Dead Computer (no POST)

jrphoenix

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,295
2
81
Hi,

I helped my brother build his first computer from old parts I had, my parents had, and a few new ones :) My brother had his comp in storage for a few months and now the thing is dead no POST, no video out...

I swaped video cards with a known good one and no video out. I am thinking the mobo is dead because I stole the processor out of my parents old computer after the SAME mobo just died for no reason. I grabbed the proc from their old system & we bought another mobo of the same type (it was cheap). Do you guys think it's the mobo again? If it is dead... what is the most cost effective socket 754 mobo out there now? He doesn't have the money for new processor & video card to go socket 939 & PCI Express.

Here are the components in my brother comp:

SOLTEK SL-K8AN2E-GR Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce3 250Gb ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
AMD Athlon 64 3400+ Newcastle 800MHz HT Socket 754 Processor Model ADA3400AXBOX - Retail
CHAINTECH SA6600G Geforce 6600GT 128MB GDDR3 AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail
Polyview V17D Silver-Black 17" 10ms LCD Monitor - Retail
OCZ Premier Series 512MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered System Memory Model OCZ400512PH - Retail (x2)

 

jrphoenix

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,295
2
81
Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
the way things sound, it seems like the processor is the problem...

Really?? What makes you look to the processor? The light on the mobo is on when we hit the power? What would be my brothers cheapest upgrade path (he has an AGP video card)...
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
18,998
0
0
Boilerplate-01:
. Common causes of failure to boot (no video, no beeps) assuming PSU isn't totally dead:
1- RAM, CPU and/or AGP video card not seated properly, a bent pin or corrosion.
2- Drive data cable on upside down or only on half the pins or shifted a pin or two (usually Floppy or Zip drives).
3- CMOS needs to be cleared (AC power must usually be disconnected or . attempts to clear CMOS may fail) Unless your mobo does not use a power-off CMOS clear - check your mobo manual for specific info.
4- On some new mobos there is a CPU protection feature (esp. on Asus/Asrock Athlon/Socket A mobos) that will not allow the system to start if there is no fan (or a fan without a working speed sensor wire) connected to the CPU Fan power connector on the mobo (specifically marked "CPU Fan"). If you tried to start your machine without a fan properly connected, you have to attach a proper and working fan and clear the CMOS before it will boot.
.bh.
 

jrphoenix

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,295
2
81
Originally posted by: Zepper
Boilerplate-01:
. Common causes of failure to boot (no video, no beeps) assuming PSU isn't totally dead:
1- RAM, CPU and/or AGP video card not seated properly, a bent pin or corrosion.
2- Drive data cable on upside down or only on half the pins or shifted a pin or two (usually Floppy or Zip drives).
3- CMOS needs to be cleared (AC power must usually be disconnected or . attempts to clear CMOS may fail) Unless your mobo does not use a power-off CMOS clear - check your mobo manual for specific info.
4- On some new mobos there is a CPU protection feature (esp. on Asus/Asrock Athlon/Socket A mobos) that will not allow the system to start if there is no fan (or a fan without a working speed sensor wire) connected to the CPU Fan power connector on the mobo (specifically marked "CPU Fan"). If you tried to start your machine without a fan properly connected, you have to attach a proper and working fan and clear the CMOS before it will boot.
.bh.

Thanks.. I will check those out. BTW, the system was working for 2 months before going belly up? I am not sure if that helps.
 

jrphoenix

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,295
2
81
Bump for any other suggestions and my brother best upgrade path before buying a new socket 754 proc? I took that proc out of my parents old system after their Soltek mobo died. My brother had a new Soltek mobo & the system worked for a few months and is now dead No POST for no reason? Is Soltek buggy or is it the processor? This is different ram, new system, same result.