Dead Computer

[Ric]

Neighbor called me yesterday after trying to attach a digital camera to a 3-year old Gateway via USB. He said after attaching the camera, the computer shut down and comes up to a "Gateway" screen only.

I went to look at it and it appears to not process the ROM boot. It powers up and then sits on the main boot up screen without processing anything. No memory check, nothing. I thought maybe a motherboard outage but then thought that if it has a screen with Gateway on a black background, them something on the motherboard must be reacting.

There are no errors, no keyboard access, no CD ROM, or disk drive access. All we can do is unplug it or reset the computer in which it immediately gets the black screen with the 'Gateway' logo and then no further activity.

I told him I would ask a board I frequent what might help but thought it was a waste of money to take it to be diagnosed since it is not under warranty. I figured it would he would be better off to replace (or build new with New MOBO and processor) unless there was some minor thing we could look for that I didn't know about.

Any advice appreciated.

[MarkA]

Try unplugging EVERYTHING (keyboard and mouse ESPECIALLY. PS/2 ports are evil in this way...) except the mains supply; then try to start the system. If it still doesn't work, pull EVERY card inside the computer except the video card, and pull every drive except the boot hard drive. See what happens now. See if you can at least get in the BIOS. If it still doesn't work, I don't know what to tell you without seeing it, but you should at least eliminate every possible thing that could be wrong inside it.

[CoriBright]

The PC is at least 'posting' (going as far as it can with the BIOS)... I'd suggest going into the BIOS and resetting it to use the default settings... then trying again. As to how to enter the BIOS, it depends on which BIOS you have.... I've seen F1, F2, F10, F11 and F12... and the Del key.

With Zac's method, you may get at least as far as a "Keyboard error) which it will come up with when it finds you have no keyboard attached.

To start to the BIOS, a PC needs.....

A graphics card, a CPU, RAM, monitor.... it does NOT need a floppy, hard or CD drive, or NIC, modem, joystick, mouse etc etc. It may need a keyboard, depending on the BIOS settings.

Check the Gateway site if there's no PC manual handy to find out what Gateway uses to enter the BIOS. You can probably download a pdf manual from their site.

[Bogy]

I had a similar experience recently, USB related. I had installed a 1.0 USB card on my computer last year. It worked fine, even with my camera. Then about 2 weeks ago I decided to speed things up and changed it out for a 2.0. Then the fun began. My computer reacted very much like your friends, except mine would at least boot to the point where I could at least start it in safe mode. In running diagnostics I discovered I had some other errors on my HD, so I decided to just start all over and rebuild the drive. What I found was that when I loaded the drivers for 2.0 the same thing would happen. I removed those drivers and it worked fine, I assume at 1.0. Last night I decided to fool around with it some more. Let Windows (I'm running ME) look for the best driver. It took some drivers off the supplied CD, but also loaded online drivers. Worked fine, until I plugged in my camera. Same result, booted but froze before Windows loaded. By pressing control, I could again get it to start in safe mode. I once again removed the 2.0 driver, leaving everything else. When it restarted, it reinstalled the 2.0 card and so far has worked fine.

Your neighbor's problem is that you can't even get the computer started in safe mode. I'd try Zac's suggestion, especially if the USB ports are on a card. My guess would be that you need to update the USB drivers, but obviously that's going to be hard if you can't get the thing to boot. Good luck.

[MarkA]

"With Zac's method, you may get at least as far as a "Keyboard error) which it will come up with when it finds you have no keyboard attached."

Probably NOT. Most BIOSes won't do that unless they're told to in the BIOS. I speak from experience, I've seen a PS/2 type keyboard stop a system from booting, it booted fine without it (a little tricky to use though till the keyboard was replaced :) ).

[MarkA]

"My guess would be that you need to update the USB drivers"

Not possible Bogy :) The drivers aren't loaded until the OS boot process. He isn't getting that far. Therefore this problem isn't in any way driver related.

[firephoto]

Look at Gateways support on the internet and get the info to reset the CMOS. You can just take a look at the mobo and find the battery and look for a jumper next to it. It might even be labeled. It could have been static electricity when the usb cable was plugged in. I'd try this first.

