Gateway won't start

My Gateway GT5228 is getting harder to start. It did it once in a while and now is getting worse. I just did a format and fresh install of Win XP, SP2 to try to correct it and it was of no help. No updates or added software. Since it was a format, I suspect it is a hardware problem. The HD, RAM, DVD, and modem are all disconnected and still I get a blank screen. The CPU fan comes on at a very high speed. When it decides to start, the lights on the keyboard flash during the startup and it usually goes thru a normal start. Any suggestions? I even have all the external memory card drives disconnected from the MB.

 

Welcome aboard Larry, am I to assume that you have no hard drive or RAM inside, highlited part. You definitely need those to boot properly. Disconnecting the external stuff is fine to narrow down the problem.:confused

 

The HD is disconnected and the RAM is removed. I did this to try to remove any hardware problems. The symptoms are the same with all components in place or removed. The screen is blank and the power button on the monitor never changes color, as if trying to start up. It remains yellow. The screen never has any text or graphics on it. I was going to change the power supply, but someone told me Gateway has a special pinout for the motherboard. They also said it may be Dell, but at any rate, using a generic PS may burn out the MB. It is a 24 pin PS and I have a generic one I can put in. Any thoughts?

 

Hi Larry,

You definitely need at least one stick of memory in the MB or you get nothing. You should have MB, 1 stick of Mem and monitor. If it tries to get to BIOS SETUP add the KB. Add components one at the time. The one that kills it is the culprit.

Good Luck, Jim

 

Tried it with only MB, one stick of RAM, monitor. No KB, mouse, DVD, etc. Still gives only a blank screen. What about the PS question? Can I change it out with a generic one?