and turns all of the fans and HDD and DVD drive motors on"

There's not much you can do with a laptop. They're not mad e to be able to repair like a pc. In fact that's why the makers don't provide enough info to do so. So you're in their hands.

All you can do is try the recovery disk you got with the laptop.

But from what you've said, maybe it needs a major overhaul - new board. This'll cost you near as much as a new laptop.

 

[stalker7d7]

You said it doesn't post. Not "it comes back and turns all of the fans and HDD and DVD drive motors on"

There's not much you can do with a laptop. They're not mad e to be able to repair like a pc. In fact that's why the makers don't provide enough info to do so. So you're in their hands.

All you can do is try the recovery disk you got with the laptop.

But from what you've said, maybe it needs a major overhaul - new board. This'll cost you near as much as a new laptop.

1: Yes, I did say that the fans turn on and the HDD and DVD get power. If you would read a little bit you might've seen that part.

2: It's not a laptop. I gave you the EXACT MODEL NUMBER, how can you possibly think that it's a laptop?

Stop wasting my time... I posted to ask for any ideas, and all you've gave were pathetic excuses for thoughts that make no sense in this situation.

 

[i7Baby]

OK. Looks like you're on your own. Good luck!

 

[ksham]

Try resetting the CMOS battery. Take it out, count to one minute, plug it back in. I advice that your computer is turned off and not plugged into an outlet.

Your motherboard may not look exactly like this: http://www.e-3a.net/uploadfile/2013451847346812.jpg
The CMOS battery is the shiny circular object near the bottom left. It's a little bigger than a quarter coin.