Why won't my computer boot to the operating system?

Question

Was working fine. Turned it on today and it booted to the BIOS screen, then hung up on the black screen with the blinking cursor. Will not boot the op system.

I've rebooted several times. No help.
I've tried booting with the WinXP full install disk. No help.
I've replaced the RAM. No help.
I've replaced the hard drive. No help.
I've replaced the PSU. No help.
I've disconnected all accessories (sound, floppy and CD drives). No help.

I assume it is a motherboard problem, but how can I know for sure? Anything else I should do to check this computer?

My thanks to the two people who answered this question. Both were very good answers. I chose the longer one as best only because it provided me with additional information about computer troubleshooting and may help me next time.

The good news is that my computer is working again. After tearing everything apart and putting it back together without really changing anything, I left it sit for an hour and booted it again . . . and it works.

And I don't know why. Could have been a bad connection somewhere. Might be a mobo problem as simple as a bad connection on one of the many cables. Might be something going bad that works intermittently.

But thanks again. This has been a good site for answers so far. Hope use it a lot, and I hope I can help others occasionally.

Answer 1

This are the stept you must take before expendin any money :

1- If you have access the cmos SETUP, (pressing del usually), get there and change the advanced setup to be able to both from disk.

Use another computer to get into bootdisk.com and download w98 se or other system disk files and have in a disk. Puit it on your PC and see what happens. If it starts and gets to the disk, your problem is not the Motherboard but a faulty sys.com, (wich in XP is embedded inthe OS, but in old OSs is jus file sys.com

2-If nothing happens, then check if you power supply in the back has a switch that says /110v/220v... sometimes someone may move it accidentaly when cleaning or something. Have it in 110V and restart

3-If this does not help, and you are able to get6 a multimeter, open your equipment, get de multimeter on DC VOLS, and place the tester black wire to any of the black wires on a power cable that connects things like had disks and floppies (The data cables do not work for tghis and are recognized by the flat ribbon, the ones I am talking about have one or 2 blacks, a red and a Yellow ones.).

The other tester plug must be placed in the red and then yellow wires. Readout should be 5 and 12 volts with no more than 6% variation, if less, then change your power supply.

4- If you have not mess with the integrated circuits in the mainboard, just press the large ICs in their sockets and do some vacuum. You say you disconnected all peripherals, if nthats truth, your motherboard or CP is Dead!

5) You can test a CPU by inserting it in another computer that is working, but it needs to be able to accept the sameone. Remember, Intel and AMD are different, but also CPU models are quite different and their respective sockets,,, so be careful.

I am inclined to thing you need a new motherboard.. sorry!

Answer 2

i'd call the manufactoring company of your motherboard and they can take you through some tests. but if bios boots.... it seems like the motherboard is ok! change out the cable for your hard drive. create a bootable floppy disk and see if you can't boot from that.... run the fixboot utility once you get in.

Answer 3

once you assert "it freezes" - Do you mean the exhibit by no skill ameliorations, and it only hangs there? if so, i'd use your OS CD as well your computing gadget, next do a restore installation