My PC lately has been showing a problem at start up.  The HD and DVD lights appear for about 3s then go, no image signal is received by the monitor, no BIOS sounds/beeps are heard.  It started happening occasionally, now it's daily and today my PC wouldn't start at all after many many attempts. 

I started using a notebook, but let the computer on - if we can say it was on.  Several minutes later (15-30, I can't say for sure), it finally really booted.

The PC is still under warranty, so I can not open it to see if there is any loose cable.  I will try to take it to the store, but this may be only on Monday.  I'll keep it on until then. 

Any idea of what might be the cause?

Hard to say for sure, but what you are describing sounds like what mine did when the motherboard went.   I doubt it is just a cable or anything. 

A PITA for sure, but at least you are still under warranty.

It doesn't even go through boot up, BIOS testing, anything, so I don't think WinXP can be blamed. 

MoBo, I don't like that.      I have 3-year warranty on it, but still....

One further warning.
Once you get it to reboot. Quickly make a backup of your files.

It will die on you every once in a while. And you have to do the same warming up all over again. But it will be alive once the condensation problem goes away.

Will it work like new? I don't think so. Not unless you ensure the computer is in a warm dry place . I now leave the laptop on top of my desktop, hoping the warm air of the monitor will keep it dry. So far, it seems to work. But every now and then when we get a week of rain and humidity, it dies on me again.
But I leave it on my window to get the sun on it, and a couple of days later it becomes alive again.
lol.

sounds crazy, but it works.
Maybe you have to bring this laptop to another part of Brazil where it does not rain too much. The Sertao , talves??? heh!heh!

Bom Sorte !

^^^ That sounds quite plausible to me.

You surprise me. I thought you were just a childish dickhead but it seems you can actually talk some sense if you stop shouting, end the multiple user-name changes and the non-stop anal references.

You could be in danger of being taken seriously (and maybe even gain a little credibility) if you're not careful.

rofl, the feeling is mutual 

some of the greatest minds in mankind are childish dickheads, and total pr*ck ! actually.
that makes two of us, included. 

Well, this has been a wetter than usual winter (winters are usually our driest months), but if this is the reason, then this particular PC is very sensitive.  I've had PCs for 15 years and this is news to me. 

It could be however rust - I ive close to the beach and the level of rust always surprise PC technicians.  It used to be a problem in the videocard (I used to change it once a year) and once I lost the processor cooler maybe due to it (it was another PC).

Are you sure it isn't your monitor that is having issues?

You might want to try and plug your monitor into your laptop to make sure it is working properly.

Well, this has been a wetter than usual winter (winters are usually our driest months), but if this is the reason, then this particular PC is very sensitive.  I've had PCs for 15 years and this is news to me. 

It could be however rust - I ive close to the beach and the level of rust always surprise PC technicians.  It used to be a problem in the videocard (I used to change it once a year) and once I lost the processor cooler maybe due to it (it was another PC).

yes, certain computers, such as my laptop, and maybe this one of yours , are more sensitive to temperature changes and extremes. in fact, even cameras can get this condensation problem as well.

rust ? possible. when i was living in Vancouver where the air was notoriously salty, we had some internal rust buildup problems with equipment stored improperly.

even in Latin Am., we had yet the most unsuspected problem with computers and sensitive equipment. guess what it is?  ants.
rofl, i couldn't believe it until we open up our motherboards to see nest inside the processors,etc..

they are many problem that can occur, but to my experience, the first suspect is always condensation.
it will take a long time to cure it though. as i said, my laptop died on me a winter ago, and it was "resurrected" one year after the following spring.

of course, i probably could have tried air drying it, had i know it was due to condensation.
and finally, yes, some computers are hardier than others. that same time this happened i had two cheap old desktops , and neither of them had the condensation problems. they survived the temperature changes and i am still running them without any problem. but the laptop? well,
that's another story.

try the hairblower... you have nothing to lose.
i suspect it is condensation, as Brazil is wet. i lived there too a decade ago.

Quote from: perseus, Who ? on August 07, 2009, 10:57

try the hairblower... you have nothing to lose.

I do.  I have a 3-year warranty on mobo and processor.

if you have a warranty, i suggest you don't open anything as it will void your warranty.
send it back and let the workshop worry about it.
meanwhile, if you know some production house or people who are in the packing business, you can try to get a pile of drying agents from them. silica gel, and pack your computer in this box full of silica gel. this is a drying agent and it will quicken drying out the condensation.
it will take time, as condensation is internalized and does not dry out so rapidly.
it has built up for a while, so better to send it back while it still under warranty.

You will have to take it in.  If you are getting some power then high changes its the motherboard.  That is what happened to my computer last month.  You would hear the fan turn on and then nothing.  If you click the button and nothing happens it could still be the motherboard or more likely the power pack.  Either of those will need to be replaced by the store.  Good thing is its does not sound like you hard drive, if it was that then you would get to the windows stage before the crash.

Moonb, As I said before, I am going to take it to the store, I only wanted to have an idea of how bad the problem may be.  A mobo replacement may take a few days.  A power supply a few hours.

Madelaide, it could be anything, including the cpu. Sorry we can't be more help
but please let us know what they find. Good luck.

Final report: it was my old SCSI adapter for my even older HP Photosmart film scanner.  It was causing some conflict.  Power supply, processor and memory were checked.

I do have a USB Minolta Scan Dual IV, but I loved my HP, apart from its lower resolution.  I may buy a SCSI adapter in the future, who knows.

Thank for the update, Madelaide. I have one of those HP film scanners, but no SCSI adapter..