Startup Issues

Discussion in 'PC hardware help' started by Estuansis, Nov 17, 2007.

  1. Estuansis

    Estuansis Active member

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    I'm working on a customer repair job. I've got a weird problem with this one.

    Guys says he came home one day and found that his PC was frozen. He shut it off and when he turned it back on it wouldn't work.

    It starts up fine but It just can't get a video signal.

    Here are a few things that I have determined.

    Things that work:

    -PSU is sufficiently powered(OCZ StealthXStream 600W)
    -PSU fan spins
    -CPU fan spins, CPU appears unburnt and thermal paste is properly applied and was properly re-applied(using X2 4600+)
    -Video card works(testbed), fan spins
    -HDD works(testbed), spins up
    -DVD-ROM works, powers up
    -All power connectors plugged in
    -RAM seated correctly and a matched set

    Things that don't work:

    -No video signal to screen through either the video card(7900GS) or the onboard(6100 IGP)
    -No motherboard beeps


    All-in-all the system is relatively problem-free. So I'm gonna have to point at the motherboard(GA-M61P-S3).

    Any other suggestions?
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2007
  2. REAM

    REAM Guest

    try i different cable first
     
  3. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    have you tried another psu with nothing connected to it except for motherboard? check the can shaped capacitors on the motherboard that none are domed.
     
  4. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Faulty motherboard or faulty Power supply. Test the PSU in another equally power-demanding system. If that works then it's the motherboard. Don't assume that just because the PSU fan spins it's putting out sufficient power.
     
  5. Estuansis

    Estuansis Active member

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    Ok, the PSU runs with my AMD system. So does that mean the motherboard is to blame? Because my AMD sucks more juice than this one methinks.

    I checked all the capacitors. None are blown and the PSU checks out. What might have gone wrong with the mobo?

    I also swapped the processor into my AMD system. It works just fine at normal temps.
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2007
  6. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    There have been problems with a lot of those Biostar boards, it may very well be a faulty motherboard. Do you have a spare board to try in that PC?
     
  7. Estuansis

    Estuansis Active member

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    Not a Biostar though. It's a Gigabyte GA-M61P-S3. Same as in the build I did for my parents. I'll swap in the good one and see what it does.
     
  8. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Oh beg your pardon, I must have been thinking of another post.
     
  9. Estuansis

    Estuansis Active member

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    A quick swap shows that it works. The motherboard was our culprit. I have the machine running out of the case right here on my bench.

    I'll put it into the case and see if it runs then, but I don't think it was shorting out >.>
     
  10. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Hmm, more often than not with shorts either something goes catastrophically wrong, or the PSU shuts the PC down as soon as it turns on. If it powers on but won't POST it's more likely to be an internal circuitry fault.
     
  11. Estuansis

    Estuansis Active member

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    After getting it screwed in(man I'm fast) I can see that it works fine. New mother board it is then!

    Not sure what to get as my customer has maybe $90 to spend. I was thinking this one would be good:

    ASUS M2N
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131042

    It seems alright and most of the low reviews are for being unable to find drivers(which I found no problem) and horrible UPS handling.


    Look like a good one?
     
  12. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Sounds like a reasonable board. Give that one a try.
     
  13. Estuansis

    Estuansis Active member

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    I like the ASUS M2N series and I have always gotten quality equipment from ASUS.

    I'll order it tonight and hopefully have it done monday or tuesday.
     
  14. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Unfortunately that doesn't seem to have been my experience, but I don't know whether that's Asus or nvidia's fault, since they made both the chipsets that failed.
     
  15. GrandpaBW

    GrandpaBW Active member

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    I would have nothing but Asus motherboards. I won't have another one with an Nvidia chipset though. :)
     
  16. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Meh, I never used SLI anyway. I may get another Asus board depending on how the A8R-MVP in my server holds up.
     

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