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Topic: No Luck with PC ..... |
James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 21 Jan 2009 4:58 pm |
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| A while back I had a PC built for me only to run GigaStudio ...I finally bit the bullet as they would NOT port Giga for a Mac ..... The first problem was a Raid 0 Setup that ended up frying the Promise controller which then left me with only 2 hard drives on my computer rather than the 4 I wanted .....I had one for the program hard drive , and then 1 other for audio , and then had the last two as a Raid0 setup for samples ..... I recently bought an iMac and I'm LOVING It !!....I'm back to Mac and no more hassles AT ALL !!!......I went back to my PC after not using it for a couple of months and turned it on to get some picture files that I had on there and I was on maybe 5 minutes and my mouse froze , and then the screen just went black as the monitor was turned off by the computer .....???????.......The computer was still running , but the monitor's power just went off as the screen went black .....I powered the computer down , and plugged another monitor in to see if it was the monitor .....No dice !!....The monitor light stayed on , but nothing at all on the monitor ....The computer loaded like it normally would ....At least I think it did ....I could not see any icons as the screen was black , but it seemed to load as normal ......Any idea's as to why all of a sudden my screen decided to go black on me ....Is my PC jeolous because I have a great working Apple now ?.....Did Bill G. put an Apple hex on my machine ? ......This PC has done nothing but give me headaches ....I have all top notch parts in it too ..... God Bless you guys that have the patience for these PC's ....There is no more GIgaStudio , so I won't be using a PC ever again .......I HOPE AND PRAY that I don't have to ......Thanks, Jim |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 21 Jan 2009 5:36 pm
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James;
Unplug the power cord, open the case and reseat the video card and RAM. Vacuum out all the dust then check every connector plug on every device and socket to ensure that they are firmly inserted. RAM and plug-in cards can become dislodged in their sockets, causing this type of black screen.
Another thing that can cause the video output to cease is an incorrect slot selection change in the BIOS. I inflicted this on myself once upon a time, when I changed the video source from AGP to onboard video. Unfortunately, the onboard video chipset didn't work and ended up with no video at all. Since I couldn't see the onscreen options I couldn't edit the BIOS. I had to remove the CMOS battery and insert a jumper across the terminals that clear the CMOS and reset it to default to get my video back to AGP. This may have happened to you if the battery has drained. Replace the CMOS battery on the motherboard to find out.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 22 Jan 2009 8:17 am
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Wiz,
Thanks for your help .....The problem appears to be two fold ..... The inside of the computer was very clean since I had cleaned it pretty good before I stopped using it because the entire computer shut down on me at one time , and I ended up cleaning it really good .....This time I did the video card reseat and hooked up a different monitor that I knew was a working monitor and all was well again ....I then took that monitor off the computer, and put the old monitor back on ( the one that innitially gave me problems ) and it would not even turn on ....I unplugged it and plugged just the monitor into a different electrical outlet and it would STILL not turn on ......The other monitor works fine .... So I'm not sure if the video card not being properly seated screwed up the original monitor , or if the original monitor just went on the fritz and the video card was just something that needed reseating anyway ....At any rate , it's working , and again I thank you .....
Now, please explain to me about the Cmos battery situation .....I'm not sure if I follow what you did when you said you "jumpered " the terminals ....Which terminals did you jumper , and what does that do without the battery being hooked up to the Cmos ? ..... How often does the Cmos battery need to be replaced ? ..... Will I loose any settings when I replace it ? .....Thanks again for your help .....I'm asking this as I am SURE that I will have other issues with this computer ....
Thanks again , Sincerely, Jim |
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John Cipriano
From:
San Francisco
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Posted 22 Jan 2009 5:46 pm
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James, Wiz was just saying that in case you had the wrong BIOS settings, and that was causing your video card to not function, there is a quick way to get back to the defaults. The settings are saved in a type of memory made from CMOS and requires a constant power source. That power usually comes from a lithium battery that is held to the board by a clip or some solder.
If the battery is removable, you just remove it momentarily.
Newer motherboards have jumpers so that you don't have to remove the battery. Also sometimes the battery is soldered onto the board, which makes the jumpers necessary.
I think the most common setup is that there are three pins, and a jumper, which is the little plastic piece that you use to short two of the pins. The jumper will be on two of the pins, you move it over by one pin and then put it back where it was.
