Computer Problem

[Sl4y3r]

Today when I got home I noticed that my computer was off, but the power light was still on. I tried to turn it off and turn it back on, but it wouldn't come back on. I've had this problem before and I thought that maybe the power supply went dead.
Considering that it was a new power supply I didn't think that it died. So I tested it out in another computer and found that it worked fine. Then I began to investigate what the problem might be. I tried to take the heatsink off the CPU, but it wasn't coming off, I had the clips undone and all. I ended up accidentally pulling the whole CPU out of the socket ( that can't be good ) I'm scared right now as of what to do, I don't want to further increase damage. I can't get the CPU off of the heatsink, It is stuck on there (Its connected by a thermal pad). I've never replaced a CPU before so I don't know if this is suppose to be like that.

My Computer:

Athlon 64 3400+ (Stock)
Chaintech VNF3-250
512mb Kingston PC2700 RAM ( from old computer, waiting to order new)
Radeon 9800 Pro

Thanks for any help.

 

[LeetestUnleet]

I've had a problem like that, and it turned out to be the motherboard. Plug in a new PSU to the computer and check your results, assuming you didn't kill the CPU I don't quite understand your description of what you did to the CPU, so I can't tell you one way or the other there.

 

[Sl4y3r]

I checked out the pins on the CPU and they were fine. I tested the another computer with the power supply and it worked fine. I'm thinking that it might be the motherboard, and I hope that the CPU works. Someone told me that it might be that the computer went into hibernation and it couldn't get back out, I don't think that happened because its not on. So I think it is probably the motherboard, just want to make sure before I RMA it.

 

[TD77077]

Sounds like your computer went into sleep/standby mode and wouldn't wake up. Probably nothing wrong with your processor. Most likely a Bios setting related to power contol. All this assuming your fans were running when you found your computer. Was your monitor showing an orange light instead of a green light?

I'm not an expert but when you get your computer running again, tell the Bios to never turn off CPU & hard drive, then go to Control Panel/Display/Screen Saver/Power, and do the same thing - make sure hard drive and system standby are set to "never".

Maybe someone else can give a better explanation of what might cause those things to cause as many problems as they do.

Good luck.

 

[sivart]

I've had the same thing happen after a power glitch (reset, power buttons did nothing). A quick pull of the power cord from the back of the machine and plugging it back in again reset everything.

 

[LeetestUnleet]

Meh, I think setting your hard drives to turn off under ANY conditions is just a bad idea... you're just asking for trouble, because what happens if your hard drives turn off before you go into hibernation? I mean, sure, it's supposed to handle that, but there's always the risk that it won't....

 

[Fern]

I'd prolly try clearing the CMOS b4 I rma'd it.

 

[Sl4y3r]

I replaced the heatsink's thermalpad with some thermal compound that came with my motherboard. I tried to start up and the CPU fan spinned for about 1/2 a second, then shut off, that was all that I saw (Didn't have other fans hooked up, and didn't look at the PSU fans). So does this sound like a CPU or motherboard problem? Because the PSU worked fine in another computer.

 

[LeetestUnleet]

The battery may be holding a bit of an overcharge, so to speak, so Fern is right in that you should try to clear it before you RMA anything. If that fails, then it sounds more like a motherboard problem, because I've experienced the exact same thing. If it was CPU, you'd think the fan would at least stay on, even if it refused to boot... but stranger things have happened.