Dealing with System Startup Problems

There's nothing scarier than turning on your computer and finding it doesn't start. What you do next depends on exactly what it is your computer is or is not doing. Let's work through some specific startup problems, and how to proceed in each instance.

Problem: Your Computer Doesn't Start You Hear No Noises and See No Lights

First things first don't panic!

Now, very calmly, look at the back of your system unit. Is the power cable plugged in to the right connector? Now follow the power cord to the other end. Is it firmly connected to a power outlet? Now check the wall switch. Is it turned on? Now walk to your fuse or circuit-breaker box. Is the fuse good or the circuit breaker set? Now go back to your computer. If it still isn't working, unplug the computer from the power outlet and plug in something that you know works a lamp or a radio, perhaps. If the appliance doesn't work, you have a bad power outlet. If the appliance does work, you really do have computer problems.

If you're positive that your computer is getting power and that you're turning it on correctly, you probably have a hardware problem. The most likely suspect is the power supply in the system unit. To determine the culprit and fix the problem, however, you'll need to call in professional help at this point. Take your system to a certified repair center and let its technicians get to work.

Problem: Your Computer Doesn't Start, but It Makes the Normal Startup Noises

If your system is making noise, at least you know that it's getting power. Because you can rule out a bad power cord, the most common things to look for are poorly connected cables or a nonfunctioning monitor.

Begin by checking your monitor. Is it turned on? Is it plugged into a power outlet? Is the power outlet turned on? Is the monitor connected to the correct port on your system unit? Is the connection solid? Is the connection solid in the back of the monitor? Are the brightness and contrast controls turned up so that you can actually see a picture? If you have a newer monitor, try disconnecting the monitor from the computer (with the monitor turned on); if the monitor is working correctly, you should get a No Signal or Lost Signal message on the screen.

If everything is connected and adjusted properly, you might have a monitor that needs repair. Is the monitor's power light on? If not, your monitor might have power supply problems that need attention from a professional. If your monitor's little green light is on but nothing shows onscreen, the video card in your system unit might be loose or set up incorrectly. Try swapping monitors with another system; if the new monitor works on your system, your monitor is the problem. If you determine that your monitor is working fine, you should check your video card to make sure it's installed, seated, and connected properly. If that doesn't fix your problem, try plugging your video card into a different slot.

It's also possible that your keyboard isn't plugged in properly, or that you have some other internal problem that causes your system to halt during start-up. Check all your connections before you try rebooting.

Problem: Your Computer Starts, but the Monitor Displays an Error Message (Before Loading Windows)

Your system uses error messages to communicate with you when it encounters certain problems. Table 22.1 details some of the most common error messages you might encounter on startup (before Windows loads), their causes, and how to fix the problem.

Table 22.1. Startup Error Messages

Error Message	Causes/Solutions
Non-system disk or disk error	You see this message when you have a nonbootable disk in drive A:. Check the floppy disk drive and remove the disk, and then press any key to restart your computer using your hard disk drive. (You can boot from drive A:, of course, but you must have a bootable disk in that drive.)
Keyboard error, press F2 to continue	It sounds kind of silly to ask you to use your keyboard to confirm that your keyboard isn't working, doesn't it? This message is generated when the rest of your system works but the PC can't find the keyboard. If you receive this message, your keyboard probably is disconnected, has a loose connection, or has a stuck key. Check the connecting cable (at both ends) and reboot. If you still receive this message, you have a keyboard problem. Verify this fact by plugging in a keyboard from a friend's machine. If you do have a keyboard problem, it's probably cheaper to buy a new keyboard than to get your old one fixed. (See Chapter 24, "What to Do When Your Mouse or Keyboard Won't Work," for more information.)
File allocation table bad, drive X:	This message is not good. Something has messed up your FAT (File Allocation Table), the part of your hard disk that holds vital information necessary for your system to operate. One of the most common causes of this problem is a computer virus. Another cause is some sort of physical damage to your hard disk caused by contaminants or plain old wear and tear. If you have actual physical damage to your disk, you might need to use a third-party utility program to repair the damage or you might want to drop back 10 and punt by letting a technical professional handle the situation from here. (See Chapter 23, "What to Do When You Can't Access Your Disks," for more information.)
General failure writing drive X: or General failure reading drive X:	If you get one of these messages when using a removable disk, check to see if you actually have a disk in the drive; you might also have a bad floppy disk. If these messages occur when you're accessing your hard disk, it's something much more serious there's something wrong with your computer, but your PC doesn't really know what the trouble is. Try shutting down your system for a few minutes and then rebooting; sometimes this message is generated when your system gets a little cranky. More likely, however, you have something seriously wrong with your hard disk, which means it's time to hop in the car and drop off your PC at your local computer repair center. The pros there have diagnostic software and equipment that can pinpoint problems much easier than you or I can. (See Chapter 23 for more information.)
Invalid drive specification or Drive not ready	Either of these error messages indicates that you're having problems with the drive from which you're trying to boot. If you're booting from a floppy disk drive, your bootable floppy might be bad. Try using another bootable disk. If the problem persists, or if you're booting from a hard disk drive, the problem might reside in the drive mechanism itself. Sometimes an older drive can operate too slowly to always boot properly; try rebooting your system. If the problem persists, have a professional check out your system. The drive in question might need to be replaced. (See Chapter 23 for more info.)
CMOS RAM error	This message appears when something is bad in the setup held in memory by your system's CMOS RAM chip. (This chip holds important system information in permanent, battery-powered memory.) When you see this or any similar message, you are given the opportunity to press the F1 key to continue. Do this, and adjust your CMOS setup accordingly. (See your system's documentation for information on how to do the latter.) If this message persists, you might have a dead CMOS battery; see your repair center to replace the battery. (See Chapter 2 for more info.)
Memory size error or Memory size mismatch or Not enough memory or Insufficient memory or Parity check xxx or Parity error x	Any of these messages indicate that something is wrong with your computer's memory. Your CMOS setup might be incorrect, or you could have some bad or improperly seated memory chips. It's also possible that you recently added extra memory to your system and it isn't configured correctly or you added more memory than your (typically older) PC can handle. If this is the case, enter your CMOS setup menu and reconfigure your system for the new memory. If you can't fix this problem via the setup routine, you should probably consult a computer professional for further assistance. (See Chapters 2 and 6, "You Must Remember This: Upgrading System Memory," for more information.)