Computer will not boot at all, nothing

[ualdriver]

I turned off my computer to reboot it. When I pressed the power button on the tower to start it again, nothing happened. No post, no nothing. I already troubleshooted for the basic stuff I think......good power cord, no loose connections inside the machine, blew away the dust with compressed air. The motherboard is showing a green light, which I assume means it is getting power.

The only "unusual" thing that has been happening in the last two bootups is that when the computer posted, instead of going directly to the hard drive for Windows after the post, it would hang on the "hit f1 to enter bios, hit f2 to continue with default settings." I thought it was a "stray electron" thing at the time, and thought nothing of it.

This has happened once before. I tried to boot the computer by pressing the power button but absolutely nothing happened. I went to bed, woke up the next day, pressed the power button and it worked fine.

Any advice appreciated! I hope I am posting in the right section.

My build:
Windows XP
Asus P5wDH Deluxe motherboard
Corsair DDR2 memory 4gb
ATI HD5870
Intel quad core
WD Raptor
BFG 650W power supply

 

[tecmo34]

It sounds like your power supplied has gone out or in the process of a slow death. Can you test with another PSU to verify??

 

[ualdriver]

It sounds like your power supplied has gone out or in the process of a slow death. Can you test with another PSU to verify??

Well, I could but not easily. I'd have to buy one I guess. I was hoping it might be something "easier" before I buy another one.

One thing I was thinking was the little battery on the MB. What happens when that thing dies? I think the MB and the battery are about 4 years old?

 

[tecmo34]

Your PC won't post.

It is the cheaper of the two options to test first.

 

[ualdriver]

Your PC won't post.

It is the cheaper of the two options to test first.

Oh, I agree it's the cheaper I guess I was asking someone who knows far more than me whether or not replacing that battery even makes sense. Will a bad battery not allow a computer to turn on or post?

 

[tecmo34]

Yes, a bad battery will cause your PC not to turn on or post.

 

[ualdriver]

Yes, a bad battery will cause your PC not to turn on or post.

Thank you very much for your answer and your time. I will try that right now!

 

[aford10]

Do you get any signs of life when you press the power button? Any fans spinning or anything?

Unplug and disconnect the video card. Then try booting. Do you get any fans spinning or a beep code?

 

[ualdriver]

Yes, a bad battery will cause your PC not to turn on or post.

OK, here's a curve ball for you. I was going to my toolbox to get my voltmeter to check the V of the battery I was about to take out to see if that was the problem, and when I walked back to my computer, which was plugged in, it booted up by itself and now works fine.

Is my computer haunted? What direction should I go with the troubleshooting now? Do bad motherboard batteries or a bad power supply cause stuff like this to happen?

 

[ualdriver]

Do you get any signs of life when you press the power button? Any fans spinning or anything?

Unplug and disconnect the video card. Then try booting. Do you get any fans spinning or a beep code?

Thanks for that suggestion.......take a look what I wrote just below your post to me and let me know what you think?

 

[tecmo34]

This type of issue with working, not working, typically points to a slow death of a PSU in my experience.

 

[aford10]

If there were no signs of life at all, and then it just started running, I would look for a loose power connection, or faulty power connection.

 

[ualdriver]

This type of issue with working, not working, typically points to a slow death of a PSU in my experience.

OK, if it does it again, I'll try the battery replacement and then the PSU. Thanks again.

 

[ualdriver]

If there were no signs of life at all, and then it just started running, I would look for a loose power connection, or faulty power connection.

Thanks aford. I checked for all of that before, but no luck as everything "appeared" to be connected. It just powered up all by itself as I had it laying on its side for about 30-45 minutes.

 

[aford10]

A good way to test if it's a dying PSU or not, is to unplug the video card and remove it. It'll remove most of the strain on the PSU. If you get the normal spinning fans, and a beep code, then the PSU is likely the issue.

 

[ualdriver]

A good way to test if it's a dying PSU or not, is to unplug the video card and remove it. It'll remove most of the strain on the PSU. If you get the normal spinning fans, and a beep code, then the PSU is likely the issue.

Thank you, I didn't know that. Per my problems above, when I was pressing the power button, I wasn't getting any spinning fans, or lights on the front panel or beep codes or anything. Just a steady green light on the motherboard.