PC not posting

[Solstice]

Hey guys

 

My dad got 3 identical PCs. They are pretty old, but they were all 3 working when my dad got them. As soon as my dad got home i fired one of them up. It didn't post. I has power, cpu fans running and the little power LED on the motherboard i glowing, but HDD is NOT spinning. I have tried the other 2 PC. Exactly the same problem. First i thougt is was some connectors that weren't connected, because of shipping. All the connectors are connected. What could be the problem?

 

All i know about the hardware is that it's an intel based system and its running Windows XP professional

 

 

By the way, look at that cable management

[Scia]

Perhaps the HDDs died while shipping?`Perhaps the stuff has been dropped?

Check for any indicator lights on the board, and google for it's meaning usually somewhat of a help.

If you got another HDD try that one.

Check if the ram is ok, pull them out one by one and see if you can boot.

[Solstice]

I HDD is working...plugged it in to my x-dock last night. There is only one indicator light on the board, that's the powerindicator. Tried switching the ram...still no post. The wierd thing about it is that the same problem occured to 3 identical pc. When it's powered on, its says some wierd noise. i not the fans, unplugged them and still the same noise.

[Overl0rd]

Try unplugging the HDD's and see wether they'll post.

[Solstice]

Nope still no luck :/

[leign]

try to boot up the system outside the case.

[Solstice]

Nope that doesn't work either..

[ProCoComputerRepairs]

If you mean no POST, you mean no image on start up? Could be a bad Ram stick or slot, or the Video Chip. Try resetting the Bios. If the CPU is bad the computer doesn't post at all also. 

[iain]

Try Resting The CMOS.

[Solstice]

If you mean no POST, you mean no image on start up? Could be a bad Ram stick or slot, or the Video Chip. Try resetting the Bios. If the CPU is bad the computer doesn't post at all also. 

There is no image on the screen at all. I don't know how to reset the Bios on a motherboard that old. 

 

Try Resting The CMOS.

Not sure how to do that either..

[MG2R]

There is no image on the screen at all. I don't know how to reset the Bios on a motherboard that old. 

 

Not sure how to do that either..

Black screen is usually because of (in decending probability):

1. RAM problem (broken/incompatible/badly inserted)
2. Dead graphics card
3. CPU badly inserted
4. Dead CPU

You can reset the BIOS (Clear CMOS) by pulling out the power cable and taking the little lithium battery out of the motherboard for ten seconds. Insert the lthium battery back into its container and plug the power cord back in.

 

Because the HDD is not spinning at all, it is probably dead. That should, however, not interfere with POST.

[Lil Chillbil]

heres me just throwing something out there about the black screen... why not just toss an old gt 610 or similar card into the slot and see if it posts

[ProCoComputerRepairs]

Use this video as a guide. when you remove the battery wait at least 5 minutes then put it back in and bios setting should reset. CMOS/BIOS setting are the same thing i believe

[solomongrundy]

Does the computer have an error code in the front? Usually Dells have a number system 1 to 4 that lights up if there is an error with the system.

Also this might sound stupid but are you connecting it to a monitor with a dvi and vga ports? if so, it looks like these Dells have vga out...make sure the right input is selected on the monitor.  Just a stab in the dark.

[3DDude]

If something has no post, no beeps?

Then Motherboard is gone, or the PSU.

 

Pick one of the two.

 

The Power On Self Test, is the first thing the system does.

If you have another working system in which you can try the parts you can exclude them from the troubleshooting.

So pick a working system, and replace part by part.
 

- put in that PSU from the original system

- put in that CPU from the original system

 

- Put in that HDD

- put in that RAM

 

If these parts are ok,  you can exclude them from troubleshooting further!

I'd recommend trying the Power Supply on another system first, If that other system works fine on the Powersuply: The PSU is probably ok.

But I do think your problem lies with either the PSU or the motherboards. (I mean if you have no post..)

[grayperview]

could be something silly like the monitor cable, try a different one.

[MG2R]

CMOS/BIOS setting are the same thing i believe

The BIOS (or Basic Input/Output System) is a piece of software that's baked into a CMOS (Complementarey Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) chip ;) CMOS chips are volatile, meaning that all settings are reverted to default in case of a power loss. To prevent loss of settings when you unplug the computer, motherboard manufacturers put the lithium battery in. It's only job is to power the CMOS chip.

 

So yeah, both terms mean the same thing

[Solstice]

One of the motherboards don't work. There is a scratch on the PCB. Fired another one up. It posted and booted after i removed the graphicscard. Still have to clear CMOS because all the possible passwords didn't work... Thanks for the help so far guys