If all else fails, here's the procedure we recommend in the PC forums that I admin:

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=168456

 

Here is what I would personally do......

Use the same cable and hook it and monitor to another computer or laptop. If it works you have eliminated those two.
If not, try a different cable
If still dont try a different monitor.

Once those two work on another computer then move back and try again....

If it was the cable or monitor then GREAT!!!
If not it might still be a cheap easy fix but it's not going to be as easy to find....

Next

Unplug main power supply
open case
unhook everything except mother board this includes hard drives and cd/dvd roms. I mean everything. All you want is mother board, video, mouse and keyboard.
remove all pci cards
reinstall video card if you do not have an onboard video too
If you have onboard video put cable on it instead.
Remove all memory sticks
try to boot and hopefuly it will atleast post. (display cmos/bios spalsh screen and probably lots of errors) this is good!!!

If not leave everything undone and out.
unplug power cord and remove cmos battery (looks like a watch battery)
wait couple hours
reinstall cmos battery
boot computer
If it does not post at this point, (should atleast give you a time error and ask you to set the time.)
If it does not, then it could still be the power supply but ot likely, other wise you are pretty much dead.
If it does post then all is not lost yet.

Slowly one at a time, start adding things back...
Add one stick of memory
boot
you should see the cmos.bios boot screen, If all is still a go then add hard drive and boot. Now it should go ahead and boot to windows.
add cd/dvd rom and boot
Continue until everythign is added saving any additional memory for last and do it one stick at a time too. If it does not boot after adding one of the items, then remove that one and try again, if it boots with it out, then if pci card, move to another slot and try again, if IDE use another cable and try again. If still no go then skip it and go on, then you will know what the culprit is. Potentially everything could start working again.

If you reach a point where everything you add after so many items wont let it post then that would indicate the power supply might not be putting out enough power.

 

Sorry I just had to.......

 

Got it working this afternoon.
Don't know what solved the problem.

I checked the voltage on the cmos battery 2.92 and -3.15V
Removed the video card and soundcard and cleaned them.
Also removed all dust inside the case.

At first it wouldn't boot for a few times but after tapping on both hd's booting went good.
Must have been a coincedence or could the hd have been stuck!!!!!!

Asked for cmos settings, hit f2 for default and windows started.
No problem.
Did a complete system virusscan and after a while the computerscreen froze.

Problem is back again.
Have tried a dosen times to boot but to no avail.

??????????

 

Does either of your hard drives make a clicking noise? Try removing and reseating the plugs on them. If it boots again at least one more time maybe think about doing some backup.

 

Yes, it has made some sort of clicking sound in the past, sometimes.
But I had not the impression it was on the way out.
I agree, I must back up as soon as it boots. I was planning to.

Thanks everyone for the so far.

 

Unplug the hard drives and see if you can get the post screen. If you can it will tell you there are no drives connected. Then hook them back up and if it hangs again you have your answer.

 

If it is the HD, a litle trick I heard and tried last time mine went dead. If you will put it in a ziplock bag, remove as much air as you possiabnly can, seal it up tight, then freeze it in the freezer for about a day, then sometimes it will work long enough to retrive data. Mine would work for about 20 mins between freezes. Took me a week to get all my data that I had negleted to back up off of it.

 

I had one of the clickers once and it finally bit the biscuit. It was definitely bad. If it started clicking while running it would just freeze, then finally one day it started clicking really bad and wouldn't even boot. It was my C: so I replaced it with a new one then hooked it up as a slave to hopefully salvage some data and it worked for a couple more years until I finally replaced it just because I wanted a larger one.

 

Really! Never heard of that.

Thanks for the tip.

@Larry

I guess mine got worse over time too.
Hopefully it will boot one more time.

 

yea it osunded weird and I was skeptical at best.

But I was looking at sending it off for data retrevial to the tune of about $2000... I was willing to try anything!
Luckily it worked...

Which reminds me I'd better do back up.....

 

Monitor stays black, nothing appears.

 

It's not your hard drives then... or atleast not just them.

You have a short somewhere.

Follow my direstions in post 18 of this thread. Your goingto have to start from scratch and hope to find it.

 

I would bet it's the power supply... Tap it a few times while trying to boot...


Stan

 

I have in the past set a drive on top of a block of ice (outside the case) and that kept it cool enough for quite a while. I would think dry ice would do the same, but haven't tried it.