HELP Desktop computer DOA

[Dave Lehnert]

I have a Gateway desktop computer 16 years old. Computer did not see much use because I started using laptops about a year or two later. The inside of the computer surprised to see very little dust. Almost looks new.
I have been using the desktop as offline use only keeping financial stuff on it. Considering the age I do not want to spend much to get it going again if possible.
Nothing I need on it that's not backed up.

The desktop will not power on at all. I did the Power Supply test trick on you tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA_bPiWl3oE
The fan turns on. But again in my computer it does nothing.

A friend at work had an old power supply. I hooked up only the CPU and Mother Board power. It did not have the correct connector for my SATA hard drive. With this ,my desk top does power on but I get a high /low beeping (Kinda like an alarm) then shuts down.

Looking for advice on next step.

What is the chance the power supply from my friend is good but shutting down because it is not the correct one?
I can get an used power supply (exact model) tested so they say for $15-$20. on the bay.
Or do you think the friends power supply is showing something else is wrong with my desktop?

Like I said, don't want to spend much money but hate to trash for something simple.

[Stephen Tashiro]

but I get a high /low beeping (Kinda like an alarm) then shuts down.

Motherboards have "beep codes" - for example 3 long beeps might be a specific diagnostic. See if you can find out the beep codes for the motherboard.

A simple thing to try if you are familiar with motherboards is remove the memory chips and then reinsert them. The same thing can be tried with the video card (if there is one) and the CPU.

[Tom Stenzel]

Motherboards have "beep codes" - for example 3 long beeps might be a specific diagnostic. See if you can find out the beep codes for the motherboard...



Steve's advice is a good start.

For instance I picked up a HP desktop out of the trash years ago. When powered it made a series of beeps and nothing. Turned out the CPU fan was stuck with dog hair. There was a rotation sensor on the fan. When fan didn't move the computer stopped working. I didn't look up the beep code. I just happened to blow out the computer with compressed air and it started working. Starting the computer with my finger holding the fan would result in the beeps again.

There's a ton of reasons a computer can go south. Diagnosing yours over the 'net is going to be rough. Try unplugging any peripherals, the hard drive, floppy drive (you did say 16 years old), anything that might have gone kaput. Then see if the computer makes it through the power on self test.

Are you sure the monitor isn't the problem? The computer might work with a dead screen. This will be tough to diagnose over the net.

-Tom

[Jim Koepke]

Some computers have a battery to keep some volatile memory backed up and the clock running. You might want to search the net to see if your model is one that requires this battery to be good for the computer to work.

As others have said, this is a difficult fix over the internet. Like me, we are all guessing or offering answers to problems we solved in the past.

Your best bet is if you know an older computer geek who enjoys a challenge.

My previous computer became obsolete due to internet security issues. It was barely 10 years old. If cars became unusable this quick most of us would likely be taking public transit or taxis.

jtk

[Mike Soaper]

You might want to check the motherboard for failing/leaking/bulging capacitors. From about 2000-2006? there was a problem with some electrolytic capacitors used by several pc mfgrs. I saved some Dell pc's by replacing some failing caps on the motherboard which were used to filter the power supply circuits.

[Roger Feeley]

+1 on the “wiggle everything that can be wiggled “.

in that same vein, brush everything that can be brushed. There is a phenomena called whiskering where lead free solder can grow microscopic threads that can cause shorts. Just take a very gentle brush and go over everything.

[Derek Meyer]

If the board is giving you a high-low beep and then shutting off, then it's likely an overheating issue with either the CPU or one of the motherboard components. Did you pull the RAM from the motherboard before you hooked it up? If the board and processor are working correctly, with no memory installed you'll get a never-ending series of long beeps. The high-low is an alarm. Do you have a CPU fan that is mounted correctly and working properly? Is this an Intel or AMD system?

Derek

[Dave Lehnert]

If the board is giving you a high-low beep and then shutting off, then it's likely an overheating issue with either the CPU or one of the motherboard components. Did you pull the RAM from the motherboard before you hooked it up? If the board and processor are working correctly, with no memory installed you'll get a never-ending series of long beeps. The high-low is an alarm. Do you have a CPU fan that is mounted correctly and working properly? Is this an Intel or AMD system?

Derek


Intell and fan is working ok.

[Bill Dufour]

Misleading title? I would reset all connections and and at least push down on every chip since they may have loosened in transit. How well packed was it for the trip?

Or do you mean it was sitting on a shelf with no moving around to shake things apart?
Bil lD

[Chuck Wintle]

I have a Gateway desktop computer 16 years old. Computer did not see much use because I started using laptops about a year or two later. The inside of the computer surprised to see very little dust. Almost looks new.
I have been using the desktop as offline use only keeping financial stuff on it. Considering the age I do not want to spend much to get it going again if possible.
Nothing I need on it that's not backed up.

The desktop will not power on at all. I did the Power Supply test trick on you tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA_bPiWl3oE
The fan turns on. But again in my computer it does nothing.

A friend at work had an old power supply. I hooked up only the CPU and Mother Board power. It did not have the correct connector for my SATA hard drive. With this ,my desk top does power on but I get a high /low beeping (Kinda like an alarm) then shuts down.

Looking for advice on next step.

What is the chance the power supply from my friend is good but shutting down because it is not the correct one?
I can get an used power supply (exact model) tested so they say for $15-$20. on the bay.
Or do you think the friends power supply is showing something else is wrong with my desktop?

Like I said, don't want to spend much money but hate to trash for something simple.
I would spend the $20 to have a tested working power supply. As was mentioned a visual to look for bulging swollen capacitors would be in order.

[Curt Harms]

My previous computer became obsolete due to internet security issues. It was barely 10 years old. If cars became unusable this quick most of us would likely be taking public transit or taxis.

jtk

lil' hijack here. I doubt your computer became obsolete due to internet security issues. It probably became obsolete due to the operating system becoming unsupported. Separate things though one is of no use without the other. Both things can be upgraded though whether that upgrade makes sense is another discussion.

[Jim Koepke]

I doubt your computer became obsolete due to internet security issues.

It may have been an OS support issue since it couldn't be upgraded. One day while trying to log in to my bank account it wouldn't let me since the new bank security set up wouldn't allow a connection.

jtk

[mike stenson]

If the OS is no longer supported, there will be no security updates.

Your bank was wise ;)