Computer 'weird noise' problem

[Rich H]

Hi,

I built my girlfriend a computer about 6 months ago, but as from yesterday it has not been able to boot.

When the computer is switched on the CD-ROM and Hard Drive keep powering on and off repeatedly until I switch off the PC. As you would expect the computer will not boot.
I have replaced the power supply, but that had no effect.

I feel this may be a motherboard problem, but I'm open to suggestions. Help please!!!

Rich

[Axel]

Does anything at all come on the monitor - does any part of the post complete?

Does the computer "beep" at all - if so, what sequence exactly does it beep?

You might be seeing one of the following -
1) BIOS damage - the BIOS has been attacked by a virus and it's file is corrupt

2) BIOS damage - the BIOS EPROM chip is fried

3) other motherboard damage - who knows

4) Processor chip damage - too much heat over too much time.

5) other Virus damage.

6) Y2K problem - was the BIOS upgraded or flashed for a Y2K issue? I seriously doubt this is it unless your girlfriend hasn't turned on the machine since new year - I.E., you wouldn't have seen it before now.

So, from what you've given us so far, I'd say that you do have some sort of damage on the motherboard or possibly on the BIOS or Processor. There are multiple things which could have caused it.

I'd take the Processor chip and the RAM out and have them checked. You might just end up buying a new motherboard and reinstalling all the hardware and software.

Regardless of what happens, when you reconnect the hard drive - do a thorough Virus scan on everything on it if you want to keep anything on it. Otherwise, you'd do best to fdisk and format the thing before doing something else on it, just in case you contracted a BIOS virus.

[This message has been edited by Axel (edited 02-16-2000).]

[tlwhite76]

Another opportunity to upgrade components?

[Rich H]

Yeah, everything boots up and is detected under the BIOS perfectly OK. When the BIOS gets to the point of booting up from hard disk nothing happens - due to the hard drive switching on and off.

I'd consider this to be an HD problem if it wasn't for the fact that the CD-ROM was doing the same. The CD-ROM keeps clicking and the hard drive keeps making a noise like someone hitting a ping pong ball inside the case! I'm pretty sure its a mobo problem, I just hope the HD isn't damaged with all the problems.

Rich

[Susan]

Couple things I would try, one at a time:

New cable

Switch cable to IDE2

See if boot is possible with CD ROM drive removed completely or put it by itself on the other IDE slot.

[AdamP]

Have you made any changes to the computer recently? It sounds like it MIGHT be a hard drive controller problem (since BOTH your HD and your CD-ROM don't work) on the Mobo. or a bad hard drive controller card (if you use one) if you haven't made any changes. I know it's a pain but try switching out your HD controller and see if it fixes the problem. Are they both IDE devices?

[Axel]

From the sounds of it, you have either only one IDE channel or you have two channels, but are running the hard drive and the CD-rom on the same ribbon cable.

If your motherboard supports it, try taking the CD-ROM off the hard drive ribbon cable and either leaving it off or putting it on the second IDE channel on it's own ribbon cable - then try booting again.

Another thing you might try after this is done, is to get into the BIOS and have it autodetect the hard drive when it sits alone on it's own ribbon. It isn't unheard of for an EPROM to lose it's settings and need to be reset, but it's really rare.

[Rich H]

You're right about the ribbon cable running both HD and CD-ROM, but I've tried running the hard drive (with no CD-ROM connected) on its own, but with no effect. The noise the hard drive makes is very worrying.

What I don't understand is that the hard drive and CD-ROM are only connected to the mobo by the ribbon cable - why should a problem with the mobo cause the HD and the CD-ROM to switch off and on (unless it is sending on/off signals to them). It can't be a power problem because I've bought a new case with a bigger power supply (AOpen 250W)

I'll try a new cable when I get my hands on one, but I'm baffled by this one.

Thanks to everyone who is trying to help.