P4 Computer Startup problem

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

I have this p4 Aopen AX4B board with an Enlight case and 300watt ps,
an 2.4Ghz p4 and 2 case fans along with the retail Intel CPU fan I
built and used for over a year now without problems, and until
recently it worked fine. Now when I power it on the monitor goes
blank with no post, and if I disconnect the power cord from the case
and put it back in and press the power button again, it starts and
boots up normally and is usable. Why does this computer now take more
than one attempt to start up ok? I even tested it with another video
card and monitor. Could it be a Power Supply or a mobo problem?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Thu, 01 Apr 2004 18:57:18 -0600, lyon_wonder <lyon_wonder@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>I have this p4 Aopen AX4B board with an Enlight case and 300watt ps,
>an 2.4Ghz p4 and 2 case fans along with the retail Intel CPU fan I
>built and used for over a year now without problems, and until
>recently it worked fine. Now when I power it on the monitor goes
>blank with no post, and if I disconnect the power cord from the case
>and put it back in and press the power button again, it starts and
>boots up normally and is usable. Why does this computer now take more
>than one attempt to start up ok? I even tested it with another video
>card and monitor. Could it be a Power Supply or a mobo problem?

Power supply is the likely problem, you might check voltage with a
multimeter but a failed capacitor in the 5VSB may read ok if your
measurement isn't of RMS voltage... at this point the power supply isn't
under warranty so you could unplug it for a couple minutes, open it and
see if any caps are vented or just replace it. Wouldn't hurt to swap in a
spare to test that if you have one available.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

memory does strange things, too. If you have more than one stick, see what
happens with just one in it.
Swapping out the power supply is a good idea, too.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 01:28:24 GMT, kony <spam@spam.com> wrote:

>Power supply is the likely problem, you might check voltage with a
>multimeter but a failed capacitor in the 5VSB may read ok if your
>measurement isn't of RMS voltage...

Correction - Even if it were RMS, it wouldn't be an appropriate reading,
the regulation may be degraded.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

Update: I found the problem. One of the RAM DIMMS wasn't fully seated
down. There was a slight snotch. Now the computer always boots up
fine

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 11:34:00 -0600, lyon_wonder <lyon_wonder@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>Update: I found the problem. One of the RAM DIMMS wasn't fully seated
>down. There was a slight snotch. Now the computer always boots up
>fine

It just worked it's way out of the slot or you'd been inside the case for
that or some other reason? Seems odd that it'd work for year THEN
unseat.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

I would try installing a high quality (Antec, etc.) power supply and see if
that doesn't fix the problem.

--
DaveW



"lyon_wonder" <lyon_wonder@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:e2ep609triavlv9ob1qj0a9p3c7gpt59gt@4ax.com...
> I have this p4 Aopen AX4B board with an Enlight case and 300watt ps,
> an 2.4Ghz p4 and 2 case fans along with the retail Intel CPU fan I
> built and used for over a year now without problems, and until
> recently it worked fine. Now when I power it on the monitor goes
> blank with no post, and if I disconnect the power cord from the case
> and put it back in and press the power button again, it starts and
> boots up normally and is usable. Why does this computer now take more
> than one attempt to start up ok? I even tested it with another video
> card and monitor. Could it be a Power Supply or a mobo problem?