Symptoms of a dying Motherboard?

Over the summer my machine would randomly shut off, maybe once a week.
Towards the end of the summer it was 2-3 times a week, and then it was 2-3 times a day.
It was completely random (didn't matter what I was doing as far as which software/games I was running), but the machine was always able to immediatley be rebooted and their was no loss in performance.
Then, about 1.5 months ago it randomly shut off and it won't start again. And I mean, theres no POST, no boot up screen, no beeps, nothing.


- The motherboard is recieveing power. The light on the motherboard lights up, the fans start screaming, and the cd-rw tray opens and closes.

I disconnected the video card & set it to integrated graphic, disconnected the hard-drive, cd-rw and floopy in hopes it was the power supply (350w Antec) possibly failing in hope to see a boot up screen at the very least. Still nothing.


- None of the cards or RAM are "creeping".

I took out each card, used compressed air to clean the slots and firmly reseated the cards. Still nothing.


- I checked to see if it was possible for the CMOS battery to somehow become unseated.

It felt like it was firmly in place. Everything around the general area of it looks fine. Still...just a black screen.


I have no clue what it could be. I mean, to not even get a POST screen is baffiling to me.
I highly doubt I cooked my processor - it has a $35 Themaltake HS&F on it that sounds like a vacuum. And I keep the rest of the system well cooled.

Is this a problem with RAM? If you have faulty RAM, wouldn't you still get a POST & boot up screen though? Or, is this mobo just screwed up somehow.


Suggestions, diagnosis?


Thx,

-A Completely Clueless Guy

 

Beg or borrow another power supply and try that. Could be a heat problem. Does anything seem unduly hot? Maybe replace the CMOS battery anyhow. Keep us posted on what you try. A silly suggestion, try another monitor. It might be booting up but if the monitor is stuffed you won't see anything. Bazza

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See if you can get another CPU to test. I had this same thing happen a while back & it was indeed the CPU.

 

If the RAM is indeed faulty or has shit itself, you won't get the 'beep' or the bios screen.

If it is a motherboard problem, look at the capaciters and see if any are boulged/boulging.
If you take the RAM out, and start the computer it will just have one long beep, it will do this aswell if you take the video card out.

 

I'll pull the RAM out to see if I get a long beep.

ANd if that doesn't work, I'll try to get my hands on another CPU.

Thx guys, I'll let you know what it is once I get it fixed.

 

See if you can find a mom & pop computer store to test the motherboard for you. There is a local store here that charges me $10 to test anything.