Challenge that assumption! Gently rock all of the cards in their slots. Apply _LIGHT_ thumb pressure to all socketed chips. Gently pull and reseat all cables. Also, try bringing it up with the keyboard detached. I've seen blown keyboards prevent original IBM-PCs

I've just had an example of truly excellent service and thought I'd pass it on. For those that don't know, the Apple Powerbook 5300 series is under a 7 year extended repair period due to the type of plastic used in it's casing. Basically, up until sometime next year, if there's a problem on a PB5300 series machine that is attributable to the case, Apple will repair it. Last week, the right hinge mounting block on my PB 5300c broke so I called Apple on Monday. On Tuesday, Airborne Express delivered a box for me to ship the machine back to Apple, on Wed. Airborne picked it back up. It was delievered to Apple on Thursday and it was repaired and given back to Airborne on Friday. Airborne dropped it off at my home just about an hour ago. The machine looks like new and now has been put through the full REA to repair the known problems covered, at no cost to me. I'm not even the original owner of the machine. I know there have been stories about bad service with Apple, but this time they got it right. I've had similar results from IBM in the past with the warranties on thier large capactiy hard disks. It's nice to know good customer service hasn't totally died off. Jeff -- Home of the TRS-80 Model 2000 FAQ File http://www.cchaven.com http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/lakes/6757

I did the same thing often enough that I still have the phone numbers for the various warranty services for different hard disk manufacturers taped to my desk. It's a bit outdated though, dated 2/98. I've done it with IBM, Seagate and Fujitsu hard drives. The Seagate drives didn't have anywhere near as long a warranty as the others. I know that with the IBM 0664, it had a 5 year warranty on it. Jeff -- Home of the TRS-80 Model 2000 FAQ File http://www.cchaven.com http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/lakes/6757

That's what I did with my first PC. I had an XT and a PC, and I thought the PC was dead because it wasn't booting like the XT. Then I left in on while messing around with the XT, and all of a sudden it booted. I felt much better, knowing that the second half of my new acquisition booted too, even if it did take longer :-) They were my first computers (IBM style). I paid $35 for the pair, back in 96 or 97 :-) I don't have either anymore. The XT had a clone board, and blew eventually, and I sold the PC on Ebay after I was tired of it. I bought another XT, but sold that too. Chad Fernandez Michigan, USA Tony Duell wrote:

I just pulled one of my excess 5150's out of storage today and had the same problem. Pulled and reseated all cards, PS cables P8 and P9, lifted and reseated the dram chips and 8086/8087 processor chips and she works fine. Although my storage is dry, we are in a humid area and the storage has no A/C or heat. -> -----Original Message----- -> From: owner-classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org -> [mailto:owner-classiccmp@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Matt Wilda -> Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 1:27 PM -> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org -> Subject: Re: Dead PC -> -> -> > That's what I did with my first PC. I had an XT and a PC, and I -> > thought the PC was dead because it wasn't booting like the XT. Then I -> > left in on while messing around with the XT, and all of a sudden it -> > booted. I felt much better, knowing that the second half of my new -> > acquisition booted too, even if it did take longer :-) -> -> No, it isn't that. I remember before when I first turned it on -> there would be a flashing cursor in the upper left corner of the -> screen. Now there isn't even that. I waited several minutes -> and there were no beeps or disk activity, either. And I know -> the monitor works because I tested it on another computer. -> -> > I sold the PC on Ebay after I was tired of it. -> -> Yeah, I'm the guy that bought it :-) This is your old PC. BTW, -> a friend of mine was able to get me another monitor for it. -> -> I'll try messing with it a little more this afternoon. Thanks -> to everyone for the suggestions. -> ->

On Wed, 15 Aug 2001, Chad Fernandez wrote: Before even cleaning chips (the sockets in the PC are not quite as bad as the ones that Apple used), start by removing the Six pack, disk controller, and everything else from the bus except the video card. If that doesn't help, then remove the three rows of socketed memory chips, so that the only memory is the soldered in row. If it is working, then you will get a beep pattern complaining ab out memory, since the current quantity doesn't match what the switches are set for. But THAT would be a definite improvement! If necessary, you could even remove the BASIC ROMs, leaving only the BIOS ROM. How are the voltages from the power supply? WHICH kind of video card is in it? CGA? MDA? Is the monitor the right one for the card? Depending on your level of expertise (sorry if I/we have assumed incorrectly), try a P.O.S.T. card (or manually with a probe), to see if it got that far. -- Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com

Matt Wilda wrote: Good, I'm glad nothing really let go. Have you taken any time to install any software, or change/setup DOS? Chad Fernandez Michigan, USA