Help please! My computer has died!

[Delphine]

I hope this message is in the right place. 

My desktop computer won't switch on.  I have tried different plugs etc.  It occasionally makes a short faint whine when I try to switch it on so I am guessing it must be some motor or other!  Is this fatal?  It is 6 years old but don't particularly want to replace it.

I have heard that there is a particularly nasty virus going around at the moment - could it be that?

Can one of you computer bofs give me some advice please.  Many thanks, Delphine

[Carole]

I'm no expert, but I had a similar problem with a computer in the past and the start up mechanism had gone wrong.  I guess it would not be too difficult to repair by some-one who knows what to do.

Are you trying to start it up with battery or mains.  If battery, try mains as it could be your battery that's at fault.

Carole

[Mac]

have heard that there is a particularly nasty virus going around at the moment - could it be that?

Nope.
If it was the virus, you would still see the pc go through its booting and loading phase.

The normal procedure for a pc to boot is the following.

Power on.
Bios screen (displays on the screen amount of memory, disk drives, ect)
Load windows, (various bits of info, normally with windows logo.)
Display user Logon screen or go straight into windows.

as you say its dead i would try the following.

If you were to unplug everything on your motherboard (except graphics card!) and power it up you will still see the bios screen.

so if the PC is not displaying anything at all you could have a major fault.
Finding the offending item is quite straight forward.

1) Check everything is plugged in correctly. (Memory, any cards, disk drives, cd/dvd, ect. If necessary unplug each item and the re-plug in to make a good connection)

If the pc fails to boot again,
Unplug all your cd/dvd roms, hard disk, any cards, except the graphics card! and memory.

power the pc on,
If it fails to display the bios screen, you have one of the following problems.

1) Memory chip failure. If you have more then one memory chip, unplug all of them and try them one at a time.
2) CPU failure, Nothing you can do to check this except buy a new one.
3) Motherboard failure, same as 2.
4) Possible graphics card failure, you can test this with a spare graphics card.
5) PSU Failure. These can be tested and repaired, but a new one will set you back about £40.

If you have either a CPU or Motherboard failure, its actually cheeper nowdays to buy a new PC, the reason is a new motherboard will need a
new CPU as well as new memory and a new PSU, it will possibly need a new case as well.

So it would be easier to get a new PC, and transfere your old hard disk over.

Mac.

[Delphine]

Hi Mac - many thanks for your advice.

I am releived that it isn't a virus. I will open up my computer and see if I can figure out all the components that you mention and see if I can fix it!!  I haven't done any backups onto disc since november so I have lost important images and stuff so I am glad I can transfer the hard disc.  I suspect that I will end up having to buy a new computer.

Cheers Delphine

[Mike]

One of the most common causes of a computer 'dying' is dust clogging up the fans or heatsinks causing them to overheat. Unfortunately, your average Joe wont open up their computer very often to vacuum this crap out of there so they end up going pop.

If it isn't getting as far as the boot up bios screen then it does sound like something similar may have happened. Then again it could be something simple. If your CPU has died, due to overheating or some other reason, then as long as the motherboard itself isn't damaged a cheaper option would be to simply buy a new CPU. If the motherboard is damaged too then a new MB and CPU would also be a lot cheaper than a whole new system. You could simply use your existing components and all of your data may still be intact, which if it is the CPU that is at fault, is probably the case.

[Delphine]

Yes Mike I think that is what happened.  I think dust has probably killed it.  I wondered whether I should simply buy a new motor [if that is what it is called!].  It looks reasonably easy to do.  I smelt burning when I switched it on again so I am reasonably certain that is what it is. However I was told 3 years ago that the hard drive was conking out so I am wondering if a few more things have gone as well.

I am not keen to buy a new computer if I can help it and I rather fancy the challenge of fixing it anyway. Decisions, decisions!!

[mickw]

Does the fan near the power lead work ?
If not, as Mac suggests - PSU could be shot.  However fan may work despite PSU broken - The following link is just an example.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=223827
First cheap (possible) fix, get yourself an Air Duster, might pay to get 2 cans, you're bound to find another use for it 
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=25351
Take the case off and take the PC out in the garden and blast air into anywhere you can, particularly at anything that resembles a fan.
That might cure it.
Was the whining noise more like a squeak ?
I know people that whine all the time, and they're still going 
Squeaking is the sound "chips" make when they are dying - bang or pop does not need explaining 

Good luck

[Ian]

just to lob in my 2p.

If the psu is making a little whine and then nothing, I would look at the psu first and the motherboard second. Newer PC PSUs won't start if they don't get the say so from the motherboard. The PSU will sometimes fire up briefly to charge the capacitors in it and then shutdown if the motherboard isn't connected or is faulty. I think I might have a spare PSU you could try Delphine. I can't help with the spare motherboard though...

I'm going to disagree that dust on it's own may cause it. I think blowing it out will achieve little other than a big cloud. Dust does do damage though by getting in between contacts, reducing the efficiency of cooling and gumming up fan bearings. A full stripdown may fix the first, the second two can be fatal.

[Rocket Pooch]

Delphine, I'm so impressed with you, I normally give up when it does not just work.

If you need a new PC I have one in the observatory you can have just because this posting is sooooooo gooood, its 2 years old.  But it will need a USB CD drive, let me know if you want it.

Chris

[Delphine]

just to lob in my 2p.

If the psu is making a little whine and then nothing, I would look at the psu first and the motherboard second. Newer PC PSUs won't start if they don't get the say so from the motherboard. The PSU will sometimes fire up briefly to charge the capacitors in it and then shutdown if the motherboard isn't connected or is faulty.

Oh - that is what happened!  It did fire up after the 3rd attempt for a few seconds and then shut itself down very politely.  Since then nothing at all.  The mouse wasn't working either.

Sounds fatal to me.

[Delphine]

Hi Chris - many thanks for the offer of the computer.  Very kind of you.  I may end up buying a new computer though if I can't sort mine out.

cheers
Delphine

[Delphine]

Many thanks Mac, Carol, Mike, Chris, Ian and MickW for the advice and offered parts etc.  I have read all your replies and have come to the conclusion that it must be either the cpu or motherboard or both. I am really struggling with my laptop so I am going to buy a new base unit fairly soon.  I am going to follow some of your suggestions though at some later date as I am already missing some of the stuff I lost!   

cheers & thanks again
Delphine