HELP! DEAD DESKTOP - working yesterday, now won't even turn on

[Brickster]

All, I am looking for some troubleshooting advice for my cusotm built system:

http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.aspx?rigid=28438

Sequence of events...

> Self-built computer worked beautifully for 2 years
> Wife turns on machine and plugs in iPod as usual (not the first time)
> Wife called complaining about "mouse not working", and the "red light is out"
> I told her to check the USB cable going from mouse to machine, unplug/replug it
> That didn't work, so she tried to manually shut it down (held button on box)
> After that, computer won't even light up. Fans don't spin, nothing at all. Crickets.

Troubleshooting...

> Unplugged everything but the power cable to the machine
> Examined front panel wires to Mobo to ensure connections were secure
> Checked all power cables running into mobo to ensure they were secure
> Checked PSU to ensure switch was on. Turned it off/on. Lights dimmed (as usual)
> Attempted power on. Nada.

> Went to Frye's, purchased a brand new PSU
> swapped out old PSU for new PSU and connected everything
> Attempted power on. Nada.


Question: Do these steps result in a positive root cause of a fried mobo?

What other steps can I take without going too insane?

Thank you in advance for your help...

Brickster

 

[Brickster]

Anyone?

 

[sieistganzfett]

does the ipod still work after she plugged in it and it caused your pc to lock up and not turn on anymore? i think it is a bad mobo, but try a bunch more stuff first like reseating stuff

your attempting to power it on... do the fans even spin up for a second when you got the new power supply? i am thinking they still dont even start to spin for a sec.. your mobo should have a light on it that is lit when power is going to the board, does it light when the new "good working power supply" is connected at least? have you tried reseating the cpu, ram, video card, and disconnecting everything not used like HD's, etc., jump starting the mobo by "shorting" the power connector pins on the mobo with a screwdriver? go even as far as taking the mobo, cpu, ram, video card, power supply out of the case, dry mount it on something like a paper box and see if you can get it to post after you reset the cmos.. if it all still doest work and that mofo doesnt even try to post spinning up the fans when you take out ram or video card, spend the money to replace the mobo and hope just that got killed

 

[Brickster]

"hope just that got killed"

Sweet - can't wait to go through all that to only one conclusion.

Thanks for the reply.

To answer your questions..

iPOD still works

System - No fans, no nothing. Even after replacing the PSU. I don't see any lights. It's as if the power doesn't even go to anything on the mobo. What I don't understand is those "fan only" hookups on the PSU which also don't work. Since they aren't directly connected to the mobo, I would think at least they would spin up even if the mobo was dead...maybe not.

I will try reseating stuff and see if I can get the BIOS to post at least.

Thanks again.

Brickster

 

[Brickster]

bump.

 

[sieistganzfett]

the new power supply def. works right? and you took the mobo "out of the case" placed it on a cardboard or something nonconductive like a desk, reseated the cpu, ram, video card, on the board, you even reset the CMOS, then connected the psu to the board + video card properly and it gets no power? what if you took the ram and video card out of the board then tried to start up the mobo which is connected to the psu? if the cpu fan and the psu fan still don't spin go a new mobo should fix it.

 

[Brickster]

Originally posted by: sieistganzfett
the new power supply def. works right?

Sieis - thanks for the reply!!!

Per the PSU, it was an Antec straight from the store, in plastic, that made a little squeal when I plugged it in an flipped the switch. When the test did not work, I just returned it.

and you took the mobo "out of the case" placed it on a cardboard or something nonconductive like a desk, reseated the cpu, ram, video card, on the board, you even reset the CMOS, then connected the psu to the board + video card properly and it gets no power?

No, I left it in the case, took out the RAM, video card, sound card, and unhooked every other item in the case except to the power.

The only thing I question is that maybe my front panel is shot. How do I execute an "On" without having to use the front panel Power Switch? Do I just bridge the power switch pins with a jumper?

what if you took the ram and video card out of the board then tried to start up the mobo which is connected to the psu? if the cpu fan and the psu fan still don't spin go a new mobo should fix it.

This is effectively what I did. In the case, no RAM, no cards, no HD's, etc. Connected the PSU, hit the front panel "On" button, and then no juice.

Still have some patience to troubleshoot. I am trying to go through Gigabyte for an RMA right now. Appears tough to get online tech support from them.

Now, I'm trying to figure out how to get my Outlook contacts and emails off the computer. Any advice there?

 

[sieistganzfett]

The only thing I question is that maybe my front panel is shot. How do I execute an "On" without having to use the front panel Power Switch? Do I just bridge the power switch pins with a jumper?

1. basically thats it you do with a screwdriver, just use a screwdriver to connect the 2 pins for the power on the motherboard and it will turn on.

when a board doesnt power up even with a new psu, i always take it out of the case after #1 doesnt get it to do something. reason to take it out of the case would be to factor out grounding or shorts occuring that prevent it from turning on. since will rma your gigabyte mobo anyway, you might as well do this to see what happens.

getting outlook contacts/email off your computer is as simple as connecting the HD to another pc as a slave drive, going into explorer on that drive and searching for a .pst file (and any .wab file if its outlook express) when all hidden files and folders/system files are set to show up. for "office outlook" should be under "­Documents and Settings\youruseracct\Application Data\­Microsoft\­Outlook\­" just copy them to the computer, and import the pst file that had your emails and contacts, if it was outlook express, the path will probably be "Documents and Settings\youruseracct\Application Data\Identities\the wierd numbers\"