Boot Problems
in [Home Built PC]
|
From: Nospam on 23 Jun 2010 13:04 Hi All, My son's world has just collapsed! His PC, home built has stopped working After many year of use. He has not added any new hardware, software or updates It wont display anything on the screen at all. Not even the BIOS name, nothing should it display anything if we boot it with out a hard disc and no ram installed .. I would have thought we would have a BIOS name then halt, I wouldn't expect much with out ram but I would have thought we would have got something. we have changed the graphics card as that was the only spare component we have. Sometimes the unit switches itself off a few seconds after switch on some times it stays powered but no display occasionally we have had a few successful entries into the BIOS but mostly it is a totally blank screen I have measured all the levels out of the PSU and they are in spec. why would it turn itself off? Or is the motherboard turning it off because it is not functioning. Any suggestions most welcome ASUS crosshair motherboard 4GBytes DDR2 800MHz Ram AMD2 CPU 320 GB SATA hard disc -- Nospam
From: Paul on 23 Jun 2010 14:41 Nospam wrote: > Hi All, > > My son's world has just collapsed! > > His PC, home built has stopped working > After many year of use. > > He has not added any new hardware, software or updates > > It wont display anything on the screen at all. Not even the BIOS name, > nothing > > should it display anything if we boot it with out a hard disc and no ram > installed > . > I would have thought we would have a BIOS name then halt, I wouldn't > expect much with out ram but I would have thought we would have got > something. > > we have changed the graphics card as that was the only spare component > we have. > > Sometimes the unit switches itself off a few seconds after switch on > some times it stays powered but no display > > occasionally we have had a few successful entries into the BIOS but > mostly it is a totally blank screen > > I have measured all the levels out of the PSU and they are in spec. > > why would it turn itself off? > Or is the motherboard turning it off because it is not functioning. > > Any suggestions most welcome > > ASUS crosshair motherboard > 4GBytes DDR2 800MHz Ram > AMD2 CPU > 320 GB SATA hard disc > With the side off the computer, do you see the green LED glowing on the motherboard ? Asus motherboards have a green LED, to show the +5VSB rail is working. That green LED should never flash, and should remain on steady as long as the rear switch on the power supply is ON. When you press the front (soft) power button, the power supply fans start to turn ? Are the system cooling fans working ? That would show you've got some system power, but it doesn't tell you exactly whether all rails are in spec or not. The next thing to check, is whether the computer case has a small speaker, and whether that speaker is connected via a connector labeled "SPKR" to the PANEL header on the lower right hand corner of the motherboard. You need that connection, to listen for beep error codes. Some expensive computer cases, no longer have a speaker inside the case, which is a nuisance in this situation. You really need a speaker for the next test. To remove the RAM from the system, you turn off the power at the back of the computer. The green LED on the motherboard should be off, before working on the RAM. Otherwise, there could be standby power still in the RAM socket. Once the RAM is out, turn on the power at the back again. When you push the button in this case, if you hear two or three beeps from the computer case speaker (not the 5.1 speakers connected externally to the computer), then that is a relatively good sign. For the computer to beep, the processor needs to execute some BIOS code. If, on the other hand, the "no RAM" test gives no beeps at all, then you've got more serious trouble on your hands. The first thing you'd check, is that the ATX12V 2x2 square power connector is still in place. For power connectors, you've got the main power connector (20 or 24 pin) and the 2x2 ATX12V power connector. The proper ATX12V one has two yellow wires and two black wires. Remove the connectors and check to see if the pins are shiny. If the connectors were installed a bit loosely, without fastening the retention latch on each connector, the loose connection causes the pins to heat up and burn. Sometimes there is enough heat to melt plastic and deform the connector. (I've only had one melt/burn here, but it was a Molex 1x4 that had a contact problem, due to the manufacturing quality.) Connector damage requires replacing connectors on either end, and Mini-Fit Jr. pins might not be available at RadioShack for example. I got some at my only good electronics store in town, but they don't stock everything I need to do those kinds of repairs. But I did get enough stuff to build my load box. If you're not getting any beeps, and the two power cables are