Technology1 min ago
Hp Desktop Failure
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hi. ih ave a hp tower pc tonight it failed started flickering at the home screen but now it turns on doesn't start up and also none of the usb or anything responds what could be wrong with it first time i'v ever had a problem diagnosing a computer
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No best answer has yet been selected by top_driver. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.If it's completely dead then it's almost certainly a PSU fault.
If the fan runs but nothing else happens it's more likely to be a motherboard (or processor) problem.
If you get the initial screen displays (generated by the BIOS), but Windows won't load, then it's either a hard drive failure or a problem with your Windows files.
So how far do you actually get?
If the fan runs but nothing else happens it's more likely to be a motherboard (or processor) problem.
If you get the initial screen displays (generated by the BIOS), but Windows won't load, then it's either a hard drive failure or a problem with your Windows files.
So how far do you actually get?
Is anything inside the box greater than 5 years old?
HDDS used to go phut first. Now it's PSUs, as Buenchico mentioned.
I have also had a mobo fail but that was 8, possibly 10 years old.
Even electrical components age. Resistors and capacitors go out of tolerance, eventually and there are some mighty capacitors to go wrong in a PSU.
Do modern HDDs need a jumper to set master/slave or are they all auto nowadays?
HDDS used to go phut first. Now it's PSUs, as Buenchico mentioned.
I have also had a mobo fail but that was 8, possibly 10 years old.
Even electrical components age. Resistors and capacitors go out of tolerance, eventually and there are some mighty capacitors to go wrong in a PSU.
Do modern HDDs need a jumper to set master/slave or are they all auto nowadays?
I think my premise was that the PSU load was up to its eyeballs before the 2nd drive was plugged in. That would hardly ever be the situation; even a power hungry graphics card should leave oodles of headroom for two, three drives and USB ancilliaries.
Windows config should restore to "last known good" if you just unplug the offending HDD?
Windows config should restore to "last known good" if you just unplug the offending HDD?
Clarification: getting windows to offer "last known good" config usually requires an "abnormal" shutdown, as follows
Do NOT use the Windows Start button (your OS is ______?) Use the outer case power button: press and hold for ~10 seconds, until forced shutdown completes.
EXCEPT: avoid this technique if your HDD light is active.
Some cases have a reset button at the power button, which is just as good for forced reboot but some glitches manage to bypass the reset mechanism. Also, full power-down and 30-60 seconds of non-use was a technique to assure (supposedly) no virus load could lurk in RAM in a way which could survive the reset button.
Do NOT use the Windows Start button (your OS is ______?) Use the outer case power button: press and hold for ~10 seconds, until forced shutdown completes.
EXCEPT: avoid this technique if your HDD light is active.
Some cases have a reset button at the power button, which is just as good for forced reboot but some glitches manage to bypass the reset mechanism. Also, full power-down and 30-60 seconds of non-use was a technique to assure (supposedly) no virus load could lurk in RAM in a way which could survive the reset button.
Try booting into Safe Mode (via pressing F8 repeatedly during the boot-up process). Windows should then load with minimal drivers. If the flickering has disappeared you'll know that it was being caused by a corrupt display driver. If not, it's far more likely to be a hardware fault.
These links might be relevant:
http:// answers .micros oft.com /en-us/ windows /forum/ windows _8-hard ware/fl ickerin g-scree n/7299a 56b-8ae 6-402e- 8491-dc a2c2b7d 852?aut h=1
http:// support .hp.com /us-en/ documen t/c0351 3214
These links might be relevant:
http://
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Crossed posts!
I'm actually surprised that you've got System Restore available (because, for some inexplicable reason, Microsoft has decided to disable it by default in Windows 10!).
I hope that it works for you though as it will almost certainly prove that it was a software problem. (Even so, I'd still recommend running a disk check, in case the problem came about due to faulty sectors).
I'm actually surprised that you've got System Restore available (because, for some inexplicable reason, Microsoft has decided to disable it by default in Windows 10!).
I hope that it works for you though as it will almost certainly prove that it was a software problem. (Even so, I'd still recommend running a disk check, in case the problem came about due to faulty sectors).
@top_driver
I should be asleep and haven't read this article (below). Meanwhile post your Operating System and whether 32 or 64 bit. Buenchico'll sort it out. Sorry for butting in, Buen.
https:/ /suppor t.micro soft.co m/en-us /kb/258 1408
I should be asleep and haven't read this article (below). Meanwhile post your Operating System and whether 32 or 64 bit. Buenchico'll sort it out. Sorry for butting in, Buen.
https:/