Boot up problem

A

AndrewSchofield

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We've had a PC that we've not switched on for about 18 months. I tried to switch it on the other day and got nothing - just a blank (black) screen. I restarted the PC and started in safe mode this time, again i've got a predominently black screen, except i've now got "Safe Mode" in each corner and the OS version details written across the top of the screen.

Any ideas what could be preventing the PC booting up properly and what i can try to get it running again? It has Windows XP Pro on it. As far as I can recall, it worked fine the last time it was used but its so long ago I can't be 100% sure? It hasn't been packed away or damaged since it was last used, just simply turned off and left until this week?
 
Cheers Dave - will try that and let you know!

Will there be any other consequences of this battery running flat - or once replaced (assuming it is flat and that's what is causing the problem) will it just 'up and run'?
 
I doubt it will be the battery as it appears to be booting to Windows in some fashion.

Do you get the normal Windows splash screens as it proceeds to load into normal and safe modes?

What happens if you ctrl+alt+delete at the black window in safe mode?

Are any other devices connected, apart from keyboard and mouse?
 
Igorian - Yes, the windows splash appears with the rolling blue bar for about 2mins, the screen then goes black with an arrow cursor and then nothing. I left it like that all day earlier this week, just to see if anything did happen eventually, but it just sat with the black screen until i turned it off.


Control+Alt+Del does nothing at the blank screen either in safe mode or in normal mode

Keyboard, Mouse(via USB), Printer (via USB) and it is also connected to a network (with a cable, not wireless)

Just tried it again with nothing but mouse and keyboard plugged in and still nothing happens?
 
Do you have a Windows CD? I would suggest booting to the recovery console and performing a check disk in the first instance.
 
One indication of a flat CMOS battery is being prompted that your BIOS has an incorrect time and date, not sure if all model will alert to this but one of my HP PC's do

I would recommend a fresh new install of XP or if RAM and GRAPHICS will allow give Windows 7 a bash, this will most definitely tell you either have failed hardware or software, and save you a lot of time trying to figure out your current problem!!

Hope that helps
 
Do these CMOS batteries charge themselves up?

The reason I ask is that I left the problem computer switched on for a few days (because of the completely black screen I acutally forgot that it was switched on) and I tried turning it on today and it has booted up fine first time? Having been left switched on for a few days after being switched off for months seems to have sorted the problem?
 
No, they don't recharge

Im guessing if you switch power off and remove the power lead for 30 seconds that youll find the same problem, the motherboard has capacitors onboard which store a charge so a quick loss of power and power on wont show the issue.
 
Kris - are you saying that this is an indication that it IS the CMOS battery that's causing the problem? The battery being a back-up for when no mains power is available.

A quick on and off and the power stored in capacitors does the job of the CMOS battery, but if I switch it off for longer and once the power has gone from the capacitors, the problem arises? Have I understood you correctly?

So I should definately get a new CMOS battery?
 
AndrewSchofield said:
Kris - are you saying that this is an indication that it IS the CMOS battery that's causing the problem? The battery being a back-up for when no mains power is available.

A quick on and off and the power stored in capacitors does the job of the CMOS battery, but if I switch it off for longer and once the power has gone from the capacitors, the problem arises? Have I understood you correctly?

So I should definately get a new CMOS battery?
Click to expand...


First you need to test this theory, unplug the PC from the wall leave it for several hours, a weekend may be a good one

Then plug it in, if it comes on then problem no longer exists, if it fails to come on don't hurry out and buy a CMOS battery instead obtain a CMOS battery from a known working PC, never buy any hardware until you have replaced a "possible faulty" with a "known working" this is how you identify every hardware fault, otherwise it's a best guess gamble and could be costly


Keep us informed

Hope that helps
 
The first thing i would do would be to put a windows XP disk in and try a check disk. first put in the disk and press a key when prompted, then wait for the disk to get to a blue screen with 3 options. Press R to repair windows from the recovery console. it should then ask you which installation to use (typically 1) then you will see C:\WINDOWS>
type "chkdsk /r" (without the "") and hit enter. Note the space before the/. It will then run a series of scans and attempt to repair any problems. when it has finished you will get the C:WINDOWS> again, take out the disk and hit the restart button. If there is still a problem there's the repair install option, but try this first.

hope that was easy to understand
 
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