BleepingComputer.com: Not booting, some components get no power

Hi...I've been trying for 3 days to get my computer working. I've looked everywhere for helpful info and I'm at my wit's end. Hopefully someone here can help me before I give up and go and buy a new one. ;)

Acer Aspire M5100

Backstory: I had an issue for several days where every once in a while, the monitor would freeze and some sort of stuttering sound repeating itself. Rebooting using the power button the computer was the only way to get out of there and restart. I at first thought that it stemmed from some sort of registry problem (I had been hit with malware several days previously). Then on Friday, it just went black without the stuttering sound this time. I tried to hard reboot with the power button but the computer wouldn't shut down/reboot. I had to disconnect the power cord. Then when I reconnected the cord, the computer started right back up, but still blacked out. The power button was no longer responding.

I tried a whole bunch of different things. I've used a new PSU so I know that's not the problem. I tried reseating the CPU and the ram and trying different combinations of sticks/sockets. I'm feel pretty confident it's not a RAM issue. I both removed and replaced the CMOS battery and moved the jumper, and interestingly, when I plugged the power cord in, this time the computer didn't automatically start. I pressed the power button and it started, but still blacked out. Unfortunately, it still doesn't respond when I try to shut down, I still have to pull the plug out. But at least it doesn't automatically start anymore when I plug it back in, and, I know that the power button works somewhat.

I tried booting with everything unplugged, the video card out, in every case, I get no beep to indicate the computer is booting. I know it's not my hard drive, I tried it in another computer. I tried the video card in another computer and to my surprise, the computer wouldn't start, no power or anything. I thought I might have found the problem but I tried a functional card in the first computer and, while the card seems to be getting power (fab spinning), still the same problem.

So basically, when I start up the computer, the fans go on, there is power to the drives, but the computer doesn't boot. The CPU does not heat up (yes, I checked without the heatsink, I know some don't agree with that process but it doesn't matter, it's not heating up), no signal is being sent to the monitor and there is no power to the keyboard (no lights).

I'm trying to figure out of it's the CPU that's dead but I don't know if would cause these consequences. Or if the CPU is not heating up because it's the motherboard that's faulty. Hopefully someone with experience in these matters can shed some light.

The one thing that really bugs me though is why does the power button only respond to turn the system on but no longer shuts it down? What could possibly cause that? I get the feeling that if I could resolve that, Icould probably resolve why the computer isn't booting up.

Thx!

Eah I'm gonna go with the motherboard is the problem.

Before I go through taking it out to see if there is a short, would everything be dead if it was shorting?

Here is your Acer Aspire 5100 computers support page.

http://support.acer.com/us/en/acerpanam/de...reM5100nv.shtml

Here is a link to your computers specifications: http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/desktop/...eM5100sp2.shtml

Unfortunately, acer failed to publish an owners manual on their site for this computer.

All they have is a Frequently asked questions page located here http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/desktop/...eM5100fql.shtml

Thanks. One of the first places I checked, absolutely nothing of any use there unfortunately.

Based on what you have explained in your opening post, it sounds like you said you tried your video card in another computer and that computer did not boot, I re-read that line which is on quotations here "I tried it in another computer. I tried the video card in another computer and to my surprise, the computer wouldn't start, no power or anything. I thought I might have found the problem but I tried a functional card in the first computer and, while the card seems to be getting power (fab spinning), still the same problem".


If I am reading correctly what I have put in bold above, you are saying you put the video card in another computer and that computer did not boot either.

If that is the case, the video card is the issue and may be defective, or is draining more power than you are supplying it. Make sure the card does not have a power port that is supposed to be getting power directly from the PSU and that the card is 1.5 volts and not 3.3 volts if your video card port does not support 3.3 volts.

Yeah, at first I thought that would have been the problem but my computer still didn't boot with a functional video card, nor did it beep with no video card inserted. I think all I discovered was my video card was shot but that doesn't seem to be the main problem.

Is there anyway to hear the POST beeps? on board speaker or through the external speakers? In my experience if your not getting a POST beep with the board stripped (CPU, Video and memory) and a new PSU installed there is something wrong with the motherboard. If the ram was faulty or the processor lame the motherboard should Fail POST and tell you. ( I say should because strange things happen with computers a bad CPU could cause the motherboard to not POST although I have only seen this once)

I guess I'll try to fix this later and if successful, use it as a spare. I'm going to get a new one.

Sneakycyber, on May 25 2010, 04:47 PM, said:

Thanks, nope, no beeps at all. I'll buy a used MB at some point and try it out. At this point, I imagine it seems like the only logical solution.