BIOS not posting

[yetihw]

Got my PC back home after Christmas and powered it up only to have nothing happen. No BIOS, no beeps, just fans whirring.

I've already tried several things, I've reconnected all the power supply bits, reset the BIOS, removed/put back in CMOS, removed all but one stick of ram etc, until eventually I just removed everything so there's nothing but the motherboard and cpu, and still nothing.

Motherboard is an MSI K9N Platinum, CPU is an x2 4600. PSU is Enermax 620w.

I've a horrible feeling all this means my CPU is dead, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[kryyst]

I'd think it's a better chance that it's your Power Supply is shot.

[yetihw]

Would the PC even turn on if the PSU was done for?

[kryyst]

Yes, often enough there is enough trickle through power to turn on some lights and spin some fans. There is a difference between a PSU that's totally blown - which usually is accompanied by a burnt plastic smell and one that is just failing.

But this is based on your original post that you hit power your fans spin and you get nothing else. It's also possible that you have a dead motherboard or dead cpu. But generally speaking the PSU is more prone to failure then those components.

[yetihw]

Can anyone tell me a way of finding out which component is at fault? Since my original post I have removed/re-seated the CPU but this made no difference either.

I can get my hands on a PSU soon to replace my current one to see if it's at fault but I can't do the same with the motherboard or the CPU, so can I tell if they're broken without replacing them?

[kryyst]

You can't really tell if they are broken without testing them through swapping.