Unable to boot

[j d]

Four years ago I assembled a workable box from used parts which includes an AMD Duron 1G, Socket-A, processor, an Apex Super ATX Case, a DVD ROM, a Mitsumi Floppy Drive. I can't find names for anything else. There is a 20GIG hard drive, and about a year ago I added a Memorex CD-RW Drive. It has at least a minimum of other essentials because after about a year and a half I got it running with Windows XP Pro. About six months ago I reinstalled the OS, to start fresh. Instead I wound up with a dual install, two XP Pros. I tried again and wound up with three XP Pros. I tried to get rid of the extra XPs by fiddling with the setup. I don't know what my fiddling involved but now I cannot contact the computer. It won't boot from any of the input devices. At power on, single beep, momentary flashing of cd-rom and cd-rw, no flashing of floppy, noise begins, seems to be fan as well as spin, hard to distinguish. Monitor shows intermittent flash: SELF TEST G[reen field]; CHECK YOUR PC AND SIGNAL CABLE R[ed field] MONITOR IS WORKING B[blue field]
Then the monitor shuts off, sound continues but nothing is happening. There does not appear to be a way to contact the computer. I think, in fiddling with the setup, I have altered the boot order to something that is not available.
I'd like to know:
1 Are there things I can try with the unit as it stands to make it work?
2 What part or parts should I consider changing to make it work?

I'm sorry I don't have more information about what I did as that is the key to what is wrong. I will appreciate suggestions

 

[The_Other_One]

Your first problem sounds as if you where just installing multiple copies of XP. Format and reinstall...

Now as for the other problems, how did they start. You state that you had 3 copies of XP, then state how it is "dead" Did anything happen before then. Did you fiddle inside? Did it boot and you use it some for a while. Elaborate...

It's hard to tell right off what happened, but I'd start by double checking everything is seated proporly and grounded correctly(IE, the motherboard ISN'T touching the case! LOL) Next, if it still won't work, I'd start tearing the computer apart and trying to get something from it. Start by removing all but one ram chip(assuming you have more than one, or use another if you have some spare) all drives, all cards(other than video card if not onboard) and try. if it works, start putting it back together. if it still won't work, I'm guessing you have a motherboard problem...

 

[entity512]

Had this trouble, you have ribbons the wrong way, and incorrect jumpers on your devices. IF you were to unplug your hdd and cd, flppy youll see itll boot up.

 

[j d]

There's just one problem, the computer won't boot. The three XPs came when I reinstalled twice without formatting. I foolishly diddled the setup procedure to see if I could remove two of the XPs from there. Whatever else I may have removed, I apparently removed all boot paths and it hasn't responded since I turned it off on that run. If there is no backdoor way into a computer, I'll have to replace the part or parts that control booting, which is probably the main board and/or the processor.
I think since it worked fine, even with three XPs, before I scrambled the setup, it won't be a jumper or connection problem.

I'm grateful for the ideas.

 

[entity512]

Well all your saying thats its some xp problem.....just pop in the disk and format and reinstall??? Your describing is crap, makes no sense

 

[j d]

I think XP is just a symptom. I have tried to reboot with DOS6.1 floppy, Windows 95 cd, Windows 98 cd, Windows XP Pro cd, and several old bootable floppies, none of which are acknowledged by the computer. I'm still looking for other boot discs, and I'll try all I can find. I don't know enough about computers to say that an os can instruct a computer to ignore the outside but it seems to be the case here.