P7 shut down before boot

[Dar_Smith]

Hello! This morning the PC would not respond to the mouse movement, black screen, and the front had white lights as if it was awake. I unplugged and plugged back in, counting to 30 first. The pc immediately goes to booting up. As the fans begin, with the power light white, the yellow light comes on (to the left of the power button) and the system shuts down. This may take a maximum of 3 seconds.

 I've tried holding the power button in as it boots, no changes. I have to wait for the green light on the power supply to go off before it will "try" to boot up immediately after plugging into the power supply. I switched outlets and surge protector. I took out the power supply and put it back in. I have not added any apps. We keep our "protection" running at all regular times - been there, done that, and got the dead pc to show for it...still wearing the t-shirt!!! ANd no, I do not have bootable discs. It has been so many years I do not know whereto find them. Does anyone have any suggestions? I will see about downloading something on the laptop while waiting...and hoping...for an idea!!! Thank you very much!!!

[Grzwacz · Accepted solution]

Hi Dar_Smith

I would say your PC has a failed hardware component. Visually inspect the motherboard and discrete graphics card (if applicable) for bulging or leaky capacitors or thermal damage. Clean the fans and heatsinks with compressed air. Replace the CR2032 MB battery.

Did you disconnect all power supply connections to the motherboard and components, and then remove the power supply from the chassis? This would have been a good time to swap in a known good replacement power supply.

You will have to swap in known good replacement components to find the bad component.

I had a similar problem with a HP PC made in 2012. Changed the PS, pulled the discrete graphics card and tried onboard graphics, pulled the RAM. Tried one stick of RAM at a time in each memory slot. Tried new RAM.

Tried booting with only a monitor. Disconnected the optical drive, HDD, and card reader. Tried booting with no RAM.

Nothing worked.

Guess what is left?

An integrated MB component or the processor.

I build and repair PC's. So I have spare parts I can swap in when troubleshooting. Doing this can get expensive.

Take your PC to a local tech for a diagnosis.

Grzy

[Dar_Smith]

Hello Grzy!

Thank you. Not only do I understand, thank you, but I agree. Yes, I did what you had asked. Also, as I scrolled through other posts I came to a conclusion that it might be in the hardware. I am in very rural Alabama, so everything pretty much gets delivered to us. I'll go take a good look at the motherboard, thank you. I've had experience building pc's. The husband thought it would be a good idea...probably in 2000 - 2002. Yep, and my hair is "more gray" also!!! We do have a good soul who is located up the road about 20+ miles who works on pc's, phones, etc, in his spare time. I'll se about getting up with him also,

 I will check back with you to let you know the progress. We haven't had any problems with the tower or the two laptops since we bought one of each 5 years ago! Anyway, thank you so very much. I appreciate your kindnesses and respect. This looks to be a very good forum...an at-a-boy for HP...and for all of you who care to help.

Very sincerely, -Dar

[Grzwacz]

Hi Dar_Smith

You are welcome

Thanks for your kind thoughts.

Hope you can solve the problem. Sorry to note it does not look promising.

Good luck!

Grzy

[Dar_Smith]

Grzy, Hello Again!

I got the old HP laptop, last used 2012, up and running in today's world! 😉 Forced me to clean up 3 large email accounts! Better late than never!!! No worries, I may be a farmer in very rural Alabama, but at least I am able to bring back the tools we need for the husband's job!!! Nuf said!!!

What are the chances of my getting an HP refurbished Windows 7 pro 64-bit Intel desktop, and replace that harddrive with my harddrive from the Win 7 home premium 64-bit AMD???

Otherwise, would I be able to access my programs after plugging in my old hardrive in the spare slot? I am assuming that I'd have access to the files... 😉

All of this is taking place up here on our "farm". I built a room back in1999. Getting ready to build a house. Somewhere in the depths of this "room" are the disks for the programs. Just not able a this time to get to them.

I have gone back to TigerDirect and have found 4 towers. HP 8000 Elite SFF is what I am leaning towards...as an instant fix...for income purposes!!!

THank you so much for any help!!! Oh, I was unable to see any meltdown on the MB. Called the local man, the only one in the county...read to him your words...was thinking you know more than he but that may not be fair!!! Have another aquaintance up in Tennessee, but a this time, as he is also a farmer, his time is very limited... I have failed to ask either the questions that I am asking you!!!!

Ok, then. First sunny day in 4 days! Going to step outside and  absorb some sunshine and hope for the best!!! Thank you so much for your help!!! -Darlene

[Grzwacz]

Hi Darlene

You don't have to plug the HDD directly into a different Desktop. 

Each Windows installation uses different drivers based on the processor, chipset, graphics, and other hardware connected to the device.

Trying to boot to the operating system installed on one PC when connected to a different PC as a boot drive will have problems. You could internally connect the HDD as a data drive. You would not have to buy a new desktop to save the data on the source HDD.

What you could do is get a HDD docking station. This will allow you to connect the HDD using USB to the laptop you have or any other PC.

You can now read and write to the HDD you removed from the failing desktop if the HDD is not bad.

Amazon or Newegg sell what you would need to do this. Shop around to find a better price.

We are also finally having some nice weather. I live in PA. The weather has been terrible.

Grzy