Windows 95/98/ME Computer does not stay running

  • Thread starter Thread starter ms
  • Start date Start date
M

ms

Compac Presario minitower- else unknown until it runs. No model number
shown.

Key the Power button, fan starts, lights come on, 1 second later it dies.
Sounds like it wants to startup, but like the power is shut off a moment
later.

Have not seen this behavior before. It's not dead, but not running either.

What does this symptom indicate?

ms
 
I'm not an expert, so my advice may not be good...but it does sound like a
hardware problem. CPU fan (if one exists) not working, power box fan not
working properly, bad CPU connections or CPU itself? I would think it's
something in that area. Might have to take it to a tech to get the hardware
looked at. But as I stated right off the hop, I'm no expert. That's just my
initial thinking.

"ms" wrote:

> Compac Presario minitower- else unknown until it runs. No model number
> shown.
>
> Key the Power button, fan starts, lights come on, 1 second later it dies.
> Sounds like it wants to startup, but like the power is shut off a moment
> later.
>
> Have not seen this behavior before. It's not dead, but not running either.
>
> What does this symptom indicate?
>
> ms
>
>
 
It indicates that you need to do a rather formal diagnostic on the machine.
But first, before doing any of the above, check to see that fans are
spinning, especially the CPU fan, and pull/reseat all RAM, using a pencil
eraser to clean the contacts. To further diagnose RAM, pull all but the
minimum (minimum is one or two sticks, depending on the system.) If
possible, try swapping sticks, using different slots, etc. If none of this
results in a successful boot, then...

A formal diagnostic means you remove EVERYTHING you can remove from the
system, all PCI cards, etc., leaving only a monitor and a keyboard attached.
Disconnect ALL drives, including both data and power cables. If the
motherboard has onboard video use that, otherwise leave the video card
installed. (I've probably forgotten a couple of things, if anyone else wants
to kibitz.) If you can now successfully start the machine, get to BIOS
screen, even enter BIOS (Setup), then you know that the problem is one of
the components you removed. The rest of the procedures should be obvious --
reconnect each component one at a time and test at each step. DO NOT be
surprised if you get it all back together and it still works. It's a
corollary to "shit happens".

If you still can't get in, you need to try a different video card, and even
a different keyboard. If still no luck, kiss the mobo goodbye. Unless you
have a friend who can and will diagnose and possibly fix the motherboard for
free, it's not worth the money to take it to anyone else.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com

"ms" <ms@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:5qjq12Fvitm1U1@mid.individual.net...
> Compac Presario minitower- else unknown until it runs. No model number
> shown.
>
> Key the Power button, fan starts, lights come on, 1 second later it dies.
> Sounds like it wants to startup, but like the power is shut off a moment
> later.
>
> Have not seen this behavior before. It's not dead, but not running either.
>
> What does this symptom indicate?
>
> ms
>
 
"Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in
news:ejTWq7TLIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:

> It indicates that you need to do a rather formal diagnostic on the
> machine. But first, before doing any of the above, check to see that
> fans are spinning, especially the CPU fan, and pull/reseat all RAM,
> using a pencil eraser to clean the contacts. To further diagnose RAM,
> pull all but the minimum (minimum is one or two sticks, depending on
> the system.) If possible, try swapping sticks, using different slots,
> etc. If none of this results in a successful boot, then...
>
> A formal diagnostic means you remove EVERYTHING you can remove from
> the system, all PCI cards, etc., leaving only a monitor and a keyboard
> attached. Disconnect ALL drives, including both data and power cables.
> If the motherboard has onboard video use that, otherwise leave the
> video card installed. (I've probably forgotten a couple of things, if
> anyone else wants to kibitz.) If you can now successfully start the
> machine, get to BIOS screen, even enter BIOS (Setup), then you know
> that the problem is one of the components you removed. The rest of the
> procedures should be obvious -- reconnect each component one at a
> time and test at each step. DO NOT be surprised if you get it all back
> together and it still works. It's a corollary to "shit happens".
>
> If you still can't get in, you need to try a different video card, and
> even a different keyboard. If still no luck, kiss the mobo goodbye.
> Unless you have a friend who can and will diagnose and possibly fix
> the motherboard for free, it's not worth the money to take it to
> anyone else.
>

Gary, thanks for good info. I will open it up (not like the old days!),
and see, but I bet this Compac has most things built into the mobo. One
advantage of custom computers, everything is a separate card, as you
know.

