"jbmic" <jb.mccar***@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:WbydnRIHQtmbuLffRVn-hw@rogers.com...
> No problems till now.  After copying file to CDR, computer wouldn't
> recognize disk in that drive, but would see file in DVD ROM Drive.
> Attempted re-booting to clear problem, now power to fans but no beeps, no
> boot activity, no image on monitor.  Won't boot from floppy either.  CMOS
> Battery or Power Supply? Intel P4 2.4 with Win XP.  Any help appreciated
> before I start spending on on replacing things without being sure.
>
>

> Check cabling for loosness. Do this carefully of course.
> Check CMOS battery. Although your machine should go to defaults and start
> even with a dead battery it's possible that it won't.
> Reseat RAM. As a matter of fact. diconnect all peripherals, including hdd,
> but not graphics card and see if you can get into CMOS screen.
> If not, start with replacing RAM (either a different stick, or one stick
> if you have two, and if that doesn't work the second stick for the first
> stick) and then the PS if the RAM exchanging doesn't help.
> Finally, you're down to mb or cpu.
>
> --
> Jan Alter
> bear***@verizon.net
> or
> jal***@phila.k12.pa.us
> "jbmic" <jb.mccar***@rogers.com> wrote in message
> news:WbydnRIHQtmbuLffRVn-hw@rogers.com...
>> No problems till now.  After copying file to CDR, computer wouldn't
>> recognize disk in that drive, but would see file in DVD ROM Drive.
>> Attempted re-booting to clear problem, now power to fans but no beeps, no
>> boot activity, no image on monitor.  Won't boot from floppy either.  CMOS
>> Battery or Power Supply? Intel P4 2.4 with Win XP.  Any help appreciated
>> before I start spending on on replacing things without being sure.
>>
>>
>
>

> No problems till now.  After copying file to CDR, computer wouldn't
> recognize disk in that drive, but would see file in DVD ROM Drive.
> Attempted re-booting to clear problem, now power to fans but no beeps,
> no boot activity, no image on monitor.  Won't boot from floppy either.
>  CMOS Battery or Power Supply? Intel P4 2.4 with Win XP.  Any help
> appreciated before I start spending on on replacing things without
> being sure.

"w_tom" <w_t***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:422A5C90.96CEF084@hotmail.com...
>   Never start fixing something without first collecting
> necessary facts.  Yes, mechanical problems may be a reason for
> failure.  But the reason why responsible computer
> manufacturers use better connectors - they make an obviously
> solid connection that does not change,  or nothing at all.
>
>   Now for necessary facts.   No boot activity suggest
> something has failed.  We always start with the integrity of a
> foundation - be it a building or a computer.  A power supply
> 'system' (foundation includes more than just the power supply)
> is first confirmed in but two minutes and without
> disconnecting anything.  The essential repair tool, so
> ubiquitous as to be sold in Lowes, Sears, Home Depot, and
> Radio Shack, is a 3.5 digit multimeter.  Procedure to confirm
> and information to help identify the failed part was posted
> previously in: "Computer doesnt start at all" in
> alt.comp.hardware on 10 Jan 2004   at
>   http://tinyurl.com/2t69q  and
> "I think my power supply is dead"  in alt.comp.hardware  on 5
> Feb 2004 at
>   http://www.tinyurl.com/2musa
>
>   Your voltage limits must be within the upper 3/4 limits of
> that chart in the second discussion.  For your situation,
> numbers for 3.3, 5, 12, 5VSB, and Power Good signal are most
> relevant.
>
>   Once the foundation has been confirmed, only then move on to
> other usual suspects.  Break the problem down into component
> parts.  For example, can you access the BIOS - which uses
> trivial hardware?  Or what do the comprehensive hardware
> diagnostics report?  Windows is not required by diagnostics so
> that a problem can be broken down into component parts.  Only
> after we have established hardware integrity, do we move on to
> other usual suspects.
>
>  Most important.  Do not wildly start fixing things as another
> has posted.  That can exponentially complicate the problem and
> may even only cure a symptom.  Furthermore, even if this data
> does not solve your problem, the data still empowers other
> 'informed' lurkers who can then provide useful suggestions or
> solutions.  There are numerous things we could discuss.
> Rather than post all those other possibilities, first get this
> information.  Then we need not discuss other irrelevant
> solutions.
>
> jbmic wrote:
> > No problems till now.  After copying file to CDR, computer wouldn't
> > recognize disk in that drive, but would see file in DVD ROM Drive.
> > Attempted re-booting to clear problem, now power to fans but no beeps,
> > no boot activity, no image on monitor.  Won't boot from floppy either.
> >  CMOS Battery or Power Supply? Intel P4 2.4 with Win XP.  Any help
> > appreciated before I start spending on on replacing things without
> > being sure.

