PC dead, what next?

[chriswood_7]

Hey guys,

Came in from work tonight and my PC is stuck on the post screen, wont even boot up windows so I cant get into safe mode etc. Tried memory swapping, unplugging hard drives and opticals etc and still the same thing, stuck on the post screen. So I think its time to admit the motherboard is cream crackered LOL

So now I have two options:

1. Sell off the CPU and RAM, chuck the mobo and put the money towards some new kit

2. Keep the CPU and RAM and get a new motherboard.

Now my question is, what is the best thing to do, as to be honest id like to try the C2D route now instead of AMD (possibly going to get Vista, and get back into my gaming)

If i sell my CPU and RAM I reckon id get about £45 (3500+ A64bit Winny and 2x512MB TWINMOS DDR400), which leaves prolly over £150 on others to go with it. Or, do I just buy another motherboard?

Any advice appreciated, I hate not having my PC up (no music, no photoshop bahhh)

Cheers

[0iD]

I'd go down the C2D road, and if you're on a budget, then go 2nd hand. Plenty of gear here & on ebay.

[mrt9888]

Try clearing the CMOS by removing the battery and the power cable and leaving it for 30 mins then put the battery and power cable back and turn it on.

[merdat]

Yes , without spending at lot for c2d (and it will cost you a lot if you do it properly ) try and get your system up bew sub subsitution

[chriswood_7]

Ive tried the CMOS last night, and its still dead. I tried a few ram slot configs on the board, and once it wouldnt start up at all. But it could be anything really. My choice would be the mobo though,

Cheers,

[Sticky Mick]

Don't overlook the PSU.

Something similar happened to my PC. Powered up one morning, went to make a cuppa, came back, PC stuck on post screen. Tried everything from re-building and powering up at each stage of the re-build. Everyone said it was the mobo, so sent it back to ASUS and it came back. Nothing wrong with it. Turned out it was the PSU in the end.

Not saying it's deffo, but just trying to save you some cash

[chriswood_7]

Hmmm good point. Had the PSU for about 18 months and got it from Scan, one of those Hiper 580W modulars. I dont have another PSU handy atm, any tests I can do on it without buying another one?

Cheers,

[Sticky Mick]

Hmmm good point. Had the PSU for about 18 months and got it from Scan, one of those Hiper 580W modulars. I dont have another PSU handy atm, any tests I can do on it without buying another one?

Cheers,

Try and find a someone who's got a PSU tester. That's how I sussed mine out. **Note to self "Buy a PSU tester when you're next in Maplins"**
Or find a second rig to try your PSU on.

[Thorsson]

Had the same Hiper. Mine only lasted 13 months.

[DataMatrix]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...C=SO&U=strat15

£25.99

[Blitzen]

Had the same Hiper. Mine only lasted 13 months.

Hipers are VERY poor.
They look good and have the best connectors of ANY modular PSU i have seen.

Unfortunately, the connectors being great cannot hide the fact that when all said and done they are just flaky bling units for low end rigs.

Just think...they are only £2 less than a Corsair 520w or Liberty 500w. Both of which are FAR superior.

[chriswood_7]

Hmm

Just about to buy a new mobo actually when I seen the replies in this post. I dont have a similar system to try this PSU in tbh, and I dont have £26 to spend on a PSU tester LOL

Surely they cant be that bad? Id imagine if the PSU went, I would get nothing at all and not just a black bios screen?

[paulq]

there have been loads of reports of Hiper PSU's blowing some even frying the components. I would stay well away from them

[chriswood_7]

Feel like a bit of a tw@t guys,

Just noticed there, ive left my MiniSD adaptor in the card reader. Just on the off chance it was that I decided to get everything plugged in again and take this out before I booted up... and to my utter suprise its worked!

I cant beleive it! I never thought that something like that can confuse the BIOS when booting up :|

Cheers for the advice guys, interesting about the Hipers blowing up ill definitely consider that when upgrading

Thanks again

[DataMatrix]

Feel like a bit of a tw@t guys,

Just noticed there, ive left my MiniSD adaptor in the card reader. Just on the off chance it was that I decided to get everything plugged in again and take this out before I booted up... and to my utter suprise its worked!

I cant beleive it! I never thought that something like that can confuse the BIOS when booting up :|

Cheers for the advice guys, interesting about the Hipers blowing up ill definitely consider that when upgrading

Thanks again

[chrestomanci]

It was trying to boot from the memory card. Most BIOSes support it (As a USB storage device), and it can be usefull. I have a card with Knoppix on it, so I can turn any computer into a Linux box, with my files avalable.

Obvously if the boot sector on the USB key or memory card is blank then strange things will happen.