PC Won't boot up

I need help with my pc that won't boot up. One night we had a power
outage (no electrical storm, no lighting) and the computer hasn't
booted since. I have a custom-built unit, with AMD Athlon XP 1.15 GHz
processor on a Gigabyte Technology 7VTXE+ motherboard. The system uses
Windows 2000.

The unit has power. Once when I turned on the unit, it started to start
up, then after the BIOS screen, I received an "FDC Failure F1 to
resume" error message. Now, I don't even receive that. When I power it
up, the floppy drive is not read (maybe because of the FDC Failure),
both CD Drive lights blink as if the system is trying to read them
(but it won't read the CDs - I couldn't boot up from the Windows CD),
and I hear the soft click I normally would hear as the hard drive is
being read. But, nothing. A blank screen. No beeps.

Is the motherboard dead? Should I just bite the bullet and buy a new
unit?

I would appreciate any help I can find. I hope I don't have to buy a
new one.

Kathy

SpartanKathy <gso@i2k.com> wrote

> I need help with my pc that won't boot up. One night
> we had a power outage (no electrical storm, no lighting)
> and the computer hasn't booted since. I have a custom-built
> unit, with AMD Athlon XP 1.15 GHz processor on a Gigabyte
> Technology 7VTXE+ motherboard. The system uses Windows 2000.

> The unit has power.

Some power, anyway.

> Once when I turned on the unit, it started to start up, then after
> the BIOS screen, I received an "FDC Failure F1 to resume" error
> message. Now, I don't even receive that. When I power it up, the
> floppy drive is not read (maybe because of the FDC Failure), both
> CD Drive lights blink as if the system is trying to read them (but it
> won't read the CDs - I couldn't boot up from the Windows CD),
> and I hear the soft click I normally would hear as the hard drive
> is being read. But, nothing. A blank screen. No beeps.

> Is the motherboard dead?

Could be that or the power supply. More likely the power supply.

> Should I just bite the bullet and buy a new unit?

Maybe, if you have decided its too limited even when working.

> I would appreciate any help I can find.
> I hope I don't have to buy a new one.

Then try a new power supply. Its possible you are wasting your money tho.

On 23 Aug 2006 10:24:22 -0700, "SpartanKathy" <gso@i2k.com>
wrote:

>I need help with my pc that won't boot up. One night we had a power
>outage (no electrical storm, no lighting) and the computer hasn't
>booted since. I have a custom-built unit, with AMD Athlon XP 1.15 GHz
>processor on a Gigabyte Technology 7VTXE+ motherboard. The system uses
> Windows 2000.
>
>The unit has power. Once when I turned on the unit, it started to start
>up, then after the BIOS screen, I received an "FDC Failure F1 to
>resume" error message. Now, I don't even receive that. When I power it
>up, the floppy drive is not read (maybe because of the FDC Failure),
>both CD Drive lights blink as if the system is trying to read them
>(but it won't read the CDs - I couldn't boot up from the Windows CD),
>and I hear the soft click I normally would hear as the hard drive is
>being read. But, nothing. A blank screen. No beeps.
>
>Is the motherboard dead? Should I just bite the bullet and buy a new
>unit?
>
>I would appreciate any help I can find. I hope I don't have to buy a
>new one.
>
>Kathy

Try clearing the CMOS- unplug the AC then use the jumper or
if you can't find it, remove the battery for 10 minutes.

It does sound like a PSU failure, but motherboard is not
impossible either. Generally a motherboard failure won't
make the optical drive lights blink, but if the PSU had
failed it might take the board with it.

If you had been considering buying a newer system anyway,
it is a reasonable thing to put more thought towards.

Rod Speed wrote:
> SpartanKathy <gso@i2k.com> wrote
>
> > I need help with my pc that won't boot up. One night
> > we had a power outage (no electrical storm, no lighting)
> > and the computer hasn't booted since. I have a custom-built
> > unit, with AMD Athlon XP 1.15 GHz processor on a Gigabyte
> > Technology 7VTXE+ motherboard. The system uses Windows 2000.
>
> > The unit has power.
>
> Some power, anyway.
>
> > Once when I turned on the unit, it started to start up, then after
> > the BIOS screen, I received an "FDC Failure F1 to resume" error
> > message. Now, I don't even receive that. When I power it up, the
> > floppy drive is not read (maybe because of the FDC Failure), both
> > CD Drive lights blink as if the system is trying to read them (but it
> > won't read the CDs - I couldn't boot up from the Windows CD),
> > and I hear the soft click I normally would hear as the hard drive
> > is being read. But, nothing. A blank screen. No beeps.
>
> > Is the motherboard dead?
>
> Could be that or the power supply. More likely the power supply.
>
> > Should I just bite the bullet and buy a new unit?
>
> Maybe, if you have decided its too limited even when working.
>
> > I would appreciate any help I can find.
> > I hope I don't have to buy a new one.
>
> Then try a new power supply. Its possible you are wasting your money tho.

Thank you. I have located a power supply (it's nice to have friends)
and will give it a try.

kony wrote:
> On 23 Aug 2006 10:24:22 -0700, "SpartanKathy" <gso@i2k.com>
> wrote:
>
> >I need help with my pc that won't boot up. One night we had a power
> >outage (no electrical storm, no lighting) and the computer hasn't
> >booted since. I have a custom-built unit, with AMD Athlon XP 1.15 GHz
> >processor on a Gigabyte Technology 7VTXE+ motherboard. The system uses
> > Windows 2000.
> >
> >The unit has power. Once when I turned on the unit, it started to start
> >up, then after the BIOS screen, I received an "FDC Failure F1 to
> >resume" error message. Now, I don't even receive that. When I power it
> >up, the floppy drive is not read (maybe because of the FDC Failure),
> >both CD Drive lights blink as if the system is trying to read them
> >(but it won't read the CDs - I couldn't boot up from the Windows CD),
> >and I hear the soft click I normally would hear as the hard drive is
> >being read. But, nothing. A blank screen. No beeps.
> >
> >Is the motherboard dead? Should I just bite the bullet and buy a new
> >unit?
> >
> >I would appreciate any help I can find. I hope I don't have to buy a
> >new one.
> >
> >Kathy
>
> Try clearing the CMOS- unplug the AC then use the jumper or
> if you can't find it, remove the battery for 10 minutes.
>
> It does sound like a PSU failure, but motherboard is not
> impossible either. Generally a motherboard failure won't
> make the optical drive lights blink, but if the PSU had
> failed it might take the board with it.
>
> If you had been considering buying a newer system anyway,
> it is a reasonable thing to put more thought towards.

I'm going to try the power supply, since a friend kindly provided me
with one. However, I may resort to the CMOS. That had not occurred to
me. Thanks. I'll give it a shot.