Loose or faulty connections between external devices
are quite often the cause of many problems. If your PC fails to
start you can do a few simple checks before you go ahead and open
up and check inside.
The computer will not start when you press the 'on' button.
1. Check to see if the monitor has been turned on, read any information
displayed on the screen. Some systems require a password or a particular
key to be depressed before you will be able to continue.
2. If you have checked that the monitor has been switched on, but
it still is not working, it could be a monitor failure, monitors
only tend to last three to five years.
3. Remove the floppy disk. If you use a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk
make sure you remove it before turning off or starting your PC.
4. Take a look at the keyboard, if you find a key stuck in the
'down' position, this could be the culprit of your trouble, as this
can prevent a PC from starting correctly.
5. Ensure that the mains power is switched on, use a lamp or a
radio to test the plug socket still has power.
6. Your monitor uses a fifteen pin cable to connect to the system
unit, make sure the cable is connected properly. The plug will only
go in one way so don't try to force it if it is tight.
7. A three wire power cable usually runs from the mains to the
system unit, and a power cable which runs from the system unit to
the monitor, check each connection to ensure they are not loose.
8. Peripheral connection, your PC has connections for a mouse and
a keyboard, look at the back of the system unit, you will find these
connectors are very similar in design, round with six holes. They
should be marked for easy identification, if not you can find the
right one by trial and error which will not damage your PC. Your
mouse may possibly work by a wider nine-pin connector called the
serial port, this connection is sometimes used for modems. There
are also two USB ports on most computers which are usually used
for printers and scanners.
9. Device connection. There is a longer twenty five-hole connector
which is called the parallel port, this is standard on desktop computers.
The parallel port is commonly used for printers and scanners, external
storage devices such as zip drives use either the parallel connection
or the USB connection.
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