Dead motherboard? CPU? Time to get some new stuff.

[Jhatfie]

I was changing around my watercooling the other day to see if I could better temps with a t-line compared to a res. When putting my PC back together, it all of a sudden will no longer boot. No power, no lights, no fans nothing. I've tried different ram, different power supply, HD's, reassembled several times, pulled the battery and reset CMOS all with no luck. Everything on the board looks fine and I did not leak water anywhere. I am guessing my motherboard is dead, but I am not sure how that would have happened.

Anyway, I grew tired of troubleshooting and ordered a new A64 3000+ and VNF3-250 since they were the only components I did not spares of. I've been wanting to try a newcastle A64 anyway. I figure this way I should be able to locate what went bad and sell the good leftover part and RMA the other. Of course at a slight price hit (the price of impatience I suppose). Maybe I'll get a good clocker that can outdo my old CO core that does 2.5ghz at 1.76v.

I wonder if I should have ordered a 3200+? That 11x multi might have given me more room to run 1:1 with my memory if it was a good clocker, but I am not sure if it would be worth the extra $45 since this computer is sort of a sedative until the nforce4 with SLI and soundstorm (hopefully) and the 9nm A64's come out and settle in a bit.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

What was the vDIMM? Maybe you nuked the on-die memory controller?

 

[Jhatfie]

vdimm was 3.0v. If the cpu was nuked or damaged, wouldn't the motherboard at least beep at me or show some signs of life or something? Like when you forget to install the ram and power up it at least gives you an annoying beep generally.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Since you ordered a new combo you will be able to determine if it was the board or CPU soon enough. You are probably right that the board went belly up given you don't get audio error codes, but I'm not familiar with that board so it's process of elimination time and you got it down to 2 suspects so at least it'll be a simple matter to conclude.

 

[Jhatfie]

I am hoping it was just the motherboard. The cpu is a gem for an older CO core 3000+. Not all that many of the older ones would hit 2.5ghz stable. With all the great OC's I've been hearing coming from these newer A64's, I'm hoping that this 3200+ will do 2.6ghz or better on my watercooling, but you never really know with overclocking.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Here's hoping you get a winner for overclocking, and that the board is the weakest link :beer: