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MediaGX System breakdown...?

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First post, by digitaldoofus

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Before I consign my Compaq Presario 2200 with MediaGX 180mhz processor to my 'parts' bin...can anyone give me an informed guess about why it suddenly won't boot up? It worked fine just a couple weeks ago, then when I turned it on yesterday, it refused to POST or put any image at all on the monitor screen (totally black). It also won't boot to BIOS or Safe Mode. In addition, it produces a 'pulse' where the CD-ROM drive light goes on and off every couple seconds, accompanied by a very faint mechanical sound (not really a click, more of a dull "thack" sound) and maybe a very very slight buzzing sound coming from either the power supply or something(?) else. I have tested the HDD in another machine and it works perfectly -- and also replaced the CD drive with a new one, and still get the 'pulsing' of the new CD light after start-up. I checked the memory sticks too, they are fine.
So what's your best guess? Bad mobo? Cable problem? Anyone had these symptoms before?

Last edited by digitaldoofus on 2018-03-27, 23:20. Edited 1 time in total.

Once you try retrogaming, you'll never go back...

Reply 2 of 6, by chinny22

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I would remove everything but the basics, keyboard, video card, as little RAM as possible and work your way up.
Someting on the out could be causing funny side effects, but yeh the psu is a good place to start

Reply 5 of 6, by digitaldoofus

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Thanks to all for the suggestions. Since the graphics and audio are integrated onto the mobo -- and since I've tested memory, HDD and optical drive -- I'm getting the same vibe as a couple of you mentioned: that it may be the power supply gone bad. I ususally think of power supplies either dying totally, or working ... but maybe this is a case where the power supply had a partial failure sufficient to cause an inability to boot or even POST.

Once you try retrogaming, you'll never go back...

Reply 6 of 6, by torindkflt

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If it is the power supply that has failed, most likely it is the capacitors that have gone bad. If so, it should be relatively straightforward to replace them and potentially get it working again. I have no personal experience with this though, so others more-knowledgeable than me would have to provide any advice and assistance in those regards.

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