Help with fixing old Compaq S4020WM-B

[lakedude]

Specs: Windows XP, Athlon XP 2400+ 2.0 GHz Socket-A, 128 MB DDR SDRAM, motherboard says AM 37...

Symptoms: No front panel power light and no video output. PS is putting out 12, 5 and 3.3 volts, pilot on PS is on, drive access lights flash after a power up. No beep codes. EDIT: PS and CPU fans do turn when the system is on.

I believe the problem is the MB or CPU (most likely MB)...

Steps so far:

1) Tried another PS, no difference.
2) Added an AGP video card, no difference.
3) Tried different RAM, no difference.
4) Took the MB out of the case and ran it in air, no difference.
5) Took everything off the MB except the CPU and RAM, no difference.
6) Copied data from the HD by putting it in another computer.

The owner does not have a lot of extra money and would like the system to run again but does not want to spend much money.

Ideas? Been thinking of getting a modern CPU/MB/RAM combo as a Christmas gift but his PS is only a 20 pin...

 

[denis280]

did you try to apply new thermal paste on CPU.also cleaning the rams slots.

 

[lakedude]

did you try to apply new thermal paste on CPU.also cleaning the rams slots.

No, but I will. Thanks.

 

[lakedude]

Ok blew out all the slots, reseated the memory and CPU, no difference.

CPU is only $5.50 on ebay but I suspect the MB (never had a bad CPU since Cyrix was in business).

 

[lakedude]

Update:

Bought new RAM, DVD, and MB. A friend donated a slightly used CPU. Works!

EDIT HD was bad too...dusted off an old 120GB IDE and got it going again...