PC Problem...

Hi All,

Hoping you can assist; got a wierd problem and it's really bugging me...

I was doing some work on the house last weekend and pulled the 32A fuses; forgetting my media PC was running at the time.

Several hours later; went to use it and it was powered on (wierd after pulling the fuse) but didn't respond. I couldn't turn it off using the switch (even with holding it for ~10 secs) so I pulled the kettle lead and powered it up again.

The HDD's span, fans whirred away (though the CPU fan very slowly.. needed a push to get it going; don't know if it did that before..)

No video output, keyboard didn't respond (numlock) and no bios beeps (PC speaker connected to mobo header)

I tried removing RAM/using 1 stick/differant sockets, removing all USB connections... removing all the RAM and SATA drives no bios beeps and no response at all.

I tested the PSU with a multimeter; 12V and 5V rails appear fine (where I tested them (empty molex)... I don't know if that is right?).

The motherboard would not respond to the reset switch or do anything (using on-board gpu) - assumed the mobo was dead.

Purchased a replacement; installed last night... exact same issue (tried the same stuff).

So I'm assuming it's either a CPU or PSU fault...? Any thoughts?

ps: the 8-pin motherboard connector IS installed!

Old Hardware, purchased from Scan.co.uk in January 2010:

4GB 2x2G CMX4GX3M2A1600C9 XMP
AMD ATHLON II X4 620 sAM3
GByte GA-MA785GT-UD3H MoBo
CAIR 750W CMPSU-750TXUK

Replacement Motherboard (I've vowed against Gigabyte motherboards since building this... so maybe an overally hasty replacement when I could have RMA's the gigabyte one - or even it isn't faulty at all)

Asus M4A89GTD PRO/USB3

What do you think the next steps are? It's really bugging me and I don't want to spend any more cash than required.

I do not have another AM3 system or DDR3 RAM available to test with, I do have another PSU (which I suspect is the next step)

Mucho Thanks,

Sean

That's got me confused too, really strange! Anything I would have suggested you've already tried!

Only thing left is to try your other PSU with the known working motherboard, and the 'dead' one too I suppose. If not then that's a dead CPU? Surely you'd get beeps though if it was dead.

Seems strange that your hardware would die like that though, just stopping power shouldn't kill it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PeterStoba

That's got me confused too, really strange! Anything I would have suggested you've already tried!

Only thing left is to try your other PSU with the known working motherboard, and the 'dead' one too I suppose. If not then that's a dead CPU? Surely you'd get beeps though if it was dead.

Seems strange that your hardware would die like that though, just stopping power shouldn't kill it.

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Do'h!!

I'm hoping someone advises me I've done something really blindingly obviously stupid to it... like left a bit of 'REMOVE ME BEFORE USING' tape on the bios battery or something and it bursts to live...!

Yeah, I'm stumped... hopefully someone has some crazy idea though!

Cheers!

Seeing as you have a multimeter you could test the rest of the voltages / plugs (at least the 24-pin and 8-pin):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATX#Power_supply

Best step may be to find a spare PSU to test it on. If it's a crappy old PSU unplug as much as possible before you try it (even HDDs, DVDs, etc).

I might also try running the system with no RAM in at all and no video card in at all (as separate tests). I'm not sure of the current state of BIOS beeps but once upon a time you'd get beeps for a system with no RAM in - and I *think* the same with no video card in (been an age since I tried it).

Then it's down to the usual suspects - you've tried a new mobo so you've reseated the CPU and heatsink so that only really leaves trying the system with the mobo outside of the case to rule out a short (which you may have also already done...). Sometimes I've seen boards that won't boot because of a dead CMOS/BIOS battery though that shouldn't be happening with a new mobo...

Would also do as much of a visual inspection of the PSU as you can without voiding the warranty (might be something showing on one of the cables, doubt you can see much of the internals without opening it up and voiding the warranty though).

PSU was purchased in Jan 2010 and it's a 750W Corsair so fairly decent... Have tested without HDD/DVD's etc.

I've tried without the RAM and I'm using on board graphics so no GPU. - no beeps

I'll try testing the volts on the ATX connectors though; not tried powered it on outside the case (though no extra stand-off's etc) so shouldn't be a problem.

Cheers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by malfunction

Seeing as you have a multimeter you could test the rest of the voltages / plugs (at least the 24-pin and 8-pin):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATX#Power_supply

Best step may be to find a spare PSU to test it on. If it's a crappy old PSU unplug as much as possible before you try it (even HDDs, DVDs, etc).

I might also try running the system with no RAM in at all and no video card in at all (as separate tests). I'm not sure of the current state of BIOS beeps but once upon a time you'd get beeps for a system with no RAM in - and I *think* the same with no video card in (been an age since I tried it).

Then it's down to the usual suspects - you've tried a new mobo so you've reseated the CPU and heatsink so that only really leaves trying the system with the mobo outside of the case to rule out a short (which you may have also already done...). Sometimes I've seen boards that won't boot because of a dead CMOS/BIOS battery though that shouldn't be happening with a new mobo...

Would also do as much of a visual inspection of the PSU as you can without voiding the warranty (might be something showing on one of the cables, doubt you can see much of the internals without opening it up and voiding the warranty though).

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Right....

I've proven the PSU is working and also tried a working PSU on the hardware. exact same fault.

I can only assume that it's either a dead mobo (2 of them?!) or a dead CPU... I would expect the mobo to alarm/beep... do something if the CPU was dead, though?

Also tried with no RAM - no beeps... just nothing...

This is really annoying me!!

Thoughts?

Cheers!

No other thoughts on this??

I guess I'll RMA the gigabyte board and see what they come back with if there are no other ideas... if it works it must be the CPU, right?

It does seem strange - it would be unlucky to get 2 dead mobos in a row but it is possible. I've never seen a dead CPU before (apart from bent / broken pins) but I would be tempted to try another CPU if you have access to one / a friend nearby that's willing (else prepare for a potential no fault found with the RMA).

No chance on the CPU... unless any hexus members leave near welwyn garden and feel very generous?

I've never seen a dead CPU either... except for an old athlon I cooked :D

Thanks for comment :)

Right, to continue this problem!!

Bought another motherboard, didn't fix it. RMA'd the old one and they said no fault so bought a new CPU; problem solved.

Nearly....

Hard drive isn't detected in bios and makes horrible clicking noises at startup before powering off; assumed the mobo killed it. Plugged it into a caddy to check and could see it fine. Moved some files from it etc.

Try again, change SATA cable. I powered it without a SATA cable and no horrible clicking noise...

Put back into my PC and it boots fine.

Try another HDD in the this (broken) pc and it works fine.

What the hell is wrong with this?! I don't get it!

Both items work fine, just not with each other?

Motherboard = Asus M4A89GTD

Drive = Samsung HD502HJ

Any thoughts before I have to fork out another £50 for a new drive as well? :(

I've run HD Tune on it... drive appears to be fine. So why the hell won't it detect in the other PC and just insists in making clicking noises?!

I'm so confused. It couldn't be the windows drivers on it right? I mean it doesnt even detect in the bios so I can't see how that would be the issue...

Just found this:

http://www.samsung.com/global/busine...bbs_msg_id=308

Will give that a whirl... hassle!!