Do these screens mean it's terminal for my PC?

mickledore

mickledore

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I'm having increasing problem switching my PC on. Originally it wouldn't wake from sleep so I disabled that. Now it doesn't want to switch back on when I've completely logged off. On a couple of occasions I've really had to fight to get it to come on. I need to completely remove the power cable and leave it for an increasing time - 25mins just now - as though it needs to clear the power supply. On a couple of occasions I have had these screen flash up...20170207_161931.jpg 20170207_162014.jpg
I have no idea what these mean and assume they are to do with the inner workings of the machine.
What i do when the first screen appears is to press F1 and F8 when the second one shows. That gets the machine up and running.

Are these teminal? I'm looking at getting a replacement machine anyway so should I get my finger out and order it now?

I just have a nasty feeling that one day the machine just won't switch on at all.
Anyone out there understand these things?

(Sorry for the crappy phone pics)
 
Have you overclocked the CPU / GPU?

Try resetting the BIOS setting to factory default and try booting again.
 
It's going to be a case of faulty component identification / swapout to narrow it down.

If you have onboard video try removing the video card (if you use one).

Try another PSU too.
 
Thanks...I think.
No I've not over clocked or in any way fiddled with anything. For one very good reason. I have no idea about what goes on inside the outer casing. I am a complete and utter numpty on these things.
What's a PSU and how would I try another one?
Don't know if I've on board video. Never knowingly used it if I have!
How do I set BIOS?

Told you, I'm like Manuel in Fawlty Towers. I know nothing.
 
PSU is Power Supply Unit and I would start there.

You're going to need to find a friend who does know how to fault-find a PC. If we knew where you are, someone here that's local to you might volunteer to help.
 
Thanks. I've been talked through how to reset BIOS to non over clocked status. A mate has been googling and that might be a problem. Well see how that pans out.
 
First thing to do before you start messing with anything is to make sure you have everything backed up.

Another thing that's easy (and cheap) to replace is the lithium battery that powers the permanent storage of all the BIOS settings. If you take the side off and look on the motherboard (the main printed circuit board inside the computer) you can usually spot a lithium battery. Pop it out and replace with a new one. This will probably reset the BIOS too. Best to google your motherboard and "CMOS Battery" to get a definitive guide as they can sometimes be held in place with a non-obvious clip. (i.e. I'm no expert but had had BIOS issues caused by a dodgy battery before.)
 
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AMI is the creator of the BIOS. There are only two or three companies that write BIOSes and the mobo manufacturers each buy from their favourite. The first screen is the POST - Power On Self Test - and it then moves on to the BIOS proper.

I agree with Ian's suggestion of changing the CMOS battery (nearly always a CR2032). It shouldn't have failed on a mobo that age but it's cheap enough that it's worth doing anyway.
 
The symptoms that you are showing in the BIOS screens and the fact that it's taking longer and longer to power up would suggest to me that your Power Supply Unit (PSU) is failing.
Without the correct voltage and current from this unit you are in for loads of strange errors.
If you borrow or buy a new PSU and that makes no difference to your startup time, I would then suspect the Motherboard.
If you are not happy fiddling with computers, I would suggest buying a new one and selling your old one for spares/repair. There are some pretty savvy people on this forum who may
like the challenge of bringing this one back to life but it does require a methodical and possibly time consuming effort.
 
Thank you. Im
mbscad said:
The symptoms that you are showing in the BIOS screens and the fact that it's taking longer and longer to power up would suggest to me that your Power Supply Unit (PSU) is failing.
Without the correct voltage and current from this unit you are in for loads of strange errors.
If you borrow or buy a new PSU and that makes no difference to your startup time, I would then suspect the Motherboard.
If you are not happy fiddling with computers, I would suggest buying a new one and selling your old one for spares/repair. There are some pretty savvy people on this forum who may
like the challenge of bringing this one back to life but it does require a methodical and possibly time consuming effort.
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Thank you. I half suspect that I'll be in a never ending replacement routine until it works properly. I have no expertise in this direction and the cost of a repair shop is out of proportion to the residual value/replacement cost. SWMBO has let me order a new one so as you suggest I'll probably put this for sale sometime soon.
 
Should either be motherboard or psu is failing.

Shame you're replacing as those 4770 systems are by far the best bang for buck out there.

Motherboard and psu shouldn't cost anywhere near the cost of replacing the machine to the same spec.
 
Thanks Neil.
I've no idea what a 4770 system is!
The messing around replacing bit after bit until I've built a new machine is beyond my ability so I'd be paying through the nose.
I've had an offer to switch my existing HDD to the new machine so giving me massive storage and simple swap of data etc.
If you (or anyone) wants the bits then you can have them for the postage costs.
 
