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Computer won't start

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  • Power Supplies
  • Computers
  • Power
  • Components
Last response: in Components
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January 17, 2012 10:58:06 AM

I'm asking for your opinion on what might be wrong with my other computer. It's just an inexpensive Dell I bought a few years ago for I think about $400. I needed to restart it yesterday, so i went to the start button but I accidentally clicked "shut down" instead of "restart". After it finished shutting down I hit the power button to restart and nothing happened. I read online about how to restart without the power button. I learned to touch a screwdriver to the 2 prongs on the motherboard that the power button cable sticks into. However, the cable from my power button plugs into a slot with 7 prongs--3 sets of paired prongs, and one unpaired prong. I touched a screwdriver to each of the 3 sets of paired prongs, but it didn't start up. I read that this might mean my motherboard is dead.

It seems strange to me though, because the computer was working normally until I shut it down from the start menu. Can you diagnose this problem with this admittedly limited information?

Also, if the computer is dead, I don't mind buying another cheap computer to replace it, however there are a few things on the hard drive that I'd like to reclaim. I'm thinking I could buy a new computer that has an open slot for a second hard drive to be installed and I could pop the old one in there. But I was thinking--the new computer is going to have Windows 7, and my old hard drive is still with Vista. If I do that, is it going to cause problems?

thanks for any advice,

Rick

More about : computer start

January 17, 2012 11:15:43 AM

Hey, Have you tryed Resseting the cmos? remove the battery thats on the motherboard for about 10 seconds.

Also is there any power at all getting to the board such as an LED that lights up?
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January 17, 2012 11:28:46 AM

I tried to remove the battery but it's in a poorly accessible spot on the motherboard, and it's got a casing around it that I can't figure out how to free it from. It's lying flat on the board with a rim around it, which has a lip. On my other computer the battery is perpendicular to the board--much easier to get it out. But I can try again later today after work.

The motherboard does have an amber light that is lit up, and there's a green light that is lit on the back of the computer, near where the power cord inserts.

Rick
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