OT: need help with computer problem

[frenchie]

good friend found his computer froze up and turned it off and after that would not restart. Took hard drive out and slaved it off another computer and ran diagnostic and it tested fine and was able to search threw it and find files but once installed back in computer and reformatted hardrive and re installed xp still would not load up in safe mode. I'm guess something wrong with motherboard since hard drive worked fine in other computer and even tested fine with anti virus software. Anyone have any ideas what is wrong.

 

[levon15]

Is it starting at all? Power lights come on etc...

Check to see if there is a jumper to reset the bios on the motherboard. Sounds like a MB to me as well but it could be something as stupid as the switch not working but since he found it froze it points hardware failure. Did he build it himself or buy from a box?

 

[matttaylor]

Have you checked the voltages of the power supply? Sometimes a voltage that is out of spec can cause those symptoms. Use a multimeter or if your motherboard supports it you can check from within the bios.

matt

 

[latazyo]

RAM?

 

[MayoBoy]

Will it boot from a disk? If so, try reloading the BIOS (and/or see if the battery is dead).

 

[frenchie]

he said it would load up in safe mode than he would see lines on his monitor and would froze up again

 

[matttaylor]

check the fan on his video card and make sure it's working, also if that is the case something is overheating, or his voltages are off.

 

[levon15]

sounds more video card now

 

[superfirefly]

I would guess bulging capacitors. Open up the case and look at all the capacitors on the board. They should all be sticking straight up and should be completely flat across the top. I would check the ones closest to the CPU first. They tend to heat up the most and will cause that to happen. If that is the case they can be replaced but most of the time it is cheaper just to buy a new board.

 

[superfirefly]

I forgot to mention, if that is not the case, I would check the memory for defects. The easiest way I have found to do this is to download an ubuntu boot CD. When you boot from it you have the option to run a memory test. www.ubuntu.com