Boot Problem on a Dinosaur

[iamshady]

I have a MSI K7 Pro with a Slot A Athlon 550 that a few days ago decided not to turn on again. When I flipped the switch on the back of the PSU on, you can see the fans spin quickly and hear power enter the motherboard. The NIC also maintains the connection light. However, it refuses to power up when the power button is pressed. I removed everything that was not essential, leaving only a stick of Crucial PC133, floppy, 4MB video card, keyboard, and mouse. I also resitted the CPU and it still refuses to power up. I've narrowed it down to a few possibilities.

1) CPU is bad - I've had motherboards refuse to power up if the CPU was bad in the past
2) Motherboard is bad - Doesn't make sense since the NIC is getting power, the fans spin, etc.
3) PSU is bad - Same for the motherboard reason, seems like everything is getting power

Anyone have any suggestions before I get a replacement Socket A mobo and processor?

 

[mechBgon]

Hmm, I'd take this as an excuse to upgrade but the PSU sounds like the simplest thing to check if you happen to have another reasonable-quality PSU on hand to try. Another little bug that got me once was a faulty case power switch which stuck in the pushed position underneath the bezel. That was forcing the mobo to power off after 4 seconds, as if I were holding down the power button (it was holding itself down).

Good luck

 

[DieHardware]

Anyone been messing in the case prior to the trouble? Any beeps or if it gets to the POST screen any error codes? Have you checked all connections?(cables, molex and ATX connections, videcard seated properly, etc?).

 

[iamshady]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Another little bug that got me once was a faulty case power switch which stuck in the pushed position underneath the bezel.

Yea, I checked that out too because my friend has the same case as me but with the power button problem. Unfortunately I don't have a spare PSU laying around. Luckily this system is for my parents who never use it, but I definitely think upgrading is the way to go I just don't want to buy a new mobo/processor combo just to find out it was the PSU...

 

[iamshady]

Originally posted by: DieHardware
Anyone been messing in the case prior to the trouble? Any beeps or if it gets to the POST screen any error codes? Have you checked all connections?(cables, molex and ATX connections, videcard seated properly, etc?).

Only one who ever goes in there is me, so not that I know of. I did reseat and reconnect everything (I forgot to mention alot in the first post). While there is evidence that power is in the system when I turn on the power switch on the back of the PSU, when I go to press the power button on the front of the case, it refuses to power up, which makes me think that the CPU went bad.

 

[edfcmc]

Could it be the notorious Tawain capacitor problem?

link to one story

link to second story


visually inspect the motherboard and look at the capacitors (the tall tin can looking things) and make sure the tops are not bulging or there isnt anything leaking from these things (problems = bad). Also, look at the coils near the caps and just to make sure they are not burnt (they should be copper in color (or close to copper like red)..but not burnt...

Just a suggestion

 

[bluetiger]

visually inspect the motherboard and look at the capacitors (the tall tin can looking things) and make sure the tops are not bulging or there isnt anything leaking from these things (problems = bad). Also, look at the coils near the caps and just to make sure they are not burnt (they should be copper in color (or close to copper like red)..but not burnt...

Just a suggestion

ive never heard of a capacitor leaking, much less a capacitor with some form of liquid inside?!?!?!?

capacitor = 2 plates with a dielectric in between right

 

[spanky]

could be the ram. did u test out the ram in another rig? make sure the case speaker is plugged in... that way if there are any beeps, take note of them. by the way, problems with the cpu or ram will give beep code... i think. so if u get no beeps... its prolly the mobo or psu.

 

[iamshady]

Originally posted by: spankyOO7
could be the ram. did u test out the ram in another rig? make sure the case speaker is plugged in... that way if there are any beeps, take note of them. by the way, problems with the cpu or ram will give beep code... i think. so if u get no beeps... its prolly the mobo or psu.

Yea, I tested out the RAM, works fine. I bought a cheapo PSU at CompUSSR last night so I'll give that a shot tomorrow to narrow it down a bit. I'll let you all know Thanks for the help

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: bluetiger

visually inspect the motherboard and look at the capacitors (the tall tin can looking things) and make sure the tops are not bulging or there isnt anything leaking from these things (problems = bad). Also, look at the coils near the caps and just to make sure they are not burnt (they should be copper in color (or close to copper like red)..but not burnt...

Just a suggestion

ive never heard of a capacitor leaking, much less a capacitor with some form of liquid inside?!?!?!?

capacitor = 2 plates with a dielectric in between right

I think so; there's an electrolyte in there, and it can be liquid in some capacitor types, like the big ones found on motherboards.