CRIPE! Computer Problems!

[Hguols]

Well, I left this PC off for 4 days, (for my wonderful break) and it took a good 35 minutes to get to where it would boot up.

Some of you remember the RAM adventures I had earlier in the year. ‎  (the best part of that was figuring out it WAS the ram. ‎  What fun!) ‎  ....and the symptoms are similar, but not the same.

It almost acts like its a power supply problem... ‎  where I'd hit the power button and it would either:

1) Power light on monitor and PC turns yellow. ‎  The end.
2) CD-ROM drives boot, floppy drive boots, power light on monitor and PC turns yellow. ‎  The end.
3) Boots, during the boot... ‎  screen goes blank. ‎  power light on monitor and PC turns yellow. ‎  The end.
4) Boots, says there's a keyboard error. ‎  Makes it to the login screen. ‎  Can't type. ‎  Reboot-power light on monitor and PC turns yellow. ‎  The end.
5) Boots up, I log in, makes it to the desktop then... ‎  darkness. ‎  Everything is off again. ‎  Power light on monitor and PC turns yellow. ‎  The end.

I did experience one "ram error" type freeze.... ‎  but I swapped RAMs again, tried one ram stick, blew out the PC dust bunnies (which weren't many because I blow them out often), unhooked and re-hooked cords.... ‎ 

It seems a random fluke its working again. ‎  I didn't solve anything because I didn't do anything. ‎  The only things I did were the above "cleaning" and switching out some cords and power strips (switching power supplies around) but none of the above solved the problem. ‎  The PC just booted up this last time.

The caps on my motherboard look fine.
The clock - date/time is correct.

Some hardware specs:
OS is Windows XP SP3
RAM 1024MB
Dell Dimension 4500
2GHz Pentium Processor
Nvidia GeForce 6600GT Video Card

Any ideas, at least from the description(s) I gave? ‎  I'd hate to lose (what's on) this computer, as I have important things to do next year with it. ‎  >_<'

All inputs would be greatly appreciated. ‎ 

[dmpdesign]

Tom...invest in an external HD to backup all your stuff...for now at least upload your important stuff to your ftp directory...if its failing that oddly and that badly, chances are high you will lose the PC sometime soon.

It should definitely have the lights on the back...its a good idea to check out john's links if this happens again.

[kilroyfx]

These things seem like they are made to fail, example I bought a great Computer $400.00. Its pretty amazing, ACER.
4 gig ram, 250 g drive. ‎  Dual 2.4 gz Processor.

Anyway, about 2 weeks ago my mouse did a little freeze, then started working again. Luckily I went over to the box
and checked the cable because I smelled something like plastic, so I immediately shut off the computer. ‎  Turns out a
little fan died, and with no warning my computer was goin to fry itself.

Lose a lot of time, and effort because of a fan. This little trick happens a lot. A $3 dollar fan, fails....losing a $400.00
computer...

[Hguols]

John! ‎  Thank you very much for the diagnostic lights link! ‎  I will keep that in mind next time I have this problem!

The power went out today for a little bit. ‎  ....about 10 minutes. ‎  The computer started just fine. ‎  Its just the extended duration off (days) that I have a LOT of trouble getting it up and running again.

I don't believe its a fan problem, as the fans are working just fine.

I talked to another friend who is a system administrator to a hospital, and he stated its most likely a power supply issue - and that its becoming a more common issue with higher end computers in anciently wired buildings.

That would definitely be where I'm at.

Jaison, to be on the safe side, I think an external hard-drive is a GREAT idea. ‎  ....and will probably be my next investment.

[kilroyfx]

Yeah I have multiple external drives....most do not need a power source, they run off a USB connection. ‎  They sometimes
sell tiny enclosures for $7 bucks, that allow you to stick any kind of drive inside and then connect via USB to any computer.

I have salvaged Laptops this way, and been able to make use of any scrapped HD.....Always make back ups of your data, and
try to store anything you put on your computer in a DATA folder (so you know what is yours apart from OS) I even go as far as
installing everything in an APPLICATIONS folder....so I know what I installed (and keep the installers on a separate drive not on
CD) ‎ 

Like you really wanted to hear all this ?? ‎  My next post will be all about palindromes....my favorite is RACECAR...:)

[Hguols]

My favorite palindrome is BOOB.
I've had more fun with a pair of those, than with a pair of RACECARs. ‎  ^_^

I've got a 4GB flash stick! ‎  I could at least back up my SOM and my music! ‎ 

SHOULDA HAD A V8!!!!

[Hguols]

YAY! ‎  It did it again!
YAY! ‎  I'm typing this from my old computer!
YAY! ‎  My computer won't start again!

YAY! ‎  The Diagnostic guide that John posted says "System Board Failure"! ‎  ‎ 
HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hguols]

I'd read about the CMOS battery as well as replacing the entire motherboard, but I found a very unconventional "cure" last night for someone else having the same problem.

You see, I'd been turning the computer off, and then trying to turn it on and it would never boot. ‎  This guy said that he turned his PC on, and left it on for a while, (even after the "yellow light of cease"), and the next morning it booted up fine.

That's the way it worked for me. ‎  After it being on "yellow" all night, I just turned it off briefly, turned it on, booted, and its been running just fine ever since. ‎ 

....which brings me to the humidity/climate conditions, etc you mentioned John. ‎  Even when the computer isn't on-on with the lights off and it not booting, its on because there's a fan/engine of some sort running. ‎  I can hear it. ‎  Perhaps if it is the CMOS battery going bad and can't hold a charge, having it on while the PC is not might give it an additional charge?

I definitely wouldn't think this a permanent cure, and I'm thinking I will have to replace something (probably the CMOS battery first since it would be cheaper) but at least its working fine now.

....at least I also have everything music and SoM wise backed up to my USB flash drive (on my key-chain) for easy access.

...and I'll probably look up and order a CMOS battery today.

EDIT: ‎  Found one from a reliable merchant on eBay for $2. ‎  ^_^

[Hguols]

I got my CMOS battery in the mail. ‎ 

....however, my computer has been working perfectly fine for a while. ‎ 

When it acts up again, I'll apply the new battery.
________________

I'd hate to shut it off now, install the battery, and find out that it was the mother board that was bad and then I can't use my computer... ‎  again.

[Hguols]

Well, I awake the next morning 7:30am to find my PC off.

....perfect time to install the new CMOS battery! ‎  Ok, no problem. ‎ 

Took a couple tries to get it started (because of bios settings according to the event log), but it booted up just fine!

....and then I find my computer off again 9:30pm. ‎  Its 10:10pm and I got to the desktop a couple times, just in turn to lose power and have to start all over again.

I don't think the problem was the CMOS. ‎  Now what?

I'm going to leave it "on" all night with the "system board failure" lights blaring. ‎  I had luck starting it up again last time. ‎  I think it might be time to get another mother board for this thing...