Monitor stays on Amber Until Wiggle Internal Card

[amstuart]

Hi:

Minor inconvenience on every power-up. I have a Gateway desktop system with a brand new power supply. Beginning last month my monitor does not power-up: the monitor power light stays on amber and will not turn green. The computer tower turns on and the proper post beeps are heard. Reading on the Internet, the possible causes are numerous. I bought a new power supply and reseated my memory sticks. I found a work-around but I am curious if anyone has a better solution than what I need to do at each power-up. I press the monitor button and then the computer tower button; the monitor power light turns amber and the computer power light turns green; I open the case (quick release) and move the USB expansion card and/or the PCI modem card (they are seated next to each other and are the entire case-width away from the monitor cable connect); the monitor light turns green and a white flashing cursor appears in the top left of the monitor screen; I wiggle either card again and the Gateway logo appears instantly and the start-up process continues with the Windows XP Home logo and so forth. I have this routine down to a science: the first wiggle allows the monitor power light to go from amber to green; a subsequent wiggle allows the computer to continue the boot process. I close the tower case and there are zero issues during the entire time I use the computer. The video is integrated in the MOB (there is no graphics card). I am assuming wiggling the cards has nothing to do with the boot process as far as the seated USB expansion card and the PCI modem card are not involved in the monitor functioning properly or the boot process. Wiggling the cards, I am assuming, is contributing to the MOB "bending" and something then allows the entire boot sequence to finish.  I realize this is a loaded question but is there a best guess as to which board componet(s) is/are the real culprit(s)? I can obviously use the computer but it is a pain in the rear to have to go through this routine at each start-up.

Thank you.

Adam

[PCBruiser]

Hi,

Let's try an experiment.  Remove both the USB expansion card and the PCI modem from the system.  Tell me if the system boots correctly now.  It sounds like one of the cards either has a corroded contact on the edge connector, or one of the slots do instead.

[amstuart]

Hi:

You, again! You and Hoov are all over the Boards. You assisted me with the HDD this morning that is seen as a Slave and not as the Master. Anyway, please do not close this thread--I will not be able to get to the computer we are discussing until tomorrow evening. Corrosion is a real possibility as this desktop computer is housed in a fiberglass observatory for almost 7+ years here in Miami, Florida and the humidity can approach 90% inside the dome.

Anyway, I will report the results of my experiment tomorrow. I do not even use the PCI modem card as I am connected to my home computer via a 200' run of ethernet cable. I will remove the cards one at a time and report my findings.

Thank you, again.

Adam

[Hoov]

I would also take the entire motherboard off the mounting plate. Look at the holes where the mounting screws go thru, you may need to clean those to get a good ground connection. If the ground points are bad, or the MB plate to case contacts are corroded, then the wiggling could be causing just enough contact to make everything good. Sometimes just taking everything apart, cleaning contacts, and putting it back together will fix this kind of intermittent problem.

If you need to clean contacts, use a brand new pencil and use the eraser to gently run the corrosion off the contacts. Using an old used pencil can leave contaminants behind, and pressing to hard can actually cause the contacts to come off the board.

[amstuart]

Thank you, Hoov.  Corrosion is a likely culprit due to the computer's location and exposure to humidity over the years. I did not know about the "contact" that the MOB needs to make with the mounting screws/case. I will share a photo if the cause is obvious.

Adam

[amstuart]

Hi:

I wanted to bring closure to this topic. The culprit was indeed corrosion of the case and mounting screws/MOB. I followed HOOV's advice and I have had no further issues with my observatory computer monitor.

Thank you and Happy New Year.

Adam

[Hoov]

Outstanding. Thanks for letting us know all is well. You may want to consider upgrading to a new contractor grade laptop if you are going to be leaving the computer in an outdoor environment.

[amstuart]

Hi HOOV:

Santa was not kind enough this year to allow this purchase, but definitely on the wish list...

Adam

[Hoov]

  Probably many wish lists.