Will post back.

ms
 
=?Utf-8?B?UGFyYWRveGRiMw==?= .
wrote in news:30C76AA5-96F2-4E4B-B025-859CBCC059EC@microsoft.com:

> I'm not an expert, so my advice may not be good...but it does sound
> like a hardware problem. CPU fan (if one exists) not working, power
> box fan not working properly, bad CPU connections or CPU itself? I
> would think it's something in that area. Might have to take it to a
> tech to get the hardware looked at. But as I stated right off the
> hop, I'm no expert. That's just my initial thinking.
>
> "ms" wrote:
>
>> Compac Presario minitower- else unknown until it runs. No model
>> number shown.
>>
>> Key the Power button, fan starts, lights come on, 1 second later it
>> dies. Sounds like it wants to startup, but like the power is shut off
>> a moment later.
>>
>> Have not seen this behavior before. It's not dead, but not running
>> either.
>>
>> What does this symptom indicate?
>>
>> ms
>>
Thanks, see below in the thread.

ms
 
Last edited by a moderator:
"Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in
news:ejTWq7TLIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:

> It indicates that you need to do a rather formal diagnostic on the
> machine. But first, before doing any of the above, check to see that
> fans are spinning, especially the CPU fan,

This turns out to be a Presario 5304. Opened the case, connected up
again. Today, it's dead, applying AC does nothing.

On another machine awhile ago I saw the same thing, the power supply last
gasp was to momentarily start, die, several times, then really die.

This one did that at least 3 times before my OP, now I assume a bad PS.
The only separate card is a modem, with Lucent chips, is this likely a
winmodem?

and pull/reseat all RAM,
> using a pencil eraser to clean the contacts. To further diagnose RAM,
> pull all but the minimum (minimum is one or two sticks, depending on
> the system.) If possible, try swapping sticks, using different slots,
> etc. If none of this results in a successful boot, then...
>
> A formal diagnostic means you remove EVERYTHING you can remove from
> the system, all PCI cards, etc., leaving only a monitor and a keyboard
> attached. Disconnect ALL drives, including both data and power cables.
> If the motherboard has onboard video use that, otherwise leave the
> video card installed. (I've probably forgotten a couple of things, if
> anyone else wants to kibitz.) If you can now successfully start the
> machine, get to BIOS screen, even enter BIOS (Setup), then you know
> that the problem is one of the components you removed. The rest of the
> procedures should be obvious -- reconnect each component one at a
> time and test at each step. DO NOT be surprised if you get it all back
> together and it still works. It's a corollary to "shit happens".
>
> If you still can't get in, you need to try a different video card, and
> even a different keyboard. If still no luck, kiss the mobo goodbye.
> Unless you have a friend who can and will diagnose and possibly fix
> the motherboard for free, it's not worth the money to take it to
> anyone else.
>

IIRC, the baby AT power supply cable to mobo is a dual connector. The ATX
has a single connector. Can the 2-part baby AT connector fit the ATX
socket on the mobo? Wiring the same? I have replacement baby AT power
supplies, no ATX power supplies.

Advice?

ms
 
On 23 Nov 2007 18:06:45 GMT, ms <ms@invalid.com> wrote:

>This turns out to be a Presario 5304. Opened the case, connected up
>again. Today, it's dead, applying AC does nothing.
>
>On another machine awhile ago I saw the same thing, the power supply last
>gasp was to momentarily start, die, several times, then really die.
>
>This one did that at least 3 times before my OP, now I assume a bad PS.
>The only separate card is a modem, with Lucent chips, is this likely a
>winmodem?

What happens if you unplug the power supply from the mobo and all the
drives. In otherwords, the only thing connected to the PS is the
power cord to the wall, and any wires going to the on-off switch.

Will the PS run? (in other words does the fan spin)?
If not, the PS is likely bad. OR the switch is bad?
Do you know how to test a switch? Have the power off and unplugged.
Put an ohm meter across the terminals and flip the switch.

If there is still no power and switch is good, get another PS.
They're not all that expensive, and you might even find a used one
real cheap. You could remove the PS and take it to a repair shop and
just see if they will check it for you, if you dont have the test
equipment or ability to do it yourself. If its bad, ask them if they
have any used ones from dead computers. Many computers are scrapped
because of a dead drive or mobo, leaving a good PS.
 
alvinamorey@notmail.com wrote in
news:ti9ek3tv72s8q6il57s09utaltcsqhdls8@4ax.com:

> On 23 Nov 2007 18:06:45 GMT, ms <ms@invalid.com> wrote:
>
>>This turns out to be a Presario 5304. Opened the case, connected up
>>again. Today, it's dead, applying AC does nothing.
>>
>>On another machine awhile ago I saw the same thing, the power supply
>>last gasp was to momentarily start, die, several times, then really
>>die.
>>
>>This one did that at least 3 times before my OP, now I assume a bad
>>PS. The only separate card is a modem, with Lucent chips, is this
>>likely a winmodem?
>
> What happens if you unplug the power supply from the mobo and all the
> drives. In otherwords, the only thing connected to the PS is the
> power cord to the wall, and any wires going to the on-off switch.
>
> Will the PS run? (in other words does the fan spin)?
> If not, the PS is likely bad. OR the switch is bad?
> Do you know how to test a switch? Have the power off and unplugged.
> Put an ohm meter across the terminals and flip the switch.
>
> If there is still no power and switch is good, get another PS.
> They're not all that expensive, and you might even find a used one
> real cheap. You could remove the PS and take it to a repair shop and
> just see if they will check it for you, if you dont have the test
> equipment or ability to do it yourself. If its bad, ask them if they
> have any used ones from dead computers. Many computers are scrapped
> because of a dead drive or mobo, leaving a good PS.
>
>
Thanks, an update.

I found the connector from the front power switch had disconnected from
the mobo. Reconnected, now it's back to what I noticed at first. Starts
long enough only to spin the processor fan for a moment, then stops. The
power supply fan never runs. Yes, the AC power switch is good, but with a
bad PS, and the recent history I've seen on garage sale Compac's with bad
PS, this one is history. Even the modem is useless as it appears to be a
winmodem.

ms
 
Well, as I can see, you already figured out that the big item I forgot to
address was the PSU. And, as you also probably already know, the only way to
test a PSU without a bench set up is to replace it with another.

No, I doubt the modem is the issue, and PCI cards, etc., seldom are. It's
just my habit to clear the decks completely. I gave you the full list of
procedures (minus a couple of important details, of course), but it's my
experience that this problem is either the mobo or the PSU, or RAM. Without
a decent test bench, the only way to test is to swap out parts. If you have
enough RAM sticks to swap them around decently, and still no luck, then you
try a different PSU. If you get the same results, then I'd kiss the mobo
goodbye. (As a matter of convenience, I consider the CPU a part of the mobo
in most cases, but I suppose you could swap that out, too, if you have a
spare one that fits.)

Note to "alvinamorey"... Modern PSUs will not work without a properly
functioning motherboard attached. You can't use the simplistic test methods
you describe and actually tell anything about the health of a modern PSU.
The fact that the board starts up before it dies indicates to me that it
probably isn't the PSU, unless it's a circuit breaker responding to a
problem on the mobo or some other unit, like a drive.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com

"ms" <ms@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:5qoonsFvdgk5U1@mid.individual.net...
> alvinamorey@notmail.com wrote in
> news:ti9ek3tv72s8q6il57s09utaltcsqhdls8@4ax.com:
>
>> On 23 Nov 2007 18:06:45 GMT, ms <ms@invalid.com> wrote:
>>
>>>This turns out to be a Presario 5304. Opened the case, connected up
>>>again. Today, it's dead, applying AC does nothing.
>>>
>>>On another machine awhile ago I saw the same thing, the power supply
>>>last gasp was to momentarily start, die, several times, then really
>>>die.
>>>
>>>This one did that at least 3 times before my OP, now I assume a bad
>>>PS. The only separate card is a modem, with Lucent chips, is this
>>>likely a winmodem?
>>
>> What happens if you unplug the power supply from the mobo and all the
>> drives. In otherwords, the only thing connected to the PS is the
>> power cord to the wall, and any wires going to the on-off switch.
>>
>> Will the PS run? (in other words does the fan spin)?
>> If not, the PS is likely bad. OR the switch is bad?
>> Do you know how to test a switch? Have the power off and unplugged.
>> Put an ohm meter across the terminals and flip the switch.
>>
>> If there is still no power and switch is good, get another PS.
>> They're not all that expensive, and you might even find a used one
>> real cheap. You could remove the PS and take it to a repair shop and
>> just see if they will check it for you, if you dont have the test
>> equipment or ability to do it yourself. If its bad, ask them if they
>> have any used ones from dead computers. Many computers are scrapped
>> because of a dead drive or mobo, leaving a good PS.
>>
>>
> Thanks, an update.
>
> I found the connector from the front power switch had disconnected from
> the mobo. Reconnected, now it's back to what I noticed at first. Starts
> long enough only to spin the processor fan for a moment, then stops. The
> power supply fan never runs. Yes, the AC power switch is good, but with a
> bad PS, and the recent history I've seen on garage sale Compac's with bad
> PS, this one is history. Even the modem is useless as it appears to be a
> winmodem.
>
> ms
 
ms wrote:

> Even the modem is useless as it appears to be a winmodem.

So it doesn't have a chip - still work fine.


--

dadiOH
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