Help! Dead computer.

[Reynolds]

Today I left my computer on when I left the house.

When I got home, it was off.

I pushed the power button, and nothing.

I opened the case, uplugged it for a minute, then tried to turn it back on again.

The lights come on for a split second, and the fans quickly jump, then stop.

I unplugged all the hard drives, cd rom drives, and took out all but one stick of RAM.

Same thing happens.

Any ideas before I go buy a new mobo?

[Reynolds]

I unplugged all the hard drives, cd rom drives, and took out all but one stick of RAM.



I also tried this with different sticks of RAM.

[Reynolds]

Just tried with a different CPU, same results.

Not the PSU since lights are coming on, and fans start to spin, right?

MOBO?

ugh...

[KnoxHarrington]

Just tried with a different CPU, same results.

Not the PSU since lights are coming on, and fans start to spin, right?

MOBO?

ugh...

Sounds like it. If the power supply were dead, it wouldn't start at all. If it were the hard drive, it would start up, but not boot.

You see, Reynolds, sometimes a motherboard...well, it goes to Computer Heaven, where it runs around with all the other computers you've had go to play. And now it can run any program it wants to. And it's happy.

[Reynolds]

Sounds like it. If the power supply were dead, it wouldn't start at all. If it were the hard drive, it would start up, but not boot.

You see, Reynolds, sometimes a motherboard...well, it goes to Computer Heaven, where it runs around with all the other computers you've had go to play. And now it can run any program it wants to. And it's happy.

but..... its only a year old....

[~Katja~]

but..... its only a year old....

you didn't buy a warranty with it?

[KnoxHarrington]

but..... its only a year old....

Have you had a storm lately? It sounds like it's been fried by a power surge of of some kind. Katja's right -- you should still be under warranty, though if they suspect lightning fried it, you might have trouble getting it covered. So pull the "I don't know how this happened" routine.

The only way to truly protect a computer from power spikes/surges is to put it on a UPS. A surge protector helps some, but not fully.

[red_red_red]

Have you had a storm lately? It sounds like it's been fried by a power surge of of some kind. Katja's right -- you should still be under warranty, though if they suspect lightning fried it, you might have trouble getting it covered. So pull the "I don't know how this happened" routine.

The only way to truly protect a computer from power spikes/surges is to put it on a UPS.A surge protector helps some, but not fully.
true dat...i had a bunch of electronics fried a coupla months ago from a lightning strike, all on surge protectors, now i unplug everything if i hear a storm approaching, which was what i was in the middle of doing when lightning struck :(!

[JPMNICK]

it could be the PS anyway, the problem is not that it is 100% dead, just maybe some bad components inside. swap it out and test.

it is def not the RAM or the HD because in POST, it never makes it there. it is either the MoBo or the PS

[biggestmexi]

maybe your avatar killed it?

[Fez4PrezN2008]

If you didn't ground yourself properly when you removed or even just touched your RAM DIMMs you very well could have had a static discharge and it will zap those suckers dead. Prob is you really can tell if its good or bad. Same thing can happen to a mobo but slightly less likely at least you can test the symptoms for that little bit. Does it give you a series of beeps when you try to start? If its a mobo get a replacement at tigerdirect.com or newegg.com, good deals on RAM there too. Do not even try to go to Best Buy, they will rape you till your ahole bleeds.
PS it might just be a faulty power supply unit too...

[keverlast]

Surge protection offers little help, yer best bet and every 'puter owner is to have Battery Backup, these small units are worth the investment and affordable. I paid $65 for my APC system. works great and saved my 'puter more than once.

It eliminates worry from under or over voltage, which is occuring more frequently everywhere, even in canada

[scottinnj]

Sounds like you let the smoke out.

It's ded Dead. Toss the Ram too, it's probably gone. Hopefully your hard drive and any other peripherals are okay though.

[suggums]

i know how to help computer!

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[Devo37]

i know how to help computer!

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well that was a nonsensical waste of 40 seconds.

p.s. it could definitely be a faulty power supply.

[scottinnj]

i know how to help computer!

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FAIL!

http://kuras.us/pics/faildozer.jpg

[Reynolds]

well that was a nonsensical waste of 40 seconds.

p.s. it could definitely be a faulty power supply.



Even if the board is still getting power?

Power supply is less than a year old too, spent about 150 on it.

Came home today, left it turned off all night, plugged it in with just the processor and a stick of ram in there, and it turned on. So I turned it off, unplugged it, and put the video card in there to see what was going on, and it started doing it again.

[biggestmexi]

So now you are saying it will boot?

Can you enter your Bios?

If its your video card set, why dont you run on board graphics for now and see what happen?

[Reynolds]

So now you are saying it will boot?

Can you enter your Bios?

