Power Up = Black Screen

I just had the same problem and it turned out to be a bad memory module.
"BeastFish" wrote in message
m...
Hello,

I'm having a power up problem with my development (programming) PC.
When I turn it on, the keyboard LEDs light up, the HD and CD drives
light up (ie. initializing), then nothing. Black screen, no CMOS or
anything. The HD and keyboard LEDs stay luminated, but the monitor
doesn't come out of standby. This started a week or so ago. At first
it would start fine the second time. But now it takes 8 to 20 times
of turning it off then back on before it would finally start. Oddly
enough, I think I can determine when it will start, it tends to make a
weird little sound the time before it will start. Once it's started,
the PC runs fine. I'll have it on for 8+ hours with no problems.
Only problem is getting it started after its been off for more than a
few minutes.

This is something that just started happening around a week ago out of
the blue. I haven't added any hardware or software to this box in
quite some time. No settings (CMOS, Windows, etc.) have been changed.
Everything was working fine until about a week ago.

Its a 550mhz AMD K2 running WIn98SE. The motherboard is a SOYO SY5E
series Super Socket 7 with the VIA MVP3 chipset and was new out of the
box about a year ago. The CPU was new with the mobo. HD is a 20gig
7200 Seagate Baracuda, also new out of the box about a year ago. ATI
All-In-Wonder 128 AGP video card.

What I have done so far... Changed the IDE cables; tried it with all
cards (except a known good video card), drives, and memory removed;
replaced the power supply (with a brand new one). Still haven't
resolved the problem. Though I suspect it may be, I'm hoping it ain't
the mobo because a new Super Socket 7 might be hard to hunt down.

Any ideas, suggestions, expert opinion, etc. about the cause of this
problem?

Thanks in advance.

"BeastFish" wrote in message
m...
Hello,

I'm having a power up problem with my development (programming) PC.
When I turn it on, the keyboard LEDs light up, the HD and CD drives
light up (ie. initializing), then nothing. Black screen, no CMOS or
anything. The HD and keyboard LEDs stay luminated, but the monitor
doesn't come out of standby. This started a week or so ago. At first
it would start fine the second time. But now it takes 8 to 20 times
of turning it off then back on before it would finally start. Oddly
enough, I think I can determine when it will start, it tends to make a
weird little sound the time before it will start. Once it's started,
the PC runs fine. I'll have it on for 8+ hours with no problems.
Only problem is getting it started after its been off for more than a
few minutes.

This is something that just started happening around a week ago out of
the blue. I haven't added any hardware or software to this box in
quite some time. No settings (CMOS, Windows, etc.) have been changed.
Everything was working fine until about a week ago.

Its a 550mhz AMD K2 running WIn98SE. The motherboard is a SOYO SY5E
series Super Socket 7 with the VIA MVP3 chipset and was new out of the
box about a year ago. The CPU was new with the mobo. HD is a 20gig
7200 Seagate Baracuda, also new out of the box about a year ago. ATI
All-In-Wonder 128 AGP video card.

What I have done so far... Changed the IDE cables; tried it with all
cards (except a known good video card), drives, and memory removed;
replaced the power supply (with a brand new one). Still haven't
resolved the problem. Though I suspect it may be, I'm hoping it ain't
the mobo because a new Super Socket 7 might be hard to hunt down.

Any ideas, suggestions, expert opinion, etc. about the cause of this
problem?

Thanks in advance.

Well it sounds like you've narrowed it down yourself to the motherboard.
You bought that mobo and chip brand new a YEAR ago??? A YEAR AGO???

Anyway, why not shoot for a low end AthlonXP chip and new mobo? They are
VERY inexpensive now. Try looking at http://www.newegg.com and see how low
the prices are. http://www.ourstrangeworld.com

A follow up, for the NG archive...

The problem turned out to be the motherboard. Some of the capaciters went
Jiffy-Pop. I was able to track down another super socket 7 mobo after some
sleuthing and got the PC functioning.




"BeastFish" wrote in message
m...
Hello,

I'm having a power up problem with my development (programming) PC.
When I turn it on, the keyboard LEDs light up, the HD and CD drives
light up (ie. initializing), then nothing. Black screen, no CMOS or
anything. The HD and keyboard LEDs stay luminated, but the monitor
doesn't come out of standby. This started a week or so ago. At first
it would start fine the second time. But now it takes 8 to 20 times
of turning it off then back on before it would finally start. Oddly
enough, I think I can determine when it will start, it tends to make a
weird little sound the time before it will start. Once it's started,
the PC runs fine. I'll have it on for 8+ hours with no problems.
Only problem is getting it started after its been off for more than a
few minutes.

This is something that just started happening around a week ago out of
the blue. I haven't added any hardware or software to this box in
quite some time. No settings (CMOS, Windows, etc.) have been changed.
Everything was working fine until about a week ago.

Its a 550mhz AMD K2 running WIn98SE. The motherboard is a SOYO SY5E
series Super Socket 7 with the VIA MVP3 chipset and was new out of the
box about a year ago. The CPU was new with the mobo. HD is a 20gig
7200 Seagate Baracuda, also new out of the box about a year ago. ATI
All-In-Wonder 128 AGP video card.

What I have done so far... Changed the IDE cables; tried it with all
cards (except a known good video card), drives, and memory removed;
replaced the power supply (with a brand new one). Still haven't
resolved the problem. Though I suspect it may be, I'm hoping it ain't
the mobo because a new Super Socket 7 might be hard to hunt down.

Any ideas, suggestions, expert opinion, etc. about the cause of this
problem?

Thanks in advance.