As far as replacing them...they're like smoke detectors. Almost never, and you'll probably know when you have to because the BIOS will say "CMOS cleared" or something similar, and probably beep as well. In my experience they can last as much as ten years but let's say between five and ten. |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 22 Jan 2009 10:03 pm
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As John stated, since the video is now working you should not clear the CMOS. If you wish to change the battery you can shine a light on the old one and see what numbers are on it, then go to the nearest drugstore and buy a replacement for a couple of bucks. When you pry the old one out you will have about 30 to 60 seconds to insert the fresh battery, without losing your startup settings. Or, just leave the old one there until it dies. They usually last about 5 years, then plotz.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2009 4:52 am
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Wiz and John,
Thanks for the explanaton ....I appreciate it ....I can never learn too much when especially when it comes to using a PC .... Just one more experience to pull from when needed .... Time now to go out and get that nice LCD that I've been wanting for so long ...Maybe this was a blessing in disguise ....
I'm not going to do this , but lets say that I take the CMOS battery out ...This allows the Bios to clear (?) , what will I end up with when I go to start the computer again ....Will the BIOS reset itself, or would I have to go in and manually set everything up again ? ...... Please pardon my ignorance , I have never built a computer and have never dealt with the CMOS and hardly ever have had to go into the BIOS ......Thanks again , Jim |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2009 7:51 am
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WARNING!
The information in this post contain advanced troubleshooting techniques, which if applied incorrectly may cause your computer to refuse to Boot (startup). Proceed at your own risk, or let a professional perform these functions (for a nominal fee).
The term CMOS and BIOS refer to the same chip on the motherboard. CMOS is actually the electrical description of a type of transistor or integrated circuit and is an acronym for "Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor." BIOS stands for "Basic Input/Output System"
The CMOS is a special type of chip that is capable of holding an electrical charge for a short time, after power is removed from it. The holding time varies from 30 to 60 seconds and depends on the age of the chip (and motherboard) and the temperature inside the case. It is powered by a coin shaped, 3v Lithium battery, typically a model CR2030. If this battery loses its charge the BIOS/CMOS will forget its boot up and peripheral device settings and the computer will not boot. Sometimes a failing battery will give you a warning by occasionally forgetting it's settings until you reset it, using a designated key to enter setup and load certain values. If this happens more than once you must replace the battery (less than $5.00).
When you get the replacement battery, typically a CR2032 coin shaped battery, open the case, locate the battery on the motherboard and note the side that faces up. A small focusable flashlight helps with this task. It may have the + sign facing up, or the part number. Power off the PC and unplug the power cord, for safety sake. Reach in and pop the old battery out of the frame that it sits in, then quickly push in the new one, using the same up orientation scheme. Take a moment to match the up side before inserting the new one!
If you have trouble removing the battery from the motherboard clip, use a small (preferably plastic) screwdriver blade - very carefully - to pry up on an edge. Having the power off is extremely important if you use a metal blade screwdriver.
You should have enough time to replace the CMOS battery without losing any saved settings. However, if they are lost you can reset them by entering the BIOS at startup using the designated key on your keyboard. The startup screen usually has this information, with labels like "Press (Delete|F1|F2|Esc) to enter setup" - where one of the terms in in parenthesis will be used. Tap the appropriate key when you reboot your PC. If you can't see this information try tapping Delete, then F1, then F2, then Esc, until you find the key that works.
Once you enter the (graphical) Setup screen there will usually be a list of functions on the bottom of the graphic interface, along with the key to press for those functions (usually F keys). They usually have names such as Load Defaults, or similar language. Pressing the designated F key will load the preset default settings into the BIOS. From there you can use the arrow keys to move up or down, or to tab right or left, to review various settings in all of the tabbed screens. Resetting the defaults may disable onboard audio, or other devices, and you may need to enable them. Use the instructions in the BIOS to open an option, then use the Up|Down arrow key to highlight your preference, then click Enter to select it.
Review all changes you made, ensuring that the BIOS has correctly identified your RAM, hard drives and removable disk drives. Finally, press the F key that is designated to Save and Exit. Your computer will close the BIOS setup interface and reboot automatically, then attempt to boot into Windows. If you did everything correctly Windows will load as usual. If it fails to boot up, go back into the BIOS and look for an option labeled Load Safe Values, or something similar.
If you have the manual for your motherboard it may have details about the factory preferred settings used in your BIOS. It will also identify the CMOS Reset jumper on the motherboard, which is usually close to the battery. It will reset the BIOS to factory defaults. Use this if the computer refuses to boot at all, after editing the BIOS settings. The plastic jumper sits on a little three prong block, across two pins (normal operation setting), with the unused (reset) pin on one side. Lift the little jumper and move it over so it covers the middle and previously unused pin, leave it there for about one minute, then move it back to its normal operating position.
When you restart the computer it will say Bad Checksum and tell you to press some key to enter setup. Try loading Safe values this time, or call in a professional technician to set it up correctly. Bad settings may disable the computer, but only as long as they remain bad. Once you enter the correct settings the computer will boot.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2009 7:45 pm
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Wiz,
Thanks so much for a complete description of the BIOS and the CMOS .... I really appreciate it , and can now understand how they interplay ....Sincerely , Jim |
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