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I accidentally tripped on my ubuntu machine power cable. Since then I am not able to boot the computer, even the bios doesn't load. Whenever I turn it on, after a 30 seconds or so, the fan starts making a lot of noise. Monitor shows no signal, but the DVD tray seems to have power.

Does power failure put the computer into some special mode, which I need to change? Any ideas?

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Check all your cables. Better yet, detach and reattach all your cables – Journeyman Geek Oct 14 '12 at 10:13
Thanks, but I am not sure I understand. There is only one power cable for my computer. Are you talking about any internal power cables? – stressed_geek Oct 14 '12 at 10:24

1 Answer

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Most likely you have caused a physical impact to the computer by tripping over the power cable. Perhaps the fan is misaligned or a grill dented. Perhaps some internal cables or other components have come loose.

I would

  • Unplug the power, open the case and inspect for any signs of physical damage or loose cables and components.
  • repair or replace any components physically damaged.
  • Reseat memory and PCIe cards etc.
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Thanks! Only the power cable got disconnected when I tripped over the cable. There was no movement whatsoever of the computer cabinet. Therefore, I am not sure what you mean by physical damage here. Could you please clarify? – stressed_geek Oct 14 '12 at 10:31

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