Help! Computer shut off and wont turn back on!

eliblackeliblack
edited May 2009 in Science & Tech
I was in the middle of playing WoW when my computer froze up for about 5 seconds then totally shut off. When I hit the power button, nothing boots up. The fans are running but my computer doesnt actually boot. I got a new PSU - nothing. Changed video card - nothing. Any help would be great! I have finals next week and need my computer up and running!

Comments

  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited April 2009
    First remove the power chord, case shell, remove any cards, remove your CPU carefully with the heat sync and remove your ram and disconnect any drive data cables. Then do a visual inspection to make sure no metal points on the motherboard are touching any other parts of the case.

    Next plug it back in (still with everything else removed) and power it up. It's not going to do much other then turn on some lights and spin any fans. Now power it off and put the cpu back in and power it back up. It should do a little more this time and hopefully generate a bunch of error beeps. Power it off and throw in your ram and power it up again, you should get different error beeps. Power it off and put in a video card (if it's not onboard) etc.... keep adding parts back in one at a time and see what happens.

    Hopefully something just got scrambled and nothing damaged. But if something is damaged this is a good way to test it if you don't have a computer lab full of spare parts.
  • eliblackeliblack
    edited April 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    First remove the power chord, case shell, remove any cards, remove your CPU carefully with the heat sync and remove your ram and disconnect any drive data cables. Then do a visual inspection to make sure no metal points on the motherboard are touching any other parts of the case.

    Next plug it back in (still with everything else removed) and power it up. It's not going to do much other then turn on some lights and spin any fans. Now power it off and put the cpu back in and power it back up. It should do a little more this time and hopefully generate a bunch of error beeps. Power it off and throw in your ram and power it up again, you should get different error beeps. Power it off and put in a video card (if it's not onboard) etc.... keep adding parts back in one at a time and see what happens.

    Hopefully something just got scrambled and nothing damaged. But if something is damaged this is a good way to test it if you don't have a computer lab full of spare parts.

    Ok I tried this and it didnt work. Also I never got any kind of beeps what so ever...does that mean anything?
  • Insight-DriverInsight-Driver California
    edited April 2009
    I think you nailed it; a dead motherboard. But, it may not be. Not knowing what board you have, does it have an onboard speaker? a diagnostic readout? If it has a header for a speaker, is there on in your case? Do you have access to another computer? If so, go to the Mfg web site and download the manual, or at least open it up and look online at the page with diagnostic codes.

    Put the CPU back in with the cooling fan. With no ram or anything else connected you should get a beep error if the CPU is working. That error will be "no ram." If you don't even get a response at all, then if you can get a cheap motherboard that is compatible, or have a friend with a compatible motherboard, you could test your CPU in another motherboard.

    I doubt the CPU has failed; they rarely ever fail. Motherboards do fail.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited April 2009
    Yep sounding like a dead motherboard.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited April 2009
    Sometimes when you have a major system level disaster, the bios needs to be reset prior to re posting (I experience this sometimes when I get a little too cute with my overclocks). Perhaps while gaming you had a voltage spike or something similar that caused this.

    Unplug PSU, push power button a couple seconds to drain remaining juice in board, pull out that button cell battery that powers the bios for a minute, re seat it, try again, if it does not boot, its only about $3.50 at the local hardware store to replace the battery, take it with you, get the button cell you need, try and new one, and pray.
  • eliblackeliblack
    edited April 2009
    Thanks guys! I will try all of these. I had my brother look at it and he also said he thinks my motherboard crapped out on me, which wouldn't surprise me. Im surprised it lasted as long as it did (if it is the MB).
  • eliblackeliblack
    edited April 2009
    Ok, I got a new motherboard and it didnt help at all. My computer still wont do anything and I dont get any beeps. =(
  • patrickcabenjaminpatrickcabenjamin
    edited April 2009
    You could try throwing it out of a window?
    that's what i would do

    but seriously now
    here is an article about this very problem
    http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbysymptom/ht/wontstart.htm
  • RichDRichD Essex, UK
    edited May 2009
    Take all of the components out of your case. Place the motherboard on a piece of card board. Install CPU and fan, RAM, GPU and then plug in Power Suply. Try to boot (you may need to use a screw driver or paperclip to short the pins where the power button goes to get it to boot). You may have something on your case shorting your mother board. If you still get nothing it may be that you have a dead GPU. Your PC may actually be posting but with a dead GPU you cant see anything on the screen. If you were in the middle of gaming when it first froze you GPU would have been under load and that may have killed it. I would try and borrow one before you buy a new one.
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