Computer powers up but wont boot.

[trueman]

Im looking at a computer for someone that wont boot. When I turn it on the hdd lights flashes and the hard drive powers up and cpu and power fans spin, but it just wont boot. No post beeps no nothing.

Im suspecting faulty mother board? Anyone got some ideas as to what it could be.

[trueman]

oops sorry I didnt realise. Its an older computer running win98. The owner went away for 10 weeks and when he came back it just wouldnt work anymore.

[stroyal]

Were there any thunder storm in the area, and was the computer left plugged in for the 10 weeks ?

[trueman]

Possibly and yes.

10 weeks ago we were still in the monsoonal season here and whilst we cannot remember if there was a thunderstorm within the last ten weeks its quite possible especially around April. And yes the machine was plugged in the whole time. Do you think that a thunderstorm may have done some damage? Come to think of it Im sure he said his fax machine was playing up too. Its in the same room.

[stroyal]

Close lightning hits to power lines can cause surges to all the houses in the area.

A hit close to your house can directly blow a computer from the magnetic field around the bolt.
I say this because I can't think of any reason a computer not being used would fail.

I have friend that lives on a hill, and he get hit a lot.
The last time it blew the power supply and the network card, and nothing else.
Sounds like your power supply is OK. It could just be the network card or modem, bad ones sometimes keep a computer from starting. With lightning it could be anything though.
Test all your components in another computer or try other good components in that one.computer