intact, you have a couple ways you can go, based purely on frequency of failure. If you had a spare power supply, you could install it and retest the system. Due to the "capacitor plague" a few years back, where bad electrolyte was used in capacitors, there have been a number of power supply failures. I had an Antec PSU fail here, due to bad caps. You can take a multimeter and verify the voltages on the main connectors. These documents will give you some wire colors, pin names, and the like to work with. But many people are not familiar with electronics, in which case, replacing the power supply and retesting is another option. http://web.archive.org/web/20030424061333/http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/atx/ATX_ATX12V_PS_1_1.pdf http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/atx/ATX12V_1_3dg.pdf http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/ATX12V_PSDG_2_2_public_br2.pdf Do motherboards fail "out of the blue" ? Sure. You could do a visual inspection, for a burned regulator component, such as in the Vcore circuits around the CPU socket. Look for bulging caps, burned MOSFETs, or burned toroidal or square inductor packages. You can get any number of pre-warnings, such as unstable operation (more crashes), refusal to start reliably, a different "smell", a different background noise coming from the computer case, perhaps a slight modulation of what would normally be constant fan speeds. Any little hints like that, help when trying to figure out what's broke. If a different power supply isn't helping, then the motherboard would be next. Install the CPU and heatsink on the new motherboard, and do the beep test again, with no RAM or video card present. If it beeps, then you know the old processor is working in the new motherboard. If there is silence, then the processor could be dead. Processors are relatively reliable, at least compared to power supplies, and about the only kind of failures you'd normally run into, is a processor throwing errors, soon after installation. Occasionally a bad batch leaves the factory, but not that often. If you've had the processor for a while, and it was fine, it isn't likely to just "drop dead". (Exceptions, are applying extreme overvoltages to your processor, while overclocking. But the overclockers know, for particular processors, what is bad. For example, my E8400 is not supposed to be run over 1.400 volts.) At one time, AMD S462 socket processors were a bit flaky, due to the lack of thermal protection. Some of those would "cook", and when you disassembled the CPU and heatsink, you'd see signs of overheating. But modern processors from both companies are protected from overheat now, and the power supply will be shut off if the processor gets too hot. Good luck, Paul
From: Jan Alter on 23 Jun 2010 14:48 "Nospam" <nospam(a)nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:JhCs6cAQ6jIMFw5k(a)nospam.demon.co.uk... > Hi All, > > My son's world has just collapsed! > > His PC, home built has stopped working > After many year of use. > > He has not added any new hardware, software or updates > > It wont display anything on the screen at all. Not even the BIOS name, > nothing > > should it display anything if we boot it with out a hard disc and no ram > installed > . > I would have thought we would have a BIOS name then halt, I wouldn't > expect much with out ram but I would have thought we would have got > something. > > we have changed the graphics card as that was the only spare component we > have. > > Sometimes the unit switches itself off a few seconds after switch on > some times it stays powered but no display > > occasionally we have had a few successful entries into the BIOS but mostly > it is a totally blank screen > > I have measured all the levels out of the PSU and they are in spec. > > why would it turn itself off? > Or is the motherboard turning it off because it is not functioning. > > Any suggestions most welcome > > ASUS crosshair motherboarder issue could be the cmos battery 4GBytes DDR2 > 800MHz Ram > AMD2 CPU > 320 GB SATA hard disc > > > -- > Nospam When turning on do you get a beep sound from the PC speaker? If you do then the cpu, RAM and mb are working, and it could be a faulty graphics (even though you substituted another one). Another problem causing your problem may be a dead cmos battery. Remove it and check the voltage. It should be around 3 volts. If lower then it's worth replacing. On some computers having a dead cmos battery will cause a no start problem. Normally, even without a hard drive attached, but just graphics card and RAM one should get to the bios screen, or at least a dos screen and halt notice. Look at the capacitors on the motherboard. Is there anything liquidy emerging from the tops of any of the caps, or at the base of them on the mb. Leaking caps can keep the mb from starting. If after pushing the on button it starts but then turns off that is a good indicator of a bad power supply. If you have two RAM chips installed try removing one of them and start the computer again. If same error appears substitute the chip you removed for the one that is left. RAM can cause boot problems as well. If no difference then I would still go with the power supply. -- Jan Alter bearpuf(a)verizon.net
