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Grrrrrr.

My main computer died earlier today

It happened after I installed then un-installed PC Probe.

The fans spun up and just a blank screen. Checked the psu, all voltages correct. But refused to boot, the hard drive sounded as though it went through the motions of initialising.

Went through all the motions, memory out, dead, graphics cards out, dead. Not even a bleep, reset the cmos memory, no effect, so it's either the mobo or cpu, I suspect the mobo as the cpu was quite cool as normal.

Went out and bought a cheap mobo, came home and fired the computer up for a last attempt to get some info of it and the damn thing fired up...

But...Since I reset the cmos stupid windows wanted activating again...But...since my XP disc is OEM it won't let me...Says I gotta get a new COA.

Never had this hassle with err 'backup' copy's of XP...

So... Armed with a new COA, I tried to re-install windows...Still fighting with it...Grrrrr

Gonna put my 'backup' XP on it if the above won't work.

I hate computers...

Ouch Mate


voltage check your PSU 12, 5, and 3 volts... I learnt the hard way after 2 mobos

Good Luck

Sly

That does suck Kit. What I've done in the past with a black screen no boot issue is shut down the puter, unplug the power cord for 30 seconds to 'bleed' off the residual power. Plug the cord back in and see if that works.

For the No Windows boot issue, did you try changing the BIOS clock to an earlier date?

Yep, checked the psu first, all voltages correct 12v,5,3,-12v and on the correct pins Including the separate 'rails'. It's an OCZ psu 700w so it aint under much stress...lol.

During the course of testing for the fault, the cmos was reset with the jumper trick which automatically reset the RTC back to the year 2000 I think it was...lol, maybe I should have done the vista trick and gone the other way...

Anyways, after five hours sleep I resume battle, the OS is back on the machine, all updated and an image took of the hard drive as a basic install, so if it goes horribly wrong during my fight with the COA then I can just restore the image and start again.

Bloody Norton.

www.symantecstore.com/...ost_uk.htm

*whistles all innocent-like.

- Shades

http://www.symantecstore.com/v2.0-img/operations/symantus/site/ghostsnr/save_and_restore_ghost_uk.htm

*whistles all innocent-like.

Gone for Acronis True Image, works quite well and networkable.

Just a tip

I have in the past had trouble resetting CMOS with the jumper.

UNPLUG YOUR COMPUTER !!!!
Put the jumper to reset..
Take out the mobo battery
Short the battery connections.. (leave for a couple of minutes)
Reinstall battery
Swap CMOS reset jumper


This should then guarantee your rig boots with default (safe ) BIOS settings.


I have used this technique to resurrect a few apparently dead Mobo's

Hope you crack it mate, I need a medic in the squad

Catcha

Sly