Need Help - Did I fry my MOBO ?!

[BUrassler]

I need assistance in figuring out which component in my PC recently broke.

I built my own PC. It has always run very well, BUT once in a while static electricity would build up on me, and either when i touched it with my hand or a thunb drive, I would shock it and it would turn off. Obviously a bad thing, but I dodnt know what I could do to prevent it.

Two nights ago, I was matching a movie (from my HDD, not a DVD) and the movie froze. This had never happened before, but I didnt think it was a big deal. I went to restart the computer and as I touched it, BAM!, another elctric shock turned it off. (This had already happened twice that day, which is much more than usual. Its usually like once at week maybe)

Since then, when I try to turn my PC back on, all the fans turn on, everything SOUNDS like it is booting up, the little red light on the MOBO is on, but it doesnt even make it to the BIOS. I tried reseting the CