computer wont start
I put this system together about a year ago and it ran like a champ, then the powersupply developed a terrible rattle so I ordered a replacement and installed it. Then ran the computer for about an hour playing GTA SA - ran fine perfectly stable. The computer then sat unused for probably 2-3 days and when I went back to start it up, the LED's on the front of the case lit ever so briefly (as brief as a spark) and nothing else.
Trying the power switch again resulted in absolutely nothing.
Turned the PSU switch off and waited for the voltage to drain off, turned the PSU switch on, hit the power switch again and again the LED's briefly lit which led me to presume it must be some kind of protection circuit that is immediatly turning the PSU off because of a short or something.
Removed the motherboard again, blew it off, visually examined it. Saw nothing visibly wrong with it.
Took it to a computer shop where the guy had offered to test the PSU and found that without the 8 pin power connecter that connects near the processor, the PSU will turn on and the hd spins up so it would seem that the new PSU hasn't failed.
Now I am left to suspect either the motherboard or the processor.
Here's one little detail that bothers me... when it first failed and I opened the case, I noticed one of the screws that hadn't threaded properly had come loosed and fallen on to some cables. Perhaps it has shorted something out as it was tumbling across the motherboard. I have not tried resetting the BIOS yet. I would think that I'd at least get to POST even if the settings were messed in the BIOS. I'll try it anyway when I get home in the morning.
system:
case: sonata II
power supply: 550 watt ultra X 2
motherboard: Asus P5N32-SLI Deluxe Asus
processor: 2.8 GHz Intel pentium D (820+)
graphics: ATI Radeon X700 pro
Mem: 3 sticks of Kingston 1 gig ea.
Trying the power switch again resulted in absolutely nothing.
Turned the PSU switch off and waited for the voltage to drain off, turned the PSU switch on, hit the power switch again and again the LED's briefly lit which led me to presume it must be some kind of protection circuit that is immediatly turning the PSU off because of a short or something.
Removed the motherboard again, blew it off, visually examined it. Saw nothing visibly wrong with it.
Took it to a computer shop where the guy had offered to test the PSU and found that without the 8 pin power connecter that connects near the processor, the PSU will turn on and the hd spins up so it would seem that the new PSU hasn't failed.
Now I am left to suspect either the motherboard or the processor.
Here's one little detail that bothers me... when it first failed and I opened the case, I noticed one of the screws that hadn't threaded properly had come loosed and fallen on to some cables. Perhaps it has shorted something out as it was tumbling across the motherboard. I have not tried resetting the BIOS yet. I would think that I'd at least get to POST even if the settings were messed in the BIOS. I'll try it anyway when I get home in the morning.
system:
case: sonata II
power supply: 550 watt ultra X 2
motherboard: Asus P5N32-SLI Deluxe Asus
processor: 2.8 GHz Intel pentium D (820+)
graphics: ATI Radeon X700 pro
Mem: 3 sticks of Kingston 1 gig ea.
0
Comments
If the computer starts properly, immediately enter the BIOS and make sure the setting for "Shutdown if no CPU fan" (or words to that effect) is set to Disabled. Many boards wig out when the computer is first started and they don't see the CPU fan spinning fast enough. (Duh, when the computer was off it was stopped altogether.)
It's possible that your wayward screw damaged something, but the only way to find out is to replace the MB. Let's get the "easy" things out of the way before we try something like that.
I'm a little confused here - does the new PSU have the 8-Pin Connector and is it connected?
Also, concerning the lost screw: did you remove it from the inside of the case? (Sorry, had to ask.)
Ok... there are 2 cables supplying power to the motherboard. One is the 24 pin and the other is the 8 pin EATX 12V arranged in a 2X4 matrix ( :::: )
Disconnecting the 8 pin EATX power cable will allow the power supply to come up to full power with the front panel power (or soft power) button.
The replacement PSU was shipped as a replacement for the one that went bad so it's exactly the same PSU as the one I've been using for the past year. The old power supply did not exactly fail, it just started making a terrible noise and I stopped using the computer until I got the replacement.
And yes I removed the loose screw from inside the case
Now, I've reset the BIOS and nothing has changed.
That 8 pin power cord has to be a link to something triggering a protective circuit that is keeping the PSU from going to full power. This is really frusterating.