Scratching my head, no boot up

[billytec]

I am trying to fix a Gateway ZX4800 all in one touch screen computer running Windows 7 Home Premium. When you hit the power switch, you can see the CPU fan start up, then stop and start up again and then stop. You can see the power light on the front of the computer come on and stay on. I can feel the HDD spinning up and continue to run. There is nothing displayed on the monitor during all this time. I have changed out the CPU and the motherboard, swapped out the memory chips, disconnected the HDD, all to no avail. No matter which motherboard I use or CPU chip the results are the same. My gut is telling me that I am having a monitor display problem, but the CPU fan's reaction is throwing me a curve. I am at a loss as to what to try to do next.
Does anyone have any suggestions about what the trouble may be?
Thanks for any assistance you may provide,
btk (billy the kid)

 

[billytec]

No boot up problem

This is a picture of the other side of the motherboard.

btk (billy the kid)

 

[FremontPC]

Try shining a flashlight on it at different angles to see if there's an image.

 

[HFultzjr]

I am trying to fix a Gateway ZX4800 all in one touch screen computer running Windows 7 Home Premium. When you hit the power switch, you can see the CPU fan start up, then stop and start up again and then stop. You can see the power light on the front of the computer come on and stay on. I can feel the HDD spinning up and continue to run. There is nothing displayed on the monitor during all this time. I have changed out the CPU and the motherboard, swapped out the memory chips, disconnected the HDD, all to no avail. No matter which motherboard I use or CPU chip the results are the same. My gut is telling me that I am having a monitor display problem, but the CPU fan's reaction is throwing me a curve. I am at a loss as to what to try to do next.
Does anyone have any suggestions about what the trouble may be?
Thanks for any assistance you may provide,
btk (billy the kid)

If you are not seeing anything at boot....not even BIOS options, I would think video issue. However, if I'm correct this does not have an external monitor hook-up.

Try and boot without the hard drive installed....I have seem some laptops where a bad hard drive gave similar symptoms, but when removed, would allow to go to BIOS.

Harold

 

[SilverLeaf]

Try shining a flashlight on it at different angles to see if there's an image.

This ^^^ I have a Sony AIO in right now with a bad inverter. It's certainly worth checking out.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

When you hit the power switch, you can see the CPU fan start up, then stop and start up again and then stop.

No one thought this was odd? Have you tried another power supply?

 

[numnutz]

Power supply was my first guess but I would like to know if the bios screen pops up on boot up. If u swapped memory and hd already. Video monitor or ps should be tested not necessarily in that order

 

[gravator]

No one thought this was odd? Have you tried another power supply?

This would be my first guess too.. +1

 

[billytec]

This would be my first guess too.. +1

I have reached a diagnosis of video also. With all devices removed from system, and just the bare essentials to start the computer I still get no video so I can not get into COMS. Does anyone know of any test to prove the display screen or the LCD inverter board is bad, before I sink any more money into this thing?

btk (billy the kid)

 

[NYJimbo]

The only thing you could do at this point is remove the LCD from the machine and feed it a signal via something like an LCD tester, like I have, but that's way too expensive for just testing one machine.

If the unit had an external VGA or other video port, then that could be something to try, but lacking that I think you're screwed.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

I feel like i must be missing something...

If I grab the inverter and throw it out the freaking window, how does that make the cpu fan stop and how would that prevent the system from booting into windows..maybe playing some sound to indicate its reached windows etc etc?

I mean i rarely work on laptops and even more rarely work on AIO units but I didnt think this would stall a person from trouble shooting the rest of the system if he unplugged it.

I must be missing something.

 

[mraikes]

The only thing you could do at this point is remove the LCD from the machine and feed it a signal via something like an LCD tester, like I have, but that's way too expensive for just testing one machine.

If the unit had an external VGA or other video port, then that could be something to try, but lacking that I think you're screwed.

AIO's have rarely been a good answer for anyone's computing needs outside a fairly narrow range - and virtually no home users.

It's at this point where the customer pays the price for the computer choice they made. No dedicated video ports. Limited and therefore expensive parts. A screen fails and they either have to throw a stupid amount of money at it to get it fixed, or give in and replace a computer that would have been "back on the road" already if it were a desktop.

The limited availability and comparatively high price of screens added to labor charges (and frustration quotient) would put this computer firmly in my "not worth it" category. And I'm never shy about telling a customer that. Advise the client to save their money, buy a maintainable computer, and flip this job into a data recovery or new computer setup.

 

[mraikes]

I feel like i must be missing something...

If I grab the inverter and throw it out the freaking window, how does that make the cpu fan stop and how would that prevent the system from booting into windows..maybe playing some sound to indicate its reached windows etc etc?

I mean i rarely work on laptops and even more rarely work on AIO units but I didnt think this would stall a person from trouble shooting the rest of the system if he unplugged it.

I must be missing something.

True, the OP hasn't yet mentioned if he tested/replaced the power supply, which I think is the only major component he didn't specifically mention.

 

[NYJimbo]

True, the OP hasn't yet mentioned if he tested/replaced the power supply, which I think is the only major component he didn't specifically mention.

Yeah, it's just a "laptop" type charger and this could be a power draw issue. But I got a feeling there is more to this than just D/C.

 

[Altster]

Suggest that you first try a different power supply with this unit, followed by making a connection to an external monitor (if possible if only via an USB-adapter).

For more info on the Gateway - http://www.pcworld.com/product/393801/zx4800-06-all-in-one.html

And - http://support.gateway.com/s/desktop/2009/gateway/zx/zx4800/ZX4800sp2.shtml

This appears to be a "touch-screen" display and if it is defective it could be quite costly to replace. I'd surely be looking for a different power supply to test with it first! Oh and be sure to use the correct power supply with it as sometimes power bricks don't necessarily have the correct AMPS for AIO (All-InOne's).