I tried to fire it up this morning and no beep just the fans whirring and the CD light flashing.
I don't have the money to take it in right now but I'll remove the power supply and take it to a local PC store to see if they can check that when there is a nice day for me to get there as it is quite a walk and local bus transportation is impractical and a cab too expensive.
I'm not complaining as it only cost me $50.00 so far with 512MB RAM, 80GB and 40GB hard drives, Creative Soundblaster sound adapter and large Samsung SyncMaster 17GLi monitor, keyboard optical mouse mounted on a metal computer desk.
I have had Compaq PII, but i sold it, when i bought this current (custom build) computer. I bought that PII as used back in 2003. It was my first decent, real PC (and with internet connection). I really can't call my 386, which i still have (in my closet), a real PC.
I read that static buildup causes some system to not boot so I tried the tip of disconnecting the power cord and holding in the power switch for 10 seconds and just to be sure I waited 10 seconds and held it in for another 10 seconds then replaced the power cord and in its usual slow manner it sprang to life when I pressed the power switch.
I let it sit for 10 minutes for it to completely load and update Avira AntiVir definitions then I fired up IE8 RC1 and installed McAfee SiteAdvisor that would not load before so now it is working with WoT as well.
My apartment is heated with electric baseboard heaters and this time of year it is like the Sahara for dryness even though I have a humidifier that runs constantly going through at least a liter of water a day.
Glad you got it going. Sounds like you and your PIII are old friends.
Its like old slippers that look like &Hotplace but are as comfortable as a warm bath and a waterproof neck pillow with a CD of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells playing in the background: