Does this sound like a bad processor?

[bullion416]

I am almost certain that something has gone wrong with my Asus A7M266 motherboard........here is the story:

Thiis a home built computer that is running a 1.4 Ghz AMD Athlon processor with 512 mb DDR PC2100 memory from Crucial Technology. I am also usign an Antec power supply, 80 gig Maxtor Hard drive and an AGP ATI Radeon video card. Just the other day I was having computer troubles. I left my computer on for about 20 minutes and when I came back the computer had restarted itself. I thought this was odd, then logged on to my computer (I am using Windows XP Pro). I immediately noticed that the text and graphics were slightly distorted and certain bits of text looked as though it had been slected with the mouse (blacked out). I then turned my computer off for about a minute and then turned it back on. The problem only got worse and eventually got to the point where I could not see anything on my desktop due to all the distortion and skewed colors. I then tried a different AGP video card and got the same results. After restarting the computer a couple more times, the computer started to hang during startup. I then tried to reinstall Windows via a startup disc. Even the text and colors on the Windows setup screen were messed up. I then turned the computer off and reset the CMOS (pulled the battery out of the motherboard for a minute and then replaced it). I still got the same results. Now my computer won't boot up and the bios will NOT post. All I get is a black screen/the monitor won't turn on. To further troubleshoot the computer, I tried a different monitor, a different power supply, different memory, a different hard drive, and a different video card and still have the same problem.

NOTE: If i hit "Caps Lock" the keyboard does light up that the caps lock is turned on and also if I hit "Ctrl+Alt+Delete" the computer will restart........this leads me to believe that the processor is not dead.....what do you think is the problem?

 

[pspada]

I had a 1.4Gig Athlon that would reboot and/or freeze after about 20 minutes, - it turned out to be the power supply. Once I put a known good ps in that machine, the problem went away.

 

[bullion416]

Well, since the Bios won't even post, which means I cannot do anything......I am assuming it has to be the motherboard (probably something wrong with the AGP controller). I went ahead and got an RMA issued for the motherboard through ASUS. I probably won't be shippping it out until the weekend so if you have any other advice please let me know. Thanks

 

[deerslayer]

Do you have another CPU you could try? Or a PCI video card to try.

 

[bullion416]

I don't have an old PCI video card and as far as a different processor to try............would the computer be able to restart when i hit "Ctrl+Alt+Delete" if the processor was fried because it does restart when I do that?

 

[malakei]

I doubt it would be your PS not to shoot down the idea form the previous reply but Antec makes a killer PS and you might wanna try and tear down your comp and reinstall your OS... XP is major GUI which makes that maky more things that can go wrong... if that doesnt fix it then id suggest you take anything under warranty to the company You'd be suprised what windows can do heh.

 

[bullion416]

Yeah, I am going to send the mobo back this weekend. As far as reinstalling the OS....I cannot do that because like I said I am getting nothing to appear on the screen when I turn on the computer.

 

[dnoyeb]

1. Video artifacts. -> Video Card
2. System Restart. -> bad CPU
3. No POST. -> bad CPU

However, a degrading PSU could cause all 3 of these issues. Also check the voltage in your house, maybe the local transformer blew a coil and your whole house is underpowered.

ctrl-alt-del eliminates the CPU from being the main problem.
also, look for a fuse in the PSU.