From: spodosaurus on 23 Jun 2010 18:49 On 24/06/2010 1:04 AM, Nospam wrote: > Hi All, > > My son's world has just collapsed! > > His PC, home built has stopped working > After many year of use. > > He has not added any new hardware, software or updates > > It wont display anything on the screen at all. Not even the BIOS name, > nothing > > should it display anything if we boot it with out a hard disc and no ram > installed > . > I would have thought we would have a BIOS name then halt, I wouldn't > expect much with out ram but I would have thought we would have got > something. > > we have changed the graphics card as that was the only spare component > we have. > > Sometimes the unit switches itself off a few seconds after switch on > some times it stays powered but no display > > occasionally we have had a few successful entries into the BIOS but > mostly it is a totally blank screen > > I have measured all the levels out of the PSU and they are in spec. > > why would it turn itself off? > Or is the motherboard turning it off because it is not functioning. > > Any suggestions most welcome > > ASUS crosshair motherboard > 4GBytes DDR2 800MHz Ram > AMD2 CPU > 320 GB SATA hard disc > > Does the monitor display the OSD? If not, the monitor is dead. -- spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor and literally save someone's life: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/
From: Smarty on 23 Jun 2010 23:02 Paul wrote: > Nospam wrote: > > Hi All, > > > > My son's world has just collapsed! > > > > His PC, home built has stopped working > > After many year of use. > > > > He has not added any new hardware, software or updates > > > > It wont display anything on the screen at all. Not even the BIOS > > name, nothing > > > > should it display anything if we boot it with out a hard disc and > > no ram installed . > > I would have thought we would have a BIOS name then halt, I > > wouldn't expect much with out ram but I would have thought we > > would have got something. > > > > we have changed the graphics card as that was the only spare > > component we have. > > > > Sometimes the unit switches itself off a few seconds after switch on > > some times it stays powered but no display > > > > occasionally we have had a few successful entries into the BIOS but > > mostly it is a totally blank screen > > > > I have measured all the levels out of the PSU and they are in spec. > > > > why would it turn itself off? > > Or is the motherboard turning it off because it is not functioning. > > > > Any suggestions most welcome > > > > ASUS crosshair motherboard > > 4GBytes DDR2 800MHz Ram > > AMD2 CPU > > 320 GB SATA hard disc > > > > With the side off the computer, do you see the green LED glowing on > the motherboard ? Asus motherboards have a green LED, to show the > +5VSB rail is working. That green LED should never flash, and should > remain on steady as long as the rear switch on the power supply is ON. > > When you press the front (soft) power button, the power supply fans > start to turn ? Are the system cooling fans working ? That would show > you've got some system power, but it doesn't tell you exactly whether > all rails are in spec or not. > > The next thing to check, is whether the computer case has a small > speaker, and whether that speaker is connected via a connector > labeled "SPKR" to the PANEL header on the lower right hand corner of > the motherboard. You need that connection, to listen for beep error > codes. Some expensive computer cases, no longer have a speaker inside > the case, which is a nuisance in this situation. You really need a > speaker for the next test. > > To remove the RAM from the system, you turn off the power at the > back of the computer. The green LED on the motherboard should be > off, before working on the RAM. Otherwise, there could be standby > power still in the RAM socket. Once the RAM is out, turn on the power > at the back again. > > When you push the button in this case, if you hear two or three beeps > from the computer case speaker (not the 5.1 speakers connected > externally to the computer), then that is a relatively good sign. For > the computer to beep, the processor needs to execute some BIOS code. > > If, on the other hand, the "no RAM" test gives no beeps at all, > then you've got more serious trouble on your hands. The first thing > you'd check, is that the ATX12V 2x2 square power connector is still in > place. > > For power connectors, you've got the main power connector (20 or 24 > pin) and the 2x2 ATX12V power connector. The proper ATX12V one has > two yellow wires and two black wires. Remove