BleepingComputer.com: Computer Die Before Loading Windows

Hi all

I'm an average PC user who is not specialist, but has some basic knowledge to build a computer. My few years old desktop (MB MSI K7N2-L, Athlon XP 2,4 GHzm, 1,5 GB RAM, GeForce NX6200AX TD256, 3 HDDs and DVD Burner) running smoothly win Vista died yesterday. Normally I would agree that it has years to pass away (I was expecting to go away my HDD soon), but the way it's died is strange for me....and I would like to find the reason of it until I'll throw it away.

What happened. Yesterday, when I was playing with LCD monitor (mainly cleaning contacts inside), my computer stopped with the beep noise from system speaker. The beep noise is hard to specify, as I believe the speaker is already broken as well (as it frequently happed to old desktops). I believed that it's broken HDD, but even when I disconnected all HDDs and DVD drive, the noise didn't stop.

The situation now is...when I start computer without any disc connected, it makes noise and stop at the screen 'DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER', but enter doesn't work (doesn't do anything). When the HDD is connected, it's possible to see on the first screen but after second screen (with PCI device listing) it dies (all fans are running, but the screen is saying, there's no input).

The strange thing for me is, that even if the 3 LEDs blink on the beginning, pressing 'DEL' to get to the BIOS settings or 'F8' doesn't work (as well as the enter at disc boot failure).

Does anyone know what could happen? Please HELP ME

eM

Hi .

You said "it dies." Does that mean that all power indications cease?

Or is it more accurate to say that "it doesn't boot into Windows", a situation where fans, lights, etc. might work...but there is no input received by the monitor?

Do I understand you correctly...that you were fiddling with the monitor when the system was on...when things went wrong?

I don't have a digital monitor, so pardon my ignorance . What is "cleaning contacts"?

Louis