The i7-4770k cpu.

Seriously don't just give that away. You could easily get £150 or more for the cpu alone.

You'll definetely spend much more money on an equally performing machine than replacing the motherboard and psu.
 
I agree with Neil Frank, dont just give all your old components away for the cost of postage.
The CPU and RAM along is probably worth a couple of hundred quid. Think what you fould do with that cash .

Equally though a PSU and and or Motherboard change is super simple.

If i was close i would offer to do it for you.
Im sure someone on here is close to your location and would be happy to help.
 
Thanks Stuart, good of you as ever.
@GreenNinja67 sorry but I'm miles away from you. Up on the Lancashire coast. There doesn't appear to be many on here from this way and certainly none that seem to be techy minded.
There's still some doubt as to what is wrong so we could be on a never ending quest and I don't want to be running to and fro to the local shop and being with no machine for two weeks time and time again.
To me, using a PC is like driving a car. I want to sit down, switch on and go. What goes on under the bonnet is not for me.
If there are bits that are of value then I'm happy to let them go to guys on here who are knowledgeable and generally very, very helpful.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
When I move the HDD for @mickledore (which I have volunteered to do), then I'll assess the old machine and make sure he gets something approximating it's true value. as others have said, don't give it away, the components are worth something!!!
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Good morning @Mr Perceptive, Sir. We'll no doubt have a long natter on these matters. You know I appreciate your help.
Recovered from yesterday? I followed your instructions and underwent a programme of rehydration.
 
Slight problem there my man. Computer won't power up!
Time for some caffeine...for me and it.
 
Well it goes from bad to worse.
New machine came today.
Switched it on and it wouldn't work. Straight out of the box and it is faulty.
2 hours on the phone to them and an hour of them being connected to me over the interweb and they couldnt sort it.
Machine goes back on Monday morning.
Which gods have I upset?

Anyone near Liverpool who knows how to replace PSU and motherboards?
 
Sorry to hear your run of bad luck is continuing.
Hopefully it will be resolved soon Frank!
 
Thanks Stuart. I just can't belive my luck. The new machine was wrong as soon as I switched it on. Supposedly it's been checked over before delivery.
It might be simpler for me to drive to you and let you have a play!!!!
 
mickledore said:
Thanks Stuart. I just can't belive my luck. The new machine was wrong as soon as I switched it on. Supposedly it's been checked over before delivery.
It might be simpler for me to drive to you and let you have a play!!!!
Click to expand...

Lol fingers crossed for a speedy turnaround of events.
 
It may be that the new machine got shaken/dropped in transit, and that loosened components, causing problems. The usual solution is swich off & unplug, then to remove a cover and gently press each separate component into place before trying to power up.
 
Well that may be so but it was extremely well protected and the girl who was connected to the machine remotely just kept going on about drivers being missing and even suggested that I would have to reinstall the complete operating system ? Me do that? I thought I had paid them to do that. She spent a good 40 minutes playing with it and I could tell that she hadn't got a clue what was wrong.
She said that they would collect the machine and check it out. I thought that had been done as part of the quality control process.
Eventually I told her I was rejecting the machine and she didn't put up much of a fight. I suspect she knows that there is something major gone wrong here.
 
I'm in Northwich which is the other side of Liverpool... too far?
 
Heh... I've seen his oddly familiar work on Flickr... I'm actually in Weaverham - next village over.

I'd be happy to replace the PSU for you. I can get a bit cack-handed with CPUs though, so a motherboard replacement I'd have a go at, but no guarantees. I've done it (successfully) twice before so by no means an expert, but it's not too hard.

My suggestion would be to do the PSU first and see if that fixes it. If not, we'll have a look at the motherboard and make a decision then. First step would be getting hold of a new PSU. I'm not an expert on "which one" but maybe @neil_g or @GreenNinja67 could help? Doesn't look like you have a dedicated graphics card so I'm guessing the power supply doesn't need to be too heavy...
 
I'm on my phone at present. Hopefully tomorrow AM my P C will switch on and then I can get a full spec. Think there is a graphics card. I kept getting reminders about NVIDIA updates that never seem to take. Is that a graphics card?

Think the PSU is Corsair.

Can be specific tomorrow.
 
mickledore said:
I kept getting reminders about NVIDIA updates that never seem to take. Is that a graphics card?

Think the PSU is Corsair.
.
Click to expand...

Sounds like it. If you open up a search box (when you get it running) and type "dxdiag" & press enter, let it run, then "save all information" to a text file and PM it over to me I can see if I can Google the sort of power consumption you're likely to need. I'm teaching all day tomorrow, but should be able to reply on Sunday.
 
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