If its your video card set, why dont you run on board graphics for now and see what happen?

There is no on board graphics output.

Then fans ran and the lights stayed on with absolutely nothing plugged in except the CPU , cpu fan, and a stick of memory. This only happened one time, so after it happened, I reinstalled the video card to see if I could get into the bios... Same result again, fans jumped, then stopped, lights came on for a split second, then off again.

I took the video card out to see if it was the problem, but when I took it out, the fans just jumped again.

[biggestmexi]

There is no on board graphics output.

Then fans ran and the lights stayed on with absolutely nothing plugged in except the CPU , cpu fan, and a stick of memory. This only happened one time, so after it happened, I reinstalled the video card to see if I could get into the bios... Same result again, fans jumped, then stopped, lights came on for a split second, then off again.

I took the video card out to see if it was the problem, but when I took it out, the fans just jumped again.

oh so you got it to work by slowly adding components back on.
But when you got to the video card it died. You took it out. And then it will do it with out the video card.

It does seem like it might be a bad PS. Due to that fact that the Video card may have overloaded it. As in the PS can supply enough power to the CPU and such but then you added the VC and blew it.

You dont have on board graphics? That really breaks the pickle. Any spare PC parts so you can get to the Bios to maybe turn the voltage down on the CPU.

Also do you have a brand pc or a home-made?

[biggestmexi]

It is possible that your power supply is smart enough to know not to start up if there is a short in the motherboard - however, you should get some sort of response from the fan, even if it is brief. If you do not get a moving fan when you try to power up, suspect the power supply.

When a power supply starts up, there is usually a quick 'click' sound from the speaker. Once you hear the click, the power supply is telling the motherboard that it is ready to go. If you don't hear the click - you probably have a bad power supply.

Tip: With the computer shut off, unplug the power supply from the motherboard and then turn the computer back on. If the fan operates when disconnected, but not when it is connected, it is a good sign that the motherboard is headed to the motherboard graveyard.

[Reynolds]

It is possible that your power supply is smart enough to know not to start up if there is a short in the motherboard - however, you should get some sort of response from the fan, even if it is brief. If you do not get a moving fan when you try to power up, suspect the power supply.

When a power supply starts up, there is usually a quick 'click' sound from the speaker. Once you hear the click, the power supply is telling the motherboard that it is ready to go. If you don't hear the click - you probably have a bad power supply.

Tip: With the computer shut off, unplug the power supply from the motherboard and then turn the computer back on. If the fan operates when disconnected, but not when it is connected, it is a good sign that the motherboard is headed to the motherboard graveyard.

Thanks for all your help.

I just took a power supply out of an old computer and connected it to the one I'm having problems with and when I turned it on, the fans stayed on, and all the lights as well. So I'm guessing it's the PSU. It's only 10 months old, and its a 650w PSU.... So I'm a little pissed. Is 650 enough?

Athlon 9500 quad core
4 sata hard drives
2 sata dvd drives
1 ide drive
4 sticks of ddr2 RAM (1 gb each)
GeForce 8600gt 512 mb
soundblaster audio card

Here is the PSU I have:

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2081&page=1

Do they just go sometimes? My computer is left on a lot. Should I go with a higher wattage, or do you just think it was probably faulty? I've noticed a slight decrease in performance lately before it died.

Thanks for the help all, I was about to go buy a new motherboard, those are a bitch to put in, I never would have suspected the PSU

[Reynolds]

oh so you got it to work by slowly adding components back on.
But when you got to the video card it died. You took it out. And then it will do it with out the video card.

It does seem like it might be a bad PS. Due to that fact that the Video card may have overloaded it. As in the PS can supply enough power to the CPU and such but then you added the VC and blew it.

You dont have on board graphics? That really breaks the pickle. Any spare PC parts so you can get to the Bios to maybe turn the voltage down on the CPU.

Also do you have a brand pc or a home-made?

Sorry missed this post since you went back to back.

It was just one freak incident that it started that one time I think.

I built the PC myself.

[biggestmexi]

Thanks for all your help.

I just took a power supply out of an old computer and connected it to the one I'm having problems with and when I turned it on, the fans stayed on, and all the lights as well. So I'm guessing it's the PSU. It's only 10 months old, and its a 650w PSU.... So I'm a little pissed. Is 650 enough?

Athlon 9500 quad core
4 sata hard drives
2 sata dvd drives
1 ide drive
4 sticks of ddr2 RAM (1 gb each)
GeForce 8600gt 512 mb
soundblaster audio card

Here is the PSU I have:

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2081&page=1

Do they just go sometimes? My computer is left on a lot. Should I go with a higher wattage, or do you just think it was probably faulty? I've noticed a slight decrease in performance lately before it died.

