# Computer doesn't boot past BIOS screen



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

My computer was working perfectly fine yesterday. When I turned it on today, it wouldn't get past this screen. I tried pressing all the options on my keyboard which was working, and nothing happened, it just sat there. My computer's specs are under my profile. This computer was built in 2007. Thanks.


----------



## icebelowzero (Jun 22, 2009)

It can possibly be your hard drive. Have you tried your slave drive as a master drive?


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Try clearing the CMOS using the Mobo jumper. 
UNPLUG the power cord from the PSU-GROUND yourself to a metal are of the case-move the CMOS jumper from pins 1 & 2 to pins 2 & 3 for ten seconds-move the jumper back to pins 1 & 2.


----------



## linderman (May 20, 2005)

after you try Tyree's suggestions


unplug the hard drive cable; see if the system will continue on further to the message which say "failure to locate disk drive"


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

I tried all your suggestions and now I get to a black screen with white DOS writing that says my processor speed and my RAM amount, but it just sits there. It never continues through the post screen.


----------



## linderman (May 20, 2005)

try one stick of ram only / if no joy try the other stick alone


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Brand & Model of Mobo-CPU-RAM-Graphics-PSU


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

Mainboard: Gigabyte GA P35 DS3L
CPU: Intel Pentium Dual Core e2160 1.6 GHz
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 2 x 1GB PC6400
Power Supply: Corsair HX520W Modular PSU
Video: BFG Tech GeForce 8800GT OC2


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

Update:

I took out my one stick of RAM and it booted past the post screen and then said no operating system found, which was probably caused when I reset my BIOS. However, I restarted my computer and now I don't see anything. This makes me think my video card is dead. I don't have any other cards or onboard video to try out, so how can I confirm this is the problem?


----------



## Reddum (Mar 25, 2010)

I had something like this happen to me. This is what i did.

Cleared coms using jumpers )__after these 2 make sure to load optimal settings in bios
Pulled battery out of mobo )
Tried using 1 stick of memory
Reseating the memory in different slots
Make sure connections are connected right.

Using 1 stick of memory in a different slot is what ended up working for me. Idk why.....but after it booted i reset it and put the other one back in and it was fine. I hope this helps you. Good luck


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Ryu Hitokiri said:


> Update:
> 
> I took out my one stick of RAM and it booted past the post screen and then said no operating system found, which was probably caused when I reset my BIOS. However, I restarted my computer and now I don't see anything. This makes me think my video card is dead. I don't have any other cards or onboard video to try out, so how can I confirm this is the problem?


Resetting the Bios will not cause the OS not to be seen. 
At this point, I would suggest testing on the bench

Remove EVERYTHING from the case.
Set the motherboard on a non conductive surface. The motherboard box is perfect for this. DO NOT PLACE THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE STATIC BAG! It can actually conduct electricity! 
Install the CPU and heat sink. 
Install 1 stick of RAM.
Install the video card and attach the power supply connection(s) to the card if your card needs it.
Connect the monitor to the video card.
Connect the power supply to the motherboard with both the 24pin main ATX Power connection and the separate 4 or 8 pin power connection.
Connect power to the power supply.
Do NOT connect ANYTHING else. Make sure you have the power connector on the CPU fan connected.
Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard. Consult your motherboard manual to find which two pins connect to your case's power switch. Then touch both pins with a screwdriver to complete the circuit and boot the system.

If all is well, it should power up and you should get a display. Then assemble the parts into the case and try again. If the system now fails to boot, you have a short in the case and need to recheck your motherboard standoffs.

If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

Alright, I tried everything you said. I took everything out of the case. Right now I just have the motherboard, CPU, CPU heatsink, RAM, PCI Express x16 video card, and PSU. Everything boots up fine and it says DISK SYSTEM FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

So I power down my system, plug in power to my SATA drive, connect my SATA drive to my motherboard, and power it back on. It freezes at the BIOS screen and won't let me enter to BIOS. As soon as I disconnect the SATA drive from the motherboard, it boots up fine and asks for a system disk again.


----------



## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

Sounds as if the hdd is bad, try and boot from cd/dvd as a test if it boots fine power down and try another sata cable and port with the hdd just in case


----------



## linderman (May 20, 2005)

ahhh you have found your culprit

bad hard drive


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

Ok, well I disconnected my hard drive and now it's freezing at the BIOS with bare bones. Argh, this is so frustrating.


----------



## linderman (May 20, 2005)

try no hard drive / one stick of memory / connect the cd-rom drive and try to boot into windows CD .......see if you can get as far as ready to install the OS but it cant find a hard drive to install to?


----------



## Hemi (Jan 9, 2008)

Like the Tyree said. Start swaping parts. I would start with your PSU.


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

Update: Now I don't get any video at all. I've tried two working video cards, but my motherboard doesn't have on board video. I'm 99% sure it's the motherboard failing, anyone else agree?


----------



## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

Its possible, try stripping it down to only one stick of ram, psu,vid card, cpu with heat sink fan, keyboard monitor, mouse.

Clear the cmos and see if you get any video, if still no video remove the ram, make sure a case speaker is connected and see if it beeps, a lack of beeps indicates its the motherboard but its still a good idea to try a known working psu in it


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

Doby said:


> Its possible, try stripping it down to only one stick of ram, psu,vid card, cpu with heat sink fan, keyboard monitor, mouse.
> 
> Clear the cmos and see if you get any video, if still no video remove the ram, make sure a case speaker is connected and see if it beeps, a lack of beeps indicates its the motherboard but its still a good idea to try a known working psu in it


I already have it stripped down to that much. I'll try clearing the CMOS. Where can I get a case speaker from?


----------



## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

http://www.pcloft.com/casespeaker.html

Some cases ship something like the above with the case instead of mounting it as part of the case, you could also pull one from a old computer


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

I got a case speaker from my school's computer graveyard and I don't hear any beeps. When I turn my computer on, the fan just spins at a constant rate and never slows down like it normally would. I'm thinking this is a faulty motherboard, but I'm not 100% certain, how can I be?


----------



## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

Pull the ram and see if you can force it to beep, a lack of beeps is a good indication that the motherboard is bad


----------



## Ryu Hitokiri (Jun 25, 2007)

Isn't there a beep code that means the motherboard itself is bad?


----------



## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

No no beep code for that the main ones are for memory, when a system cannot find usuable memory and video


----------

