Computer won't boot up from standby

[steves plastering]

Hi,

My PC (Dell dimension 5150) won't boot up from standby.

I have had PC World check it out and a local computer repair shop, both said power pack was fine and motherboard seemed OK. Neither could get the computer to turn on.

I got it home feeling thoroughly frustrated and decided if it was that broken i couldn't do any damage by trying to fix it so...

I took PC to bits and spotted a battery (bit like a 10p) on the motherboard, i took it out / replaced it and now my PC is on.

I rang PC world who said "oh yes that can happen, we should have checked that" hmmmmmm

However i dared to turn my PC off and then back on again, it didn't boot up for 2 days as if no power again (standby light is on just nothing happens when i press on switch)

Was the battery a complete coincidence or is it the problem??

Any help advice greatly appreciated.

Steve

[Hoovie]

Hi,

My PC (Dell dimension 5150) won't boot up from standby.

I have had PC World check it out and a local computer repair shop, both said power pack was fine and motherboard seemed OK. Neither could get the computer to turn on.

I got it home feeling thoroughly frustrated and decided if it was that broken i couldn't do any damage by trying to fix it so...

I took PC to bits and spotted a battery (bit like a 10p) on the motherboard, i took it out / replaced it and now my PC is on.

I rang PC world who said "oh yes that can happen, we should have checked that" hmmmmmm

However i dared to turn my PC off and then back on again, it didn't boot up for 2 days as if no power again (standby light is on just nothing happens when i press on switch)

Was the battery a complete coincidence or is it the problem??

Any help advice greatly appreciated.

Steve

The battery is the CMOS setup battery - if you have ever gone into the BIOS setup page (where you chose the boot device, hard drive size, time and date etc, the CMOS is where your setup is saved with any changes you made have made and the battery makes sure the info is retained when the system is off.

If the CMOS gets corrupted, then the BIOS gets confused and does not know how to start itself up.

Chances are that by taking out the battery and putting it back, the CMOS got reset and got you going.

This used to be a pretty common problem on old systems with older style batteries but less common now. I would suggest given that you got a result - albeit temporary - by fiddlling around with it, be worth a punt and getting a new one - they are all pretty standard - check out maplins or such like searching for the number etched on the battery.

if it is the battery, really poor neither shop spotted it (not surprising for PC world, but a computer repair shop!)

Good luck

Hoovie

[Hoovie]

just did a goog;e and this looks like a useful page to read to see if it relates to your situation?
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000239.htm

[steves plastering]

thanks very much for the help mate