Help I think I have bust my PC! :-(

Jez-BJez-B
edited April 2004 in Hardware
Hello,
I know this is probably the wron way round but I am going to buy a new CPU if I can't fix my PC.

I have an ASUS A7N8X Deluxe, 2500+ Barton, 2x 512MB PC2700 Crucial RAM, Aero 7 Cooler, IBM 80Gig ATA boot drive and a 160Gig Maxtor SATA video editing drive. NEC 2500 DVD writer. XFX GeForce 4 4200 Ti 64MB graphics.

I had a look at overclocking the chip etc. The memory had been running at 200Mhz already with no probs. Set up the CPU to run faster and when I rebooted I have got nothing. Checked the RAM in a second machine and thats OK, Think the MoBo is OK coz it says no CPU installed when I take the CPU out. But nothing on screen when I put the CPU back in. It all powers up and I can hear the hadr drives spinning up but don't get any Post messages from the MoBo except when I take the chip out. I have reset the CMOS and still nothing.

Have I fried my CPU?

Seems to be the only thing I can think of.

Any help would be appreciated coz I will buy another chip soon.

Thanks

Comments

  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited April 2004
    Welcome to Short-Media, Jez B. :)

    Do you have access to another machine that will run XP procs? If so, then try the proc in that board and see if it boots. If your hsf was making good contact with the cpu before you tried overclocking it, I kind of doubt that the processor fried right away when you tried overclocking. You might try disconnecting the ATX connector from the mobo and pulling the battery out for an hour or so; sometimes it can be tricky to get the cmos to reset. If that doesn't work, then pull the cpu out and examine it closely to see if it has any burnt looking spots on it anywheres. The A7N8X mobo's seem to be prone to getting bios corruption at high fsb speeds, especially the earlier revisions. If you do decide to buy a new cpu, then I highly recommend getting a mobile XP2400, 2500 or 2600 from newegg.com, as the multipliers are unlocked and they are hand picked processors and run cooler and overclock better than the desktop XP's.
  • Jez-BJez-B
    edited April 2004
    Thanks.
    I did have agood look at the chip and it doesn't appear to be burnt at all. I seem to agree that it shouldn't have burnt out so soon. I did try it in another PC but it is an older mobo and currently runs a 1600+, it did not boot up with it in the other pc. I will try again this evening since I now know it's not the ram. I will also try the battery off for a bit as you suggest.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited April 2004
    Since you have access to a 1600+ proc, try dropping that into the Asus board and see if it boots. If it does, then the proc is most probably fubar and not the mobo. If so, then I highly recommend a mobile 2400, 2500 or 2600 as a replacement processor. They will be unlocked up to a 12.5 multi in your A7N8X board (I have a rev 1.04 A7N8X-dlx), which will give you acess up to 2500 MHz without going over a 200 fsb speed. For cooling it, I highly recommend a Thermalright SLK800a, SLK900a, SLK947-U or SP97 (not sure about the clearance of that one on the Asus board though), teamed with a Thermaltake SmartFan 2. If you want to overclock these procs, I highly recommend a good aftermarket hsf instead of a retail unit.

    One thing with the mobiles is that they boot up using a default 6 multiplier in desktop board, but that's no problem with the Asus board since you can adjust the multiplier in bios without having to mod anything. Just don't buy one slower than a mobile 2400 as the slower mobiles are based on the Tbred core and not the Barton core.
  • Jez-BJez-B
    edited April 2004
    I think I am up that well known backwater without any means of propulsion.

    I have tried swapping the chips over in both machines. The (possibly) bust 2500+ will not boot up in my second machine, and the working 1600+ will not boot up in my main machine.

    I have tried taking the battery out and disconnecting the ATX power supply. I left it for about 3 hours. I came back and still nothing at all. It could be that both the MoBo and the chip are bust then? Could the power supply have gone at one of the levels? ie still powers the fan, hard drives but no power to the chip? I know MoBo power is on coz there is a light at the bottom of the board which comes on when the power is on. I can't believe that just a few settings wrong in the BIOS can trash a whole system. A mate suggetsed that the BIOS may be stuffed and thats why it won't do anything. The chip must also be stuffed coz it won't work in the "good" PC. Arrgh....
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