Reviving old computer - PSU works but computer won't turn on.

[Black Sheep]

Hi,

I've got an old Windows XP desktop computer that I last used in 2013 when it worked absolutely fine.
It's been switched off and un-plugged since around then.

I came to try and use it tonight and it won't boot up.

I've taken the PSU out of it and bridged the green switch cable to earth and the fan in the PSU started up (the fan doesn't start when the PSU is plugged into the computer)

Anyone any ideas what to try next?

I'm wanting to run older software that was designed for Win98 and XP which is why I'm keen to revive this machine, I also need a windows machine (newer computers in the house are Mac) to run model railway related programmes and can't justify the expense of a replacement machine.

Thanks

[Black Sheep]

Forgot to say, the computer has onboard graphics and a graphics card installed, has a DVD drive and a CD/RW drive and 3.5 floppy disk drive (shows its age a bit)

Think I've added a stick or two of ram at some point also.

[mickster04]

It could be the motherboard battery... alternatively, you can install older windows in a VM (https://www.virtualbox.org is ONE option) which might be easier than trying to revive older hardware?

[Black Sheep]

Hi, Thanks for your input,

is that the CMOS battery?

I had wondered about that - is it a case of pluck it out and match the numbers?
The one on this machine looks similar to a watch battery.
Will I need to re-set anything in the bios other than the clock and date?

[Yet_Another]

I had a battery go on an old computer. It didn't stop working, though; just didn't remember any settings/date/time, etc.

Another possibility is that a/several of the capacitors on the motherboard have deteriorated with lack of use, rendering it inoperable.

[Railwaygun]

If sounds like a motherboard problem.

If you look around, people give away old PCs or you can get good Windows 7 machines on eBay for less than £75 or so .

Search Ebay for ebay windows 7 computer

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Complete-Desktop-PC-Computer-System-WiFi-and-Windows-7-Pro-/281477258932?ul_ref=https%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F710-53481-19255-0%252F1%253Fff3%253D4%2526pub%253D5574631662%2526toolid%253D10001%2526campid%253D5338243305%2526customid%253De7addd67058b2b20f1ada4bfd64ccd84%2526mpre%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%25252Fitm%25252FComplete-Desktop-PC-Computer-System-WiFi-and-Windows-7-Pro-%25252F281477258932%2526srcrot%253D710-53481-19255-0%2526rvr_id%253D2004328753332%2526rvr_ts%253D48a2cf5616b0a9e867b69f24ffe95f34&ul_noapp=true

This company is in Lancs!

a win 7 machine should run the old XP progs - you could mount your XP hard drive in the machine and load programmes off it,

Could you try another PSU??

If all else fails, I could transfer data to a modern  SATA disc

Good luck

[stevewalker]

You could install VMware Player or Workstation and create virtual machines for each of the additional operating systems that you want to run on your modern PC. I use do that for an old copy of AutoCad that won't run on anything newer than XP. You can apparently go as far back as DOS if you like.

[Snowwolflair]

Thinking backwards, you said the PSU starts when bridged but not when plugged in.

How about checking the case start button cable has no breaks or is unplugged as it sounds like the PSU is not seeing the signal to start from the case switch.

You could bridge the PSU start at the PSU plug when its plugged into the computer and it might come to life.

As an aside, XP was the last version of Widows to allow direct write to ports and are therefore the last version that can be used to drive pre USB CNCs, Lasers and the like so very valuable machines to keep going.

[themadhippy]

double check the off board connector to the front power switch is making a good connection,also try removing  any cards,memory,drives etc and try powering just the motherboard.

[Paul-H]

Also check thst the on button is actually working, with a meter.

Paul

[Black Sheep]

Also check thst the on button is actually working, with a meter.

Paul

how do I test this?

[Malc]

Also check thst the on button is actually working, with a meter.

Paul

how do I test this?

you need to find the lead that goes from the switch on the front to the motherboard. It will be a two pin header, usually near the speaker lead and LED leads.

[Gyppy101]

As a Mac user your best bet is to install VMfusion on the Mac and then you can run any Windows programs if you have the Windows installation discs.   I run Windows XP on my MacBook Pro for the same reason, there are programs I need that are not available elsewhere.  I believe this was suggested in an earlier post.

[Malc]

As a Mac user your best bet is to install VMfusion on the Mac and then you can run any Windows programs if you have the Windows installation discs.   I run Windows XP on my MacBook Pro for the same reason, there are programs I need that are not available elsewhere.  I believe this was suggested in an earlier post.

Does this software emulate the ports on a PC? Just asking for a friend. Windows XP was the last version of Windows to write directly to the ports and he has a slide scanner that only worked under XP.

[Snowwolflair]

As a Mac user your best bet is to install VMfusion on the Mac and then you can run any Windows programs if you have the Windows installation discs.   I run Windows XP on my MacBook Pro for the same reason, there are programs I need that are not available elsewhere.  I believe this was suggested in an earlier post.

Does this software emulate the ports on a PC? Just asking for a friend. Windows XP was the last version of Windows to write directly to the ports and he has a slide scanner that only worked under XP.

It has to be a native XP, even an XP shell running under Windows 7 wont allow access to the ports.