"w_tom" <w_t***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:422A5C90.96CEF084@hotmail.com...
>  Never start fixing something without first collecting
> necessary facts.  Yes, mechanical problems may be a reason for
> failure.  But the reason why responsible computer
> manufacturers use better connectors - they make an obviously
> solid connection that does not change,  or nothing at all.
>
>  Now for necessary facts.   No boot activity suggest
> something has failed.  We always start with the integrity of a
> foundation - be it a building or a computer.  A power supply
> 'system' (foundation includes more than just the power supply)
> is first confirmed in but two minutes and without
> disconnecting anything.  The essential repair tool, so
> ubiquitous as to be sold in Lowes, Sears, Home Depot, and
> Radio Shack, is a 3.5 digit multimeter.  Procedure to confirm
> and information to help identify the failed part was posted
> previously in: "Computer doesnt start at all" in
> alt.comp.hardware on 10 Jan 2004   at
>  http://tinyurl.com/2t69q  and
> "I think my power supply is dead"  in alt.comp.hardware  on 5
> Feb 2004 at
>  http://www.tinyurl.com/2musa
>
>  Your voltage limits must be within the upper 3/4 limits of
> that chart in the second discussion.  For your situation,
> numbers for 3.3, 5, 12, 5VSB, and Power Good signal are most
> relevant.
>
>  Once the foundation has been confirmed, only then move on to
> other usual suspects.  Break the problem down into component
> parts.  For example, can you access the BIOS - which uses
> trivial hardware?  Or what do the comprehensive hardware
> diagnostics report?  Windows is not required by diagnostics so
> that a problem can be broken down into component parts.  Only
> after we have established hardware integrity, do we move on to
> other usual suspects.
>
> Most important.  Do not wildly start fixing things as another
> has posted.  That can exponentially complicate the problem and
> may even only cure a symptom.  Furthermore, even if this data
> does not solve your problem, the data still empowers other
> 'informed' lurkers who can then provide useful suggestions or
> solutions.  There are numerous things we could discuss.
> Rather than post all those other possibilities, first get this
> information.  Then we need not discuss other irrelevant
> solutions.
>
> jbmic wrote:
>> No problems till now.  After copying file to CDR, computer wouldn't
>> recognize disk in that drive, but would see file in DVD ROM Drive.
>> Attempted re-booting to clear problem, now power to fans but no beeps,
>> no boot activity, no image on monitor.  Won't boot from floppy either.
>>  CMOS Battery or Power Supply? Intel P4 2.4 with Win XP.  Any help
>> appreciated before I start spending on on replacing things without
>> being sure.

> I never anticipated that this would begin a philosophical discussion about
> troubleshooting.
> And I agree with w_tom in his approach, if the guy who has to do the work
> understands how to use a multimeter and the necessary voltages that should
> or shouldn't be found then it's the way to go. If the person who reads
that
> approach is knows how to use the meter or inspired then it is probably the
> better way to tackle this problem. For the person who rarely does this as
a
> hobby or living or understands electricity or using the multimeter this
> approach involves learning a greater technique of troubleshooting than
most
> people want to involve themselves.
>    Should someone drive a car who can't fix a flat tire, or a bad spark
> plug, or a faulty oxygen sensor (multimeter is very handy here) ? Much of
> the way we solve those problems involves trial and error. We learn along
the
> way and if we stick with it get the education through experience and
> questioning, reading, etc to improve those skills. It's great to have
> choices. By the way, the multimeter is a good idea first, if you have the
> know how.
>
> --
> Jan Alter
> bear***@verizon.net
> or
> jal***@phila.k12.pa.us
> "w_tom" <w_t***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:422A5C90.96CEF084@hotmail.com...
> >  Never start fixing something without first collecting
> > necessary facts.  Yes, mechanical problems may be a reason for
> > failure.  But the reason why responsible computer
> > manufacturers use better connectors - they make an obviously
> > solid connection that does not change,  or nothing at all.
> >
> >  Now for necessary facts.   No boot activity suggest
> > something has failed.  We always start with the integrity of a
> > foundation - be it a building or a computer.  A power supply
> > 'system' (foundation includes more than just the power supply)
> > is first confirmed in but two minutes and without
> > disconnecting anything.  The essential repair tool, so
> > ubiquitous as to be sold in Lowes, Sears, Home Depot, and
> > Radio Shack, is a 3.5 digit multimeter.  Procedure to confirm
> > and information to help identify the failed part was posted
> > previously in: "Computer doesnt start at all" in
> > alt.comp.hardware on 10 Jan 2004   at
> >  http://tinyurl.com/2t69q  and
> > "I think my power supply is dead"  in alt.comp.hardware  on 5
> > Feb 2004 at
> >  http://www.tinyurl.com/2musa
> >
> >  Your voltage limits must be within the upper 3/4 limits of
> > that chart in the second discussion.  For your situation,
> > numbers for 3.3, 5, 12, 5VSB, and Power Good signal are most
> > relevant.
> >
> >  Once the foundation has been confirmed, only then move on to
> > other usual suspects.  Break the problem down into component
> > parts.  For example, can you access the BIOS - which uses
> > trivial hardware?  Or what do the comprehensive hardware
> > diagnostics report?  Windows is not required by diagnostics so
> > that a problem can be broken down into component parts.  Only
> > after we have established hardware integrity, do we move on to
> > other usual suspects.
> >
> > Most important.  Do not wildly start fixing things as another
> > has posted.  That can exponentially complicate the problem and
> > may even only cure a symptom.  Furthermore, even if this data
> > does not solve your problem, the data still empowers other
> > 'informed' lurkers who can then provide useful suggestions or
> > solutions.  There are numerous things we could discuss.
> > Rather than post all those other possibilities, first get this
> > information.  Then we need not discuss other irrelevant
> > solutions.
> >
> > jbmic wrote:
> >> No problems till now.  After copying file to CDR, computer wouldn't
> >> recognize disk in that drive, but would see file in DVD ROM Drive.
> >> Attempted re-booting to clear problem, now power to fans but no beeps,
> >> no boot activity, no image on monitor.  Won't boot from floppy either.
> >>  CMOS Battery or Power Supply? Intel P4 2.4 with Win XP.  Any help
> >> appreciated before I start spending on on replacing things without
> >> being sure.
>
>