Strange rebooting issue I've had for years

[MrRockliffe]

What voltages are you running your ram at? Try shorting the switch to turn it on if you haven't already.

If you don't know what voltage you're running it on, then tell me what ram you're using.

I have had this problem before by the way, but it happened once and didn't happen again. I turned off the computer to update and it wouldn't turn back on for an hour. I have an Asrock motherboard however.

[Scottyyy]

Default voltage for the RAM. I want to say 1.6v but I'm not 100%. The brand is mushkin.

Sorry, it does turn on. The fans spin but nothing else happens. No picture and I know it isn't booting into windows without a picture since I don't auto enter my irc channels. Sorry if I want clear about that.

Edit: mushkin silverline pc3 12800

[peterb]

OK, thought you had tried flashing the BIOS though a USB drive. I would expect you to have some sign of life even with a bad flash.

Did you check the connections to the power switch?

[Scottyyy]

Yeah the power switch is working again now. Still just got the same issue with the fans spinning and nothing else happening.

[peterb]

Really tricky...

When you power up a PC, the reset pin of the CPU is held low by a timer to allow all the voltages to stabilise before the system starts. When the CPU leaves the reset state, it jumps to the entry point of the BIOS and starts executing the code there, al the way through to launching the OS (Windows in your case)

So spinning fans but nothing else implies that the CPU is not starting. In the spirit of a` 'U' turn, I'm beginning to come round to the possibility of a mobo fault or a CPU fault. Checking PSU would be easy, but if you don't have a spare, that is not possible. I guess the better option is to replace the mobo - but there are no guarantees.

[Scottyyy]

Well I've managed to narrow the problem down. Tested the RAM PSU and video card and they are fine. CPU or motherboard is the problem. Really hope it isn't the CPU. Gonna buy a motherboard now and hope that fixes the problem.

[peterb]

Ah good, some progress then. Fingers crossed it is the mobo. Let us know how it goes.

[Scottyyy]

Ordered a Gigabyte z68ap d3 from dabs. Hope their free shipping option is relatively fast.

[OilSheikh]

+1 for PSU change, I had similar issues in the past.

[MrJim]

Ordered a Gigabyte z68ap d3 from dabs. Hope their free shipping option is relatively fast.

I know it's not really fair on Dabs, but if it's not the mobo that's the problem, you can always return it under the DSR. Then buy a new PSU from them instead My guess is that it's the latter though.

[Scottyyy]

Nothing is going right for me. Motherboard came in. Was about to install my CPU and I noticed one of the pins on the CPU socket is sticking up. I don't know if it came like that or if I did it when taking off the plastic cover, but I've installed many CPUs and this has never happened to me.

I've asked dabs for a refund on it and bought a new one express delivery for tomorrow. I don't even care that I've wasted 10 pounds on delivery at this point, I just want a working computer.

[MrRockliffe]

I thought they stuck up until you put the CPU in it. I could have sworn all of my pins were up until I put the lever down... Maybe I'm just being an idiot (most likely)

[Scottyyy]

No two of the pins look different. If could figure out how to paste on this stupid android phone I could show you a picture.

[MrRockliffe]

You using Tapatalk?

To paste just press the screen and hold it for a second or two

[Scottyyy]

http://i.imgur.com/xhCT9KH.jpg

[MrRockliffe]

Yeah that doesn't look right.. If they were all like that I'd say it's normal. What motherboard is it?