Computer won't boot even after replacing parts

[fustercluck]

Update: Read latest post

I decided to make a new thread since I'm desperate and this is a whole different problem:

I'm having a hell of a time trying to get my computer up and running again. It started on Sunday when my computer turned off out of nowhere and I couldn't get it to boot again. I could turn on the computer, and it would hum, but wouldn't go anywhere. Monitor wouldn't detect a signal, keyboard/mouse lights wouldn't come on, nothing was happening except my computer was humming like usual. After resetting the CMOS, disconnecting and reconnecting everything and having no luck getting it to boot. I figured it was either a bad motherboard or PSU. So I bought a new Mobo/PSU to replace them, few days later (today) I get the parts and get all the new stuff hooked up, hit the ole' power switch and....same exact thing. Computer humming, nothing else happening. Monitor doesn't detect a signal, keyboard/mouse lights don't come on. Except this time after about 20 seconds it automaticly shuts itself down, that's the only difference, might be a feature on the newer motherboard.

I was almost certain is was a bad PSU/Mobo that was the problem before, but since I replaced my PSU/Mobo and the computer still has the exact same problem, it's not looking like those parts were the problems after all. Except I don't know what else to look at. It seems like the only other things that could be the problem is my RAM or CPU, but those don't seem likely either. I have two sticks of ram, so it seems unlikely that both would go bad at exactly the same time, and my CPU is only a couple years old so that doesn't seem likely to be the problem either. Everything was running pretty well before sunday where it turned off out of nowhere and wouldn't boot up again. It's a mystery. I don't know what else to try, any ideas?

 

[JustaGeek]

Well... 3 options:

1. Bad memory (try single stick/different memory)
2. Bad Video Card (try a different one)
3. Bad CPU - see above.
4. Bad PCI/Sound card...? (if you have any...)

Good Luck!

 

[fustercluck]

When testing out the new parts I only used the necessary stuff (CPU/Ram) and a video card to see if the monitor would detect a signal. So soundcard definitely isn't the problem. Video card isn't the problem either or the computer would still boot, keyboard/mouse would light up as they usually do. I'll try one stick at a time of ram...but if just one stick worked wouldn't it still boot if the other stick was bad?

This is gonna be stressful, gonna have to send a part or two back. Probably going to need to buy a whole new system too..ahhh...frick. I hope there's a simple solution to this.

 

[fustercluck]

I tried stripping it down to the 'bare essentials' and still nothing happening. I mean, it started humming, but monitor got no signal like it should have. Tried to get it doing something different by trying it without HDDs connected, no soundcard, no lan card, no fans connected, and then tried it with RAM in, out, and half and half. So, it has to be the CPU right? That would really suck. I would have to get a whole new system pretty much. The CPU is only 2 years old and have never ran higher than stock voltage...do they just die quickly sometimes?

Ahhh, this is going to be stressful. Frack.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

You did use the gold colored standoffs to seperate your board from the case right?

 

[Android8675]

Unplug system, press power button for 4-8 seconds, plug back in, try powering on again. If nothing, hold power button again for 4-8 seconds, release and press again.

Could be your mobo isn't posting or whatever. You have the power LED hooked up? Does it turn on?

Hope you didn't disconnect your CPU fan during your troubleshooting. As for your CPU dying, not sure what to say there.

 

[imported_unbegripable]

I have got the same problem, almost, but my computer keeps turning on and off. Without posting, have tried changing CPU, PSU, Graphic card, Mobo & all the cables. Only thing i haven't replaced is the memory, but it behaves the same way with or without memory. It's real fun, i'm close to going mad. Would be nice if some could figure this out.

 

[montag451]

On Monday, I am going to visit a computer with the same symptoms - except, it works for about 20 minutes, then starts going into the loop described above.

When I was there a couple of days ago, I couldn't get it to crash at all, tried opening everything at once - no problem.
Event viewer was the cleanest I have ever seen!

Really looking forward to Monday.





not.

 

[fustercluck]

I really don't know what's going on here. I've tried everything. I got my new CPU today (3800 X2 Toledo) and was really hoping that would fix the problems, but it didn't. So now I'm really screwed...I have no idea what the problem could be. I've replaced my Motherboard, PSU, CPU with new parts, and still my computer won't show any signs of life besides humming when I turn it on. No beeps when I turn it on, Monitor still detects no signal, keyboard/mouse lights still don't come on, nothing happens. I've tried booting without ram, HDDs, video card, sound card, everything besides the bare essentials and still nothing. I'm really just baffled...I don't see how nothing could have changed after replacing the PSU/Mobo (last week) and now even replacing the CPU (today), nothing changed at all, what the frack?

Anyone got any ideas? As far as I know right now my next step is buying a completely new computer, but I'm honestly not sure that would solve the problem either...I know that doesn't make any sense, but nothing has made sense with my computer for the last couple weeks. I cannot get this sucker working no matter how many parts I replace.

 

[WildHorse]

Welll,

parts

is

parts!

 

[fustercluck]

Originally posted by: scott
Welll,

parts

is

parts!

Boo

Someone help, nothing works. I've even tried plugging it in to different outlets in the house.

 

[dbailey]

Before you buy a new system, you might pull the motherboard out of the case. Just set it up on a box, plug the graphics card in, cpu/heatsink and one stick of ram and the psu(quickly bridge the two pins with a screwdriver that the "power on" cable runs to from the power switch)... Does it post like that? If not, and you've tried a psu and motherboard, I'd try borrowing a friends cpu, or stick your cpu into his computer if you can to verify that... also, some motherboards have either a jumper, or a switch for cpu voltage. Have you read through the new mobo manual? When it starts and shuts down by itself it sounds like the cpu is getting hot and it's turning itself off.. make sure your cpu heatsink is on correctly and has a firm connection w/some paste.

 

[imported_Baloo]

You've checked the manual for the MB? You checked that all jumpers are in the correct spot?

Computer could still NOT boot if the Video card is bad.

One bad memory stick can make it unbootable. Two memory sticks can work fine individually, but not when paired.

A dead hard drive could make a PC unbootable, you tried booting without the drive and it still did not work, so the drive is not the problem. However, was the cable disconnected from the motherboard as well?

You have not eliminated the video, nor the memory. I would lean toward the video card, because it is unlikely that both memory sticks went bad at the same time. Not impossible, but not likely.