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Older computer won't POST after HD replaced?!?

E

EdNerd

Well-Known Member
This is an HP Pavilion 511n. The hard drive went bad and needed to be replaced (especially after I dropped it and it started making ticking and scraping noises!).

Okay - finally got a new HD installed. Now the machine won't boot, POST, do nuttin'!! I plug in the power cord, and I get green lights from the motherboard and power supply, and the fans on the CPU and PS both start running. But the power button is useless and the BIOS doesn't start, and nothing shows on the monitor. No system beeps, but I don't see a speaker either.

I'm thinking maybe I've unplugged a cable from the MB?? (Asus TUW-LA) I 've reseated both RAM modules and tried it with both on-board video and the installed card -- no go.

Any help or hope?
Ed
 
Unplug the new hard drive and see if you get to POST with the "operating system not found" error.
 
I'd also suggest re-seating the RAM. If you dropped the whole computer there's a good chance that one or more of the RAM sticks got jarred loose.
 
Didn't drop the whole 'puter - just the drive (don't ask - long story). RAM already reseated. Hard drive unplugged.

No POST, no display, nothing except fans and lights.

Ed
 
Okay, try this. Remove the RAM and try to boot. You should get the beep error code for missing RAM.
 
Nothing I do produces any beeps. New drive (no OS installed) or old drive or no drive, RAM or not - plug cord into power supply and get LEDs and fans. Period. No video display either.

I can't find a diagram or photo of what this should look like all plugged in, so I just wonder if I didn't accidentally pop a plug off the MB - or deliberately to get clearance for something - and don't remember what it was or where it goes.

With fingers crossed ---
Ed
 
EdNerd said:
Nothing I do produces any beeps. New drive (no OS installed) or old drive or no drive, RAM or not - plug cord into power supply and get LEDs and fans. Period. No video display either.

I can't find a diagram or photo of what this should look like all plugged in, so I just wonder if I didn't accidentally pop a plug off the MB - or deliberately to get clearance for something - and don't remember what it was or where it goes.

With fingers crossed ---
Ed
Click to expand...

maybe check some hp forums and talk to some of the people over there. maybe hp themselves. I got the same kind of thing with a compaq but since its old and I have other computers I haven't bothered with it.
 
The best to do is to take the hard disk that you remove from the system to the computer store for its replica. Old system to New system accessories. There a lot of changes in motherboard configurations. the Old system can not pass HCL(hardware Comptibility List) of the new HD
 
To neither sounds like something is unplugged or the psu has started to fail.

Double check all the power cables are connected properly.
 
To neither sounds like something is unplugged or the psu has started to fail.

Double check all the power cables are connected properly.
Click to expand...
That's what I'd love to do.
But I can't find a diagram that shows where everything goes.
I've got a P8 and a P4 plug that look like they belong somewhere.
But no idea where!?

Ed
 
Is the only thing you changed the harddrive?

A motherboard on it's own should produce a POST errror regardless of what is plugged in to it, if something important is amiss.

K.
 
The only thing I changed is the hard drive. Technically speaking ....

However (yes, that's a scary word!), while trying to get the failing hard drive to work prior to buying the new one, I swapped another hard drive from another computer in and out. I also unplugged my video card from the MB, thinking that might cause problems if it wasn't recognized by the other HD. And I pulled out the floppy drive because it's not used any more.

So, failing to note what was plugged in where before I started, I have no idea if the current problems are just because I left something unplugged - or because I've fried my MB!

Also, I don't see a speaker anywhere in there. But there is this little pinkie-sized "buzzer" in the corner of the MB. Is that the thing that should "beep" the error codes? And what's causing the fans to kick on as soon as I conenct the power cord to the power supply?

Ed
 
Kruncha said:
Is the only thing you changed the harddrive?

A motherboard on it's own should produce a POST errror regardless of what is plugged in to it, if something important is amiss.

K.
Click to expand...

Unless whats not plugged in is power.... Which was my point.

OP, not everything from the PSU has a home.
 
EdNerd said:
The only thing I changed is the hard drive. Technically speaking ....

However (yes, that's a scary word!), while trying to get the failing hard drive to work prior to buying the new one, I swapped another hard drive from another computer in and out. I also unplugged my video card from the MB, thinking that might cause problems if it wasn't recognized by the other HD. And I pulled out the floppy drive because it's not used any more.

So, failing to note what was plugged in where before I started, I have no idea if the current problems are just because I left something unplugged - or because I've fried my MB!

Also, I don't see a speaker anywhere in there. But there is this little pinkie-sized "buzzer" in the corner of the MB. Is that the thing that should "beep" the error codes? And what's causing the fans to kick on as soon as I conenct the power cord to the power supply?

Ed
Click to expand...


Usually when I have the issue where the Mobo fans (not PSU fans) kick in, its a faulty PSU. Sometimes its a faulty Mobo. I suspect the mobo isnt getting enough power to run. However, its all a hunch with no real evidence to back it up
 
lunatic59 said:
Is this your motherboard?
Click to expand...

Yes. I've seen that page and diagram.

What I was kinda hoping for were instructions like "if you are replacing it, this plugs in here and that plugs in there". For instance, there are empty jacks in the upper right under the CMOS battery, lower center under the 810e and left of the RAM sockets, and the AUX jack at the bottom edge towards the left. Should these have power plugs (or other stuff) in them?

Or something for the plugs coming out of the power supply:
P1 is for this
P2 is for this
etc
etc
Although I imagine that would be a separate part number and configuration to look up.

I even tried to clear the CMOS at the CLRRTC solder points - but I couldn't see if they were 1-2-3 left-to-right or right-to-left as I'm looking at the MB.

Sorry to be so clueless about all of this.
Ed
 
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