Hi, I've done something very silly. I have a 2-machine network of my main machine and a backup. I have just built a new machine to take over from the main machine and the idea was to relegate the previous main machine to backup. Stupidly, when I moved the what is now the backup machine I connected the ISDN connector to the LAN socket and the LAN to the ISDN (seems daft that the plugs are the same!). When I started the machine, it would not boot. I realised what I had done and changed the cables back, but the machine still doesn't boot properly. I get the Windows start-up screen but then the monitor goes, and remains, blank. Surprisingly I can access all the drives from the new machine, and even log on to the Internet through the ISDN TA in the backup. I don't seem to be able to close the machine down (blind) using the close-down sequence. I assume this problem has been caused by swapping the cables (nothing else has changed), but what have I damaged? The motherboard seems favourite rather than graphics card as I still get the Windows start-up screen. Motherboard is MSI KT4 with AMD Athlon. Windows XP home. Any ideas out there? MTIA
Strange problem but it may be fixed if you do a repair installation of XP. A repair installation will preserve your programs, files and settings so it should be ok.
Connecting the wrong cables to different devices will not have caused your problem, even if data is being sent to the wrong device then it will just refuse it.. Or at worst you may static or overcharge the device, using the wrong cable.. however CAT5e network cable whether it is used in an ISDN adapater or a Network card will still use the same line Volts from your powersupply.. By the sounds of things your memory is damaged, or your video card. If memory is damaged but still working.. it will boot up as far as it can go before it gets stressed out to much and will then kill the memory either permenently or temporarily.. Or your video card is not seated properly or is damaged, and when it is having to utilise it's 3D abilities in booting from the Windows boot screen onwards, or 32Bit colour e.t.c it will cut out if it can't handle it.. Reseat your graphics card and your memory, reboot and try again if you have the same error, reboot again and tap CTRL (control key) or F8 as Windows 2000 is loading, till u get your boot menu, choose Safe Mode, now see if u can boot into windows in safe mode, if you can it's your graphics card. Where as if you get the same problem it will be your memory. Post back with your results, good luck - PX
Thanks for the reply. I've already tried Safe Mode, and it stops on a string of characters - should've mentioned it! I'll see if I can rob some memory from another computer and give it a try! C.
The good news is that everything's up and running. The bad news is that I was even mores stupid than I thought! I discovered that I had bent a pin on the monitor cable. Should've tried the obvious first. Thanks to all.
Yeah, bent pins do wonders if you want to pull your hair out, something I've done on at least 2 occasions.
Yea when I was building my first PC, it would start but shut down in less than half a second. After an hour I realised I had to clip the HSF onto the cpu!
