Hi all, I have a maddening problem (actually two!), just can't work it out.
I have an Advent 3215 pc, with an ECS L4S5MG3 motherboard, award bios, P4 2.8ghz cpu, Geforce 4 440SE MX video card, 1GB RAM...anything else you need to know please ask me.
I was using the pc when it froze (i was web browsing). So i tried rebooting and the HD light came on, the power light flickered and that was it. No post.
I opened it up and found that the CPU heat sink was basically a massive dust factory..so I assumed it was overheating (the fan wasn't turning). I cleaned it out (disconnected power first) and had another go. It eventually came on after a couple of goes and all seemed fine. Turned it off and went back to it later. The next time I started it I got a black screen wityh the message:
We are sorry windows did not start properly, this may be due to hardware/software changes. ..." and offered me theoption of starting with last known good config or starting normally (plus safe mode etc). I tried the start windows normally and nothing happened. So i rebooted and it started fine, everything ran as normal. PLayed games for a couple of hours. [
The next time i rebooted - about 3 hours later, i got the flickering light thing again but no way of seeing what was wrong. Oh...and i found a loose screw in there which hadn't revealedi tself before and i have no idea where it came from, its not from the pc!
I hunted round the internet for solution (thank god for the work laptop and wireless broadband) and decided to reset the CMOS using the jumper. Again no power connected to the pc whilst i did it.
I tried restarting and the lights came on briefly, no POST and then it died. Absolutely no response at all.
I took the power supply out and tried it in a different machine (the other machines power supply doesnt have the smaller of the two power connectors my main machines mobo needs) and the other machine didnt start either. Nothing at all.
So i assume the power supply is dead - it is several years old after all. However....i need the data on the HD so i installed it asthe master in the other machine (having removed the other machines HD) and all I get is the same error message. I've never seen that message before this all happened. Regardless of which option i choose the machine just reboots, wont get past that although it does POST with a happy beep. (single beep signifying all is well - allegedly) So...my main machine needs a new power supply but is it possible the HD is corrupted and if so what can i do about it? I can use the secondary machine for some things but its lower spec (P3 less than 2ghz, very little ram and the ram is different from the main machine so i cant swap many of the components between the two)
HEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPP!!!! :rolleyes:
The secondary problem i mentioned at the start - this laptop im using is a bit weird. The Return key and three of the cursor keys wont work. I have to keep hitting num lock to use the enter button to change lines. Its a Vaio and the help system says i needed to reset the machine to overcome this...it didnt work. Any clues anyone? Its not a major problem just annoying so i thought id throw it in here.
ANY help with the main problem would be much much appreciated...especially a workaround to access the data on the HD from the main machine. I cant find any jupers to make it a slave..although i guess i could take them off the mobo since i cant use it!