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PC problems, not sure what the problem is

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NewToThisOC

Registered
Joined
Aug 10, 2007
So I'll start off by saying that my PC has been working fine up until the last month. The problems started when I'd come home from work, I'd turn it on and post, but then it would shutdown and reboot the process. This would happen for about a minute or two and the desktop would come on. Sometimes the PC would do this rebooting and sometimes it would startup normally. Now today I tried to start it up and the computer turns on and seems to boot Windows, but the video doesn't come on. My monitor keeps blinking its green light as if it's searching for a signal, but the onscreen Digital/Analog indicator keeps alternating. I cleaned up the dust, reseated the RAM and GPU, unplugged the non Windows installed HDD, and unplugged non essential devices from the PSU.

I have a feeling that it's the GPU, but not sure if it could be the PSU, RAM, or even the mobo. Based on symptoms and steps already taken, what would you guys say is the main problem? Thanks in advance.
 
Try removing the video card and using the onboard video or plug in a different card if you have access to one to test your theory. How old is the equipment. My first thought was the video as well but could be lot of things, including the motherboard or the PSU.
 
Everything was purchased from Newegg in September of 07. I would try the video card idea, but I don't have a VGA cable. Another question that I have is if I just decided to upgrade my motherboard, could I just install my Windows HDD without reformatting? Or does my install only work on that mobo? It's a retail version of Windows 7 and all my devices are not OEM.
 
Everything was purchased from Newegg in September of 07. I would try the video card idea, but I don't have a VGA cable. Another question that I have is if I just decided to upgrade my motherboard, could I just install my Windows HDD without reformatting? Or does my install only work on that mobo? It's a retail version of Windows 7 and all my devices are not OEM.

This discussion was going on in this thread:

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=671843

You can make some decisions from it. It's generally not a good idea to just drop in your operating system hard drive to another build.
 
Ok, so it was the GPU. But now I'm getting a Boot Disk error message. I did nothing with the HDDs except disconnect my backup drive to test if it was the power supply. When I enter BIOS, no drives are listed under Drive Priority. Please tell me running Windows 7 install repair disk will fix this.

:(
 
Everything was purchased from Newegg in September of 07.

So those components are now 3 1/2 years old now. What's the warranty period on the hard drive? For a lot of them, its only 3 years.

Check SATA data cable and HDD power cable to see if they are plugged securely. Try different cables and different SATA ports.
 
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Figured out why the HDDs wouldn't show up. The coupling on the power cable popped out behind the cable management area. Damn you modular PSU cables. In fixing this, I also found a broken capacitor at the bottom of the case. Can't seem to locate it on the board, but it boots up and everything seems to work. Should I be concerned?
 
Broken capacitor? That's bad news. Did it come off that bad GPU card?
 
Figured out why the HDDs wouldn't show up. The coupling on the power cable popped out behind the cable management area. Damn you modular PSU cables. In fixing this, I also found a broken capacitor at the bottom of the case. Can't seem to locate it on the board, but it boots up and everything seems to work. Should I be concerned?

Yep, I would be concerned. Look at your grahics card and a peek inside your power supply through the fan opening and rear grill. Don't take the cover off. Recheck your mothertboard again carefully.

Photo of it may help.
 
I shut the PC down and set the CPU back to default. It's definitely off the motherboard because the color of the capacitor is the same as the ones on the board. My audio card's are black. I boxed up my 8800, so I'll check that tomorrow. Would there be anything obvious that would happen if I kept using it?
 
Obvious? Well, you could fry any of a number of other components. I wonder if you popped if off the board when yanking on a cable or something?
 
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