the connectors and check > to see if the pins are shiny. If the connectors were installed a bit > loosely, without fastening the retention latch on each connector, the > loose connection causes the pins to heat up and burn. Sometimes there > is enough heat to melt plastic and deform the connector. (I've only > had one melt/burn here, but it was a Molex 1x4 that had a contact > problem, due to the manufacturing quality.) Connector damage requires > replacing connectors on either end, and Mini-Fit Jr. pins might not > be available at RadioShack for example. I got some at my only good > electronics store in town, but they don't stock everything I need to > do those kinds of repairs. But I did get enough stuff to build my > load box. > > If you're not getting any beeps, and the two power cables are intact, > you have a couple ways you can go, based purely on frequency of > failure. If you had a spare power supply, you could install it and > retest the system. Due to the "capacitor plague" a few years back, > where bad electrolyte was used in capacitors, there have been a > number of power supply failures. I had an Antec PSU fail here, due to > bad caps. > > You can take a multimeter and verify the voltages on the main > connectors. These documents will give you some wire colors, pin > names, and the like to work with. But many people are not familiar > with electronics, in which case, replacing the power supply and > retesting is another option. > > http://web.archive.org/web/20030424061333/http://www.formfactors.org/d > eveloper/specs/atx/ATX_ATX12V_PS_1_1.pdf > > http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/atx/ATX12V_1_3dg.pdf > > http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/ATX12V_PSDG_2_2_public_br2. > > Do motherboards fail "out of the blue" ? Sure. You could do a visual > inspection, for a burned regulator component, such as in the Vcore > circuits around the CPU socket. Look for bulging caps, burned MOSFETs, > or burned toroidal or square inductor packages. You can get any number > of pre-warnings, such as unstable operation (more crashes), refusal > to start reliably, a different "smell", a different background > noise coming from the computer case, perhaps a slight modulation > of what would normally be constant fan speeds. Any little hints like > that, help when trying to figure out what's broke. > > If a different power supply isn't helping, then the motherboard would > be next. Install the CPU and heatsink on the new motherboard, and > do the beep test again, with no RAM or video card present. If it > beeps, then you know the old processor is working in the new > motherboard. If there is silence, then the processor could be dead. > Processors are relatively reliable, at least compared to power > supplies, and about the only kind of failures you'd normally run > into, is a processor throwing errors, soon after installation. > Occasionally a bad batch leaves the factory, but not that often. If > you've had the processor for a while, and it was fine, it isn't > likely to just "drop dead". (Exceptions, are applying extreme > overvoltages to your processor, while overclocking. But the > overclockers know, for particular processors, what is bad. For > example, my E8400 is not supposed to be run over 1.400 volts.) > > At one time, AMD S462 socket processors were a bit flaky, due to > the lack of thermal protection. Some of those would "cook", and > when you disassembled the CPU and heatsink, you'd see signs of > overheating. But modern processors from both companies are protected > from overheat now, and the power supply will be shut off if the > processor gets too hot. > > Good luck, > Paul Paul, I am one of perhaps several if not many "lurkers" here who devour this forum to learn more about PCs. On behalf of all of us, I want to thank you for an absolutely remarkable contribution you have been making to provide clear, detailed, and thoroughly described answers to the wide range of questions which people bring here for assistance. Your range of knowledge is extremely impressive, and you have helped me personally in the past with similar examples of extremely insightful information, always focused directly on the pertinent points. I know it is a big "risky" to single you out, since many others bring a tremendous amount of very useful information to this forum as well, but your replies have a special clarity, completeness, and depth of knowledge which is really extraordinary. I do indeed thank all of the other contributors as well. I so very much wish that other forums and other contributors could use this forum and your replies as a "model". It is rare to see such courtesy, pertinent / relevant answers, and a lack of egocentricity, and I, for one, applaud these efforts with great respect. Thanks again for all of us. Smarty --
|
Next
|
Last
Pages: 1 2 3 Prev: Any recommendations on a AM2+ motherboard Next: high quality Adidas shoes wholesale |