think mobo and processor have died!!!

ok, is this possible - i really think that my motherboard and or processor have died. my computer just won't even turn on, let alone boot up. i've tried using a friend's psu and it still wouldn't boot up, i've put my harddrive in my other computer and it worked fine. i disconnected all my hardware like soundcard, lan card, cd and dvd drives and it still wouldn't boot up!!!
is it time for a new motherboard and processor? i've had this one for about 7 years - P3 666mhz with 192mb sdram.

 

You might try replacing the CMOS backup battery on the motherboard.

They last 5-7 years as a rule. Some machines forget their date, time, and hard drive settings when the battery goes -- but I have run into one system in which a dead CMOS battery leaves the system completely inoperative.

On that occasion, a techie diagnosed it as a bad motherboard and would have charged $500 for the replacement. I fixed it with a $4.50 battery replacement.

The equipment involved belonged to my office. My boss was very happy.

 

Also reset your CMOS before you do anything drastic. There is a jumper on your board that covers two of three pins. Move the jumper to the other end of the three pins. Instead of middle pin and left pin it would be middle and right pin. Leave it for 10 seconds or so and then put it back where it was and try to reboot. I don't know where to tell you to look for the jumper on your board but it's there.

 

thanks guys, i've tried replacing the battery and resetting the cmos but it still doesn't turn on! is this really the dawn of a new age and time to get a new motherboard and processor?

 

Power Supply????
Of course if you quit looking for what's wrong then you won't beable to fix it, which means you'll have to get a new MB and CPU

 

Can't quite tell by the details of your problem description, but,
when you say it won't turn on,
does that mean the power supply does not come on when you push the switch?
If so, could it be a bad on/off switch.
Have had one act that way before.
mercury

 

To check for a bad switch, remove the cover and trace the wirers that connectto the switch back to the mobo and remove them, then very carefully touch the two pins they were connected to with a screw driver, if it boots its the switch.

When you say it won't turn on do you mean nothing happens or do fans spin and can you here drives spin up?

Rick

 

ok ok - power supply is fine because i tried it in another computer and worked fine.
have tried tracing the 2 wires and lightly touching with a screwdriver - still nothing.
and tried replacing with a simple on/off switch.
nothing happens!
when i say doesn't turn on, the power fan starts going and it sounds as if the harddrive is going, unable to tell but i know there isn't a problem there and it's pretty new!
i also tried another battery and that still didn't resolve anything! i think my motherboard has just......died?!

 

have you tried plugin a pc speaker??

the beeps that comes from it are VERY useful someday

if there is more than 1 beep..usually continuous beep or 1 long 1 short or 2 short 1 long...check on google for "<name-of-your-bios> beep codes"

maybe it's just a bad memory problem or videocard...

hope that helps...

 

yeah sorry forgot to mention that i'd tried that, the memory and video card worked fine in my other computer which both support sdram.

 

Well if you are sure the psu, memory and especially the video card are good and it won't post then that leaves the cpu or mobo.

Open it up and take a good look at the mobo with a magnifing glass if nessacary, look for bulging or leaking capacitors or burns/scorch marks (best way I can discribe it).

Turn it on and see if all the fans are running especially if it has one on the heatsink.

Pull the hsf off and look at the cpu if it looks burnt.

Rick

 

Good Lord, there's burn marks on the side of the motherboard and some bronze connectors have seen to have fallen off as I found some at the bottom of the case! I have a new case coming today with more cooling fans, so I'll try the motherboard in that, if not then should I go for a new mobo?

 

If those "bronze connectors" have hex shafts, a threaded stem on one end and a threaded hole in the other, they're probably the standoffs on which the mobo was mounted. If so, there are probably some screws running around loose in your case that once held your mobo to the standoffs. The standoffs get screwed into threaded holes in the mobo tray in your case.

It sounds like they have gotten loose and created a short circuit between your mobo and the case. Not good. Not good at all. If that's what's happened, let's just pray that it didn't fry your CPU as well.

 

ok my dad has run a circuit test with my motherboard - don't ask me how but he's an electrician! and says there's no power going in or out so the motherboard has died!!!! interestingly though he said, was that the psu has not been damaged at all, just the motherboard. i took my processor off and it has some very bad looking black marks on the the corners of the connectors - and the heatsink & fan no longer work.

 

Charred electronic components = dead hardware.

I'd get a new mobo/cpu/ram in this case, and to be fair its probably easier and cheaper to get a whole new system rather than try and replace fried parts. Obviously you'll want to use your old hard drive to copy across useful data.

Well, even if the mobo was on FIRE you can probably still use the case if thats any consolation.

 

lol thanks goldfish - a new black zorro case is on order, keeping my h/d, dvd writer soundcard n graphics card
thats it!

thanks for all your help people i learnt some stuff i didn't know!