PC won't Startup

[EdwarDean]

My desktop computer won't start up. It was working fine until two days ago. I removed and cleaned the fans. They were a little dirty, but not too bad. When I turn it on it makes all the usual noises, but seems to be stuck in 1st gear. The fans are all running and the green light on the back of the computer is on.  I am currently at work and I am planning on reseating the memory this evening.

Any comments on what my options are is appreciated. Thanks

[mdklassen]

When you power-on the computer, the fan(s) run at 100% of their maximum speed -- AND NOISE.

Then, the POST (Power On Self Test) is launched.

One of the things that POST does is to measure the temperature of the motherboard, and of the processor.

If those temperatures are literally "cool", it tells the fan(s) to slow down, and, of course, MAKE LESS NOISE.

Is there a pattern for the beeps, e.g., long-beep/break/long-beep/pause/short-beep?

Try one RAM stick at a time.

Try reseating the video-card.

Ensure that all the wires from the fan(s) are connected somewhere on the motherboard.

[EdwarDean]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Before you replied to my post I had removed the ram and reset it but in reverse order. that didn't help.

When I turn the PC on it sounds normal, and there is a click but no beeps. The fans continue to run a normal speed. I usually turn off the unit within a minute. All fans (3) are connected and running, Two fans are on the back of the PC.

In regards to the video card, excuse my ignorance, but I am not sure where that is, but I would assume it's  where the monitor cord plugs into the back of the computer. Thanks

[mdklassen]

> When I turn the PC on it sounds normal, and there is a click but no beeps.

If there previously was one beep when the computer was working normally, then the lack of the beep implies that the POST (Power On Self Test) has not successfully completed.  Bad news!

> In regards to the video card, I am not sure where that is.

If the connector for the video-cable is amidst the other sockets (USB, Ethernet, audio) then your motherboard has "integrated-video", which never can become "unseated".  But, if the video-cable connects to a socket that is away from that "cluster" of sockets, check that this "add-in" graphics adapter is properly seated.

But, the "greater" problem is the missing "beep" from the POST.

[EdwarDean]

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@mdklassen wrote:
Is the blue item under the fan the video card or something else. If it is, how do I remove it? Thanks.

> When I turn the PC on it sounds normal, and there is a click but no beeps.

If there previously was one beep when the computer was working normally, then the lack of the beep implies that the POST (Power On Self Test) has not successfully completed.  Bad news!

> In regards to the video card, I am not sure where that is.

If the connector for the video-cable is amidst the other sockets (USB, Ethernet, audio) then your motherboard has "integrated-video", which never can become "unseated".  But, if the video-cable connects to a socket that is away from that "cluster" of sockets, check that this "add-in" graphics adapter is properly seated.

But, the "greater" problem is the missing "beep" from the POST.

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[mdklassen]

> Is the blue item under the fan the video card or something else. If it is, how do I remove it?

The green everywhere is the top-surface of the motherboard.

All those connectors, including the one with the piece of blue-coloured tape, are the connectors from the motherboard to the external ports (video, USB, network, audio) that are visible on the back of your computer.

Do not try to remove it -- a motherboard has multiple layers, and is easily damaged if you try to remove any of those connectors.

[EdwarDean]

Thanks for the comments. Do you think this PC is fixable or is it toast?

[mdklassen]

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@EdwarDean wrote:

Do you think this PC is fixable or is it toast?

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It probably is fixable, but .............................

Your computer: HP Pavilion p6720f Desktop PC Product Specifications

Product number:  BV532AA

Introduction date:  17-Nov-2010

Countries sold in:

• United States
• Canada

has an eight-year-old disk-drive, that should not be "trusted", but it has several "salvageable" parts:

Processor:

• AMD Phenom II X4
• Operating speed: 2.9 GHz (up to 3.2 GHz turbo)
• Number of cores: 4

RAM:

• Amount: 6 GB
• Speed: PC3-10600 MB/sec
• Type: DDR3-1333

WiFi: 802.11 Wireless b/g/n PCI-E Mini card

• Interface type: PCI-e half-length mini card
• Data transfer speeds: up to 150 Mbps
• Transmission standards: 802.11 b/g/n

Optical drive: SuperMulti DVD Burner with LightScribe Technology drive

• Interface: SATA
• Data buffer memory: 2 MB minimum
• LightScribe: yes

Internal (100-240V)

• Form factor: internal ATX
• Total Wattage: 250W

Software: Microsoft Office Starter 2010

Note that MIcrosoft will terminate all support for Windows 7 in January 2020 -- 16 months away.

So, by that time, you will need to run Windows 10.

I think that you should "upgrade now" -- new system, new disk-drive, new Windows 10, to replace your "antique" computer.

[EdwarDean]

Thanks Buddy. My son works at Best Buy and asked him to look out for a good deal. I requested that he look for an i5  or i7 Intel processor.

[mdklassen · Accepted solution]

Good idea.

Just as your current PC has lasted for over 7 years, your "next" PC should also last for over 7 years.

What a nice son to purchase a new computer for his father, as a birthday or father's day or Xmas present!

Get him to also purchase an external disk-drive, first to make a backup of your current personal files, and then to be used to make weekly backups of your brand-new computer.

Ask him about creating a "mirrored-set" -- two same-capacity disk-drives that store the same content, in real-time. If one disk-drive fails, then all your personal files will still be available on the remaining disk-drive. You can then purchase a replacement disk-drive, and "rebuild" that "mirroring" of your files.