Have had to clone a few PCs today - identical Dell Vostro 430s - using Clonezilla. Halfway through the 2nd, the target machine just went blank, and the fan started whizzing up.
Now it won't boot, and there's no POST beeps. I have removed and replaced the AGP card, memory and CPU. I also swapped the PSU for another.
Luckily it's not the end of the world (so the client says), but I just wondered if there's anything else simple, before I put it on eBay as a paperweight ;)
Any obvious signs of bulging pregnant capacitors near the memory or CPU regulators? Usually the magic smoke and gunge comes out but sometimes they just take on a rakish angle. High ripple capacitor lifetime is decidely finite - especially the ones with dodgy electrolyte.
One assumes no connector issues anywhere? Brian
Motherboard could have died.
Visual inspection doesn't reveal anything in-your-face obvious. I thought they'd improved capacitors recently ?
I'll look more carefully ...
Well I removed and replaced memory and AGP card, and swapped PSU, so reseated the power cables. I also reseated the CPU.
That was my guess - just odd for it to happen before your very eyes. All the PC failures I have seen up till now have been "go to turn it on. Dead"
True, although I've known PCs that "play up" when they're on, so you reboot and of course they're dead from then on. I can't suggest anything (simple) that could be the problem that you haven't already replaced, apart from cables. It's not a good sign if you don't get any beeps at all and/or no error message on-screen. Sounds like a power problem, but if you've replaced the PSU then I'd say the motherboard has kicked the bucket.
Interesting tx
Oh well ... all the others cloned OK, so it's not too much of an issue. I used a working PC to clone the drive to the dead one, so I have a spare drive ... if the clients got a spare PC, then we're in business.
that's possibly some dodgy hardware. Try reseating everything that has a plug. If there are no beeps at all, and no bios screen appears, then its likely processor is not working enough to even ruin the self diagnostics.
If you can replace the Bios ROM or flash from a working machine that might work. Or a new processor - try swapping out,.
I've seen similar when CPU fans failed as well. Check that. leave in cold place overnight...
Have you tried the CMOS battery. Had a similar case where the computer failed to boot and no POST beeps. Took battery out, checked it and = voltage was OK. Put it back in and computer booted and no trouble since. Could be coincidence and I moved something else.
--=20 Claim nothing: Enjoy David: NorthWest England
It's supposed to _run_ the self diags!
You could try it with no RAM, no graphics. It ought to beep then.
Andy
I've had a couple with self trashing disc controllers but that was in the days of ide. Brian
One small glimmer though. Have you checked that the reset button switch has not shorted out. I don't know the one used here, but these seem to have some strange ways of just shorting out with no warning. I actually disconnect them now, as they tend to do more harm than good.
Brian
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