Thanks for the help all, I was about to go buy a new motherboard, those are a bitch to put in, I never would have suspected the PSU

Component Requirement
AGP Video Card 30W - 50W
PCI Express Video 100W - 250W
Average PCI Card 5W - 10W
DVD/CD 20W - 30W
Hard Drive 15W - 30W
Case/CPU Fans 3W (ea.)
Motherboard (w/o CPU or RAM) 50W - 150W
RAM 15W per 1GB
Processor 80W - 140W

For overall power supply wattage, add the requirement for each device in your system, then multiply by 1.5. (The multiplier takes into account that today's systems draw disproportionally on the +12V output. Furthermore, power supplies are more efficient and reliable when loaded to 30% - 70% of maximum capacity.)

[biggestmexi]

I would say get a bigger PS. You do have quit a lot of stuff.

If you go by the chart above your at ~800 or so. And not to mention any case fans.

Antec is a very reliable brand:
Antec TPQ-850 850W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371009)

Rosewill is also good and this is a little cheaper:
Rosewill RX850-D-B 850W ATX12V v2.2 & EPS12V v2.91 SLI 8800GTX SLI CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182070)


And they are both 850. So if you need to add more your ready for it.

[biggestmexi]

I just took a power supply out of an old computer and connected it to the one I'm having problems with and when I turned it on, the fans stayed on, and all the lights as well. So I'm guessing it's the PSU. It's only 10 months old, and its a 650w PSU.... So I'm a little pissed. Is 650 enough?

Athlon 9500 quad core
4 sata hard drives
2 sata dvd drives
1 ide drive
4 sticks of ddr2 RAM (1 gb each)
GeForce 8600gt 512 mb
soundblaster audio card


I would try booting the PC then with just your boot drive. 2 rams. no sound.

What the rating on the PS

[Reynolds]

I would try booting the PC then with just your boot drive. 2 rams. no sound.

What the rating on the PS

Thanks again. I will go with the 850 I guess. I might move 2 of the hard drives over to my other PC since they are basically just holding my videos to stream to my 360.

Might this power supply starting to fail explain my decrease in performance over the past few weeks?

I was always getting "power calibration errors" with my dvd burners.

Going to bed now. Thanks yet again

[Reynolds]

What the rating on the PS

This is the performance tests on my current PSU

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2081&page=1

[biggestmexi]

Thanks again. I will go with the 850 I guess. I might move 2 of the hard drives over to my other PC since they are basically just holding my videos to stream to my 360.

Might this power supply starting to fail explain my decrease in performance over the past few weeks?

I was always getting "power calibration errors" with my dvd burners.

Going to bed now. Thanks yet again

Sounds like it. Your cpu might not have been getting the right power it needed under load and such. Especially read/writing with all those drive and such.

This is the performance tests on my current PSU

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2081&page=1

Sorry i meant the one that you used from the other pc. I wouldnt run it unless it has enough POOWWWAAAAA.
low voltage can also tear your system apart

Why dont you buy an external enclosure for those two for your media?

It will have a longer transfer speed but then you could buy a smaller PS being that external HDD enclosures have their own power source. So that would be two drives less power. Also you can then just hook that HDD enclosure straight to your 360, and not use your bandwith to stream but to D/L instead.

see ya budday

[Reynolds]

New problem, diff computer.

Friend of mine asked me to find out what was wrong with his computer.

Push power, nothing happens.

Tried a new power supply, same result.

Ordered a new motherboard, that came in today.

Installed it, plugged everything in, hit power and computer acts like it is turning on. Hard drive spins, fans start turning, pc speaker beeps.

But no response from the monitor that was hooked up to the on board video.

So I try out a Pci video card, same results.

Any ideas?

[KingGeno]

Try a different monitor?

[Reynolds]

Try a different monitor?

I tried the monitor on a diff computer, worked fine

[scottinnj]

It's dead. Shoot it with a silver bullet before it rises up and slays us all!

[PapaBear]

I've always been under the impression that changing the mobo requires a clean OS install.

[Reynolds]

I've always been under the impression that changing the mobo requires a clean OS install.

It shouldn't, I just should have to reactivate windows. It's the same make and model mobo. Even if that was the case, I should get some response from the monitor, but nothing, besides a slight flicker when connected to the PCI card.

[scottinnj]

I've always been under the impression that changing the mobo requires a clean OS install.

No, but just get ready for a very confused OS if there are any chipset changes....make sure the driver CD is in the tray before you log in, because the OS is going to be looking for the new drivers immediately.

[KingGeno]

Are there any error lights on the mobo? The documentation should provide an illustation as to what may be the problem if it isn't a normal light pattern. Each mobo is different.

If there is a problem I would start with the basics.

Make sure all devices and wires and connections are secure.

