PC Fault Finding Guide

Penny Lane Computers (PLC) have listed below typical problems experienced in the home with your computers, broadband, wireless networks and software. It is not expected to be the definitive guide but PLC believe that customers who can better understand their computers waste less time for both parties.

Your PC will not Boot up

Your PC will not boot up, you power the PC on, press the front button and no life, no lights, no bleeps.....nothing.....what do you do?
This is a common problem with PCs, we have many queries on this subject. To help the situation we have provided a 'Trouble Shooting Guide' as detailed below.
First of all we will start by explaining what happens during the 'start up process'. In a simple step by step guide.

• The power is switch on to the PC and monitor
• The Power button is pressed..
• The Power button's wires are connected to the motherboard
• The Motherboard performs checks to see that the CPU is able to process information in a correct manner.
• The BIOS software stored in a chip on the motherboard (backed up by the BIOS battery) is the first program that is run by the CPU.
• A test is performed to check that the CPU, RAM and Video Cards are all functioning correctly.
• An audible single 'bleep' will be heard to indicate that the system has passed all of the initial tests. If a series of bleeps is heard this would indicate that there is a fault.
• The BIOS software will then send information to the display.
• The BIOS software will then do tests on the connected hardware, RAM, Keyboard, Mouse etc. If any errors are found they will be displayed on the Monitor.
• The final step is to load the Operating System software from the designated boot drive.

To correctly boot a PC the minimum system specification is a PSU, Motherboard, CPU, RAM and a Video card. This will be the start point for tracking down the fault...

Fault Finding

To Fault Find your PC from the bottom up, use the following process:

• Power the system down
• Disconnect the mains power
• Disconnect all external leads to the PC
• Disconnect the internal IDE and FDD data leads from the motherboard
• Disconnect all the front panel connectors except the Power switch cable (it is always a good idea to check the manual that the Power switch cable is connected correctly.)
• Remove all of the adapter cards (e.g. modems, soundcards etc.) with the exception of the Video card (if it is a separate card as opposed to an on board graphics capability)

First Test

• Connect the mains cable to the base unit
• Connect the monitor cable.
• Do not connect anything else at this time.
• Switch the PSU switch on (if there is one)
• Press the Power button on the front panel
• If the system boots and displays the following text, Bootup is OK goto Bootup OK, what now? section of this article.
• If the system is still not booting OK then this will conclude that your problem is with the PSU, Motherboard, CPU, RAM or Video Card.
• Now replace each of the above items with a known working card (leave the Motherboard until last.
• When replaced with a 'known good' one allows the PC to boot
• If you conclude that the Motherboard is faulty, check the following before you change it:
• Check that your CPU and Memory are compatible with your motherboard and that the motherboard is configured correctly as stated in the manual.
• Locate and follow the procedure in the manual to reset the BIOS.

If you have completed all the above then the Motherboard must be changed.

Bootup is OK, but your system still fails

If your system booted OK but still fails when everything is connected, as defined in the previous section, then it would indicate that one of the additional items, left unplugged could be causing the problem.
Connect one item at a time, power the system up and see what the effect is. If everything works OK, then problem solved. If one device causes the system to malfunction then replace that item.