[clug] Any ideas on what to look for to get an old PC running?

jhock jhock at iinet.net.au
Mon Dec 22 04:25:24 GMT 2008


On Mon, 2008-12-22 at 10:39 +1100, Duncan Bolt wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> If it is that dead then I would open the case and have a quick look at 
> the motherboard.
> 
> Most of the old Pentium 4s I worked with died for one of two reasons.
> 
> Cheap Motherboard capacitors that had leaked, and boiled over. There 
> seemed to be a batch with a dodgy electrolyte fluid. Check the top of 
> the capacitors normally they have flat tops but when they died they 
> bulged upwards.

The capaciters look OK.  No buldge, no leaks.

> 
> If it is not that then my next guess would be the power supply. Of 
> course it is also possible that a cable or something has worked loose. 
> eg RAM

All cables seem to be plugged in though I tried to wiggle them again.

> 
> Duncan
> 
> jhock wrote:
> > Hi Chris,
> >
> > Thanks for your prompt reply.  When I say "nothing" happened.  This is
> > what happened:
> >
> >      1. No lights,
> >      2. No fan,
> >      3. no noise,
> >      4. No response at all from the computer even when I repeatedly
> >         pressed the power switch (it "clicked" on each press),
> >      5. The monitor came on with a "No signal" message,
> >      6. I swapped the computer power cable with the monitor power cable
> >         and 1-5 above repeated.
> >
> > I hope that explains what I mean by "nothing".  ;--) ( Sorry for the
> > frivolous mood, I just started my holidays.) 
> >
> > John
> >
> > On Mon, 2008-12-22 at 10:08 +1100, Chris Henman wrote:
> >   
> >> John,
> >>
> >> When you say "nothing happened" what exactly did NOT happen ?  Any 
> >> lights? Any exhaust fan starting ?  Any "beeps"; they are usually a 
> >> message, like Morse code.
> >> Have you tried another power cord ?  Monitor OK ?
> >> How long has it been out of service?  Have you checked the CMOS battery 
> >> if it still uses battery CMOS backup?  Usually a CR 20xx or something.
> >>
> >> Just a few thoughts I would try.
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >> Chris Henman
> >>
> >> jhock wrote:
> >>     
> >>> Hi All,
> >>>
> >>> Thanks to Ian (I love this list. It's so helpful) I have a power cord
> >>> for my old PC (MISI Pentium 4).  I have now unpacked it all from storage
> >>> however, when I switched it on nothing happened.  I don't want to spend
> >>> too much effort on it because I hope to soon get an Eee PC 10 with LINUX
> >>> (Once they are available in Australia) but I thought that I could use
> >>> this one as a proxy, print server, game machine for my five year old,
> >>> wireless modem firewall or something.  (I prefer to reuse than recycle.
> >>> Its more energy saving.)
> >>>
> >>> I was wondering if anybody has any advice on how to get it to work. EG.
> >>> is there likely to be a fuse inside, is there an area which I should
> >>> "jiggle" when I open it, is there a good spot to bang it like they do on
> >>> TV (Fonze type thoughts here)?  ;--)
> >>>
> >>> Thanks in advance for any help.
> >>>
> >>> John
> >>>
> >>>   
> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> No virus found in this incoming message.
> >>> Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com 
> >>> Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.9.19/1859 - Release Date: 12/20/2008 2:34 PM
> >>>
> >>>   
> >>>       
> >
> >   
> 



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