Boot up with no memory at all, and check the mobo status. Boot up with one stick of memory, then two, then any others you have.

Unplug all devices from the mobo (vid card) and boot up with that. Check mobo status lights. Reseat all devices.

Pop the little battery off of the motherboard. Looks like a quarter-sized silver coin, but it is a battery. Try reseting the RTC jumpers. RTC means Real Time Clock. There should be three prongs or something with a jumper on prongs 1 and 2. Unplug the computer, pop the battery, move the jumpers to pins 2 and 3 for 5-10 seconds to clear the real time clock. Put the jumper back on prongs 1 and 2, pop batter back in, power up like normal and set the clock in the BIOS. NOTE: Follow the instructions in the mobo manual. Jumpers may be different.

Also, are you using a separate video card? Does the motherboard have an onbboard video card? You may need to disable that vid card in the BIOS.

[Reynolds]

Are there any error lights on the mobo? The documentation should provide an illustation as to what may be the problem if it isn't a normal light pattern. Each mobo is different.

If there is a problem I would start with the basics.

Make sure all devices and wires and connections are secure.

Boot up with no memory at all, and check the mobo status. Boot up with one stick of memory, then two, then any others you have.

Unplug all devices from the mobo (vid card) and boot up with that. Check mobo status lights. Reseat all devices.

Pop the little battery off of the motherboard. Looks like a quarter-sized silver coin, but it is a battery. Try reseting the RTC jumpers. RTC means Real Time Clock. There should be three prongs or something with a jumper on prongs 1 and 2. Unplug the computer, pop the battery, move the jumpers to pins 2 and 3 for 5-10 seconds to clear the real time clock. Put the jumper back on prongs 1 and 2, pop batter back in, power up like normal and set the clock in the BIOS. NOTE: Follow the instructions in the mobo manual. Jumpers may be different.

Also, are you using a separate video card? Does the motherboard have an onbboard video card? You may need to disable that vid card in the BIOS.

Absolutely no response at all with the monitor, it just does the self test as if nothing is plugged into it, so I can't get to the BIOS.

The motherboard has on board video, which didn't work, so I tried a PCI card, same result.

I just tried a diff PSU, same result.

Im guessing the motherboard was bad, since I got no response at all turning the comp on with the old board. (No fans, hard drive activity).

The board does not beep, but I don't see a PC speaker anywhere on it.

I guess a power surge killed the MOBO, maybe it killed the CPU as well?

[KingGeno]

Well, if it is booting, and you are hearing a beep, it is hitting the POST. I'd try booting the thing up by pulling one device out at a time.

Is this just a different motherboard, same processor?

People aren't aware of how pussy computer stuff is nowadays. Surges can beat shit up sometimes. I went out and bought a batter backup APC from Best Buy for 70 bucks, and it is excellent. I recommend it totally.

[Reynolds]

I unplugged everything, and moved the jumpers and took out the battery like you suggested. Now when I plug it in, the thing just turns on by itself.

I am trying to reseat the CPU now. The manufacturer put a ridiculous amount of thermal compound on there that is leaking around the edges of the CPU like a sloppy PB&J sandwich. When I took the heatskink and fan off, the CPU came along with it, almost glued to the CPU, so if it wasn't damaged before it probably is now. Im going to try and clean it up, and put new compound on, and try again.

[PapaBear]

When I took the heatskink and fan off, the CPU came along with it, almost glued to the CPU, so if it wasn't damaged before it probably is now.
That doesn't sound good AT ALL.

[Reynolds]

Yes, new MOBO, same CPU, heatsink and fan.

There are no beeps like I said in the opening post, and least not now.

[PapaBear]

Depending on the maximum CPU the mobo can take, there are some really good deals on Newegg right now, with free 3 day shipping. I just got a AMD Athlon 64 x2 5200 for $56.

[Gvac]

I am sooooooooo turned on right now!

[Reynolds]

I am sooooooooo turned on right now!

I bet you are, big boy... You wanna rub my RAM stick?

[Reynolds]

Cleaned off MASSIVE amounts of thermal compound from heatsink and CPU.

Reseated CPU with new thermal compound.

Turn computer on.

Phantom PC speaker BEEPS! With 1 second intervals.

Unplug PC, put stick of RAM in.

POST SCREEN!

Disk boot failure... now to plug in hard drive.

[Reynolds]

There was SOOO much thermal compound on there, I think it was actually connecting two of the pins on the CPU.

WTF was HP doing when they made this thing?

[KingGeno]

A rice speckle of thermal paste, and that's all. Too much thermal paste is bad.

[Reynolds]

Plugged in drives, USB, sound etc... And I've got Windows. I wonder now if that original MOBO was bad at all...

Thanks all for the help