The Gateway screen usually keeps you from seeing the mem check and drive search info so unless it's beeping at you it's hard to tell anything from this. You can try hitting the space or esc key to make this screen disappear.

Try the simple things first, THEN get out the screwdriver. ;)

[Bogy]

Originally posted by Zac
"My guess would be that you need to update the USB drivers"

Not possible Bogy :) The drivers aren't loaded until the OS boot process. He isn't getting that far. Therefore this problem isn't in any way driver related.
Zac, updating the drivers did improve things for me, but I finally figured out what my problem really was last night, and I'm not sure why this didn't show up before, or at least why I didn't notice it before, or get the message earlier. I ran out of interrupts. Things would seem to be ok, and then when we would try to access another piece of hardware, everything would freeze up. So we could only boot up in safe mode. So now I have an excuse to get a new USB scanner. :D

What I had really sounds like what Ric's friend is experiencing. The solution of pulling non-critical cards and reinstalling one at time, (if it started that way) would help determine if that was the problem.

[Chris Freeland]

It sounds like a driver problem to me, if you can get it in Safe mode, un-install the driver and go on the internet and get a updated driver from the camera manufacturer. I have bean studying for the MCP exam for Windows 2000 Pro and one of the practice questions involves installing a device and a blue screen comes up, the correct answer to the question is to boot to Safe mode and remove the driver, their explanation was that a corrupted driver will cause a blue screen. This sounds like a similar problem, I hope this helps.

[gcutler]

Just like there is really only one Fruit Cake that gets passed around and around, there is really one bad drivers that seems to jump from machine to machine causing problems :p

[MarkA]

Bogy, the difference was yours would execute the BIOS instructions. It's at that point the OS then drivers are loaded. His computer isn't getting that far, and therefore it isn't driver related.

[Bogy]

Zac, I don't believe you can know that for sure, because a Gateway computer is continuing to load while their screen is up.
From firephoto:The Gateway screen usually keeps you from seeing the mem check and drive search info so unless it's beeping at you it's hard to tell anything from this. You can try hitting the space or esc key to make this screen disappear.
I think the computer is getting further in the boot process than you think it is.

[Ric]

Thanks for your help - I tried resetting the BIOS via the MOBO and unplugging all the cards, etc. and received some different messages depending on the BIOS jumpers I set. In the end, nothing would ever get to a BIOS post in any way. Tried Gateway support and they couldn't help. Pretty sure the motherboard shortcircuited somewhere so I recommended we get a new MOBO and processor (his is a 700mHZ or thereabout). He doesn't want to put out much money so I figured I could salvage what was left and all he had to get was these two new parts +cooler/fan. I can help him upgrade other things later. Figured the cost to take it in somewhere to make it 'official' that the board got fried would be better spent going ahead and upgrading.

Thinking about getting an AMD 2100 or 2200 and an ASUS A7n8x from NewEgg.com as a good inexpensive upgrade. His current case should be ok so with a cooler he will be able to be back up for now.

[firephoto]

Check the power supply ATX connector. I think Dell and Gateway might use a different connector or more than one connection to the mobo.

I remember hearing this once but haven't really payed much attention to any when I have had the cases open. I'm not even sure how compliant the board layout is either in a Gateway case so that would be another thing to check if somone here can't correct all my not knowing for sure items. ;)

[MarkA]

Bogy, the Gateway screen (and any other OEM BIOS screen) goes away at the end of BIOS POST and read. Therefore, no drivers have come into play at this point, as not even the first part of the OS has loaded.

[Bogy]

Originally posted by firephoto
Check the power supply ATX connector. I think Dell and Gateway might use a different connector or more than one connection to the mobo.

I remember hearing this once but haven't really payed much attention to any when I have had the cases open. I'm not even sure how compliant the board layout is either in a Gateway case so that would be another thing to check if somone here can't correct all my not knowing for sure items. ;)
I'm sure it varies according to the model, but just a few weeks ago I changed out a power supply on a friends Gateway, and that particular MB was a standard connection. But I'm sure YMMV. :D

[MarkA]

At least on recent full size Gateways, the power SUPPLY is a standard ATX supply. Though the power SWITCH is not standard wiring (go figure! I think it's to discourage you from replacing the mainboard - because doing so requires you rewire the power switch)