I've had my computer about 5+ years. I have not upgraded it or anything. About six months ago I started to have this problem. One day when I turned it on, I had not installed new programs or hardware, and there was no post beep, nothing on the monitor, but the HD's/fans/LED's/etc had power.

After about 10 minutes of pushing the reset button, it finally started just fine. So now, after about six months, I now just turn it on (no post beep or anything) and just walk away for 10 minutes. Then after hitting reset a few times and it will always start up (I just wait and push reset).

So, while my computer isn't "broken," it is annoying to wait 10+ minutes to let it "warm up," as I call it, before it will boot.

It is typically stable once it starts up (it will run for at least 4 days just fine).

I have pulled out the video and lan cards and that doesn't fix anything (they are the only two cards). If the RAM were the issue, then it should beep at me, right? Could it be a motherboard problem? I'm guessing the PSU is faulty and that it literally takes time to "warm up."

Any suggestions?!

Windows XP
AMD athlon something 1.4gigs
some Shuttle MB (socket A)
512 PC2100 ram
geforce3 ti200
lan card 10/100
I can find more details if need be.

Noj

I would replace the PSU. Sounds likes that is the problem.

Wow, thanks for the fast reply! Any other likely possibilities?

I just want to fairly confident before ordering a PSU (not that they are too expensive... but still).

Noj

From my own experience those are symptoms of a failing PSU.

You can get a PSU tester at almost any electronics store if you want to test it. Some examples here:

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...8&q=psu+tester

Okay... so I just swapped in a new PSU, and I'm still having the same problem! It's not a faulty power supply?! So what's left?

CPU or motherboard?

Thanks all!

Noj

If you remove all the RAM and power on does it BEEP then?

If not (assuming the case or board speaker works) the motherboard would be the prime suspect.

Sometimes...

After removing the RAM, the computer will beep sometimes. At first, there tend not to be any beeps. After a few mintues of pushing reset periodically, the computer will then start to make long beeps (not short).

This pattern is suggestive of a normal boot up for me. So I guess you suspect the motherboard then?

If there were never any BEEPS I would suspect the MoBo first.

This alteration you describe usually points to the PSU but yours is now new.

Are all your BIOS Settings set to Default?

The only BIOS settings I changed were adding a password and raising the FSB speed to 266 (which is not overclocking, just the intended setting). These were changes I made when I first built the computer years ago (back when it still worked just fine).

I would just suggest at a critical point (no other ideas) resetting the CMOS which will return the BIOS to Default.

This is a tedious process but there are so many variables that are acting at this level.

Anyone who works with systems will have mysterious failures that mysteriously disappear so to speak. It's not like knocking on the case but perhaps it is.

The worse things get the more basic you go. Remove externals. All you need is a PSU; a CPU; a stick of RAM; and a Graphics Card.

Have you moved the RAM to different slots. Pardon me if this has been noted as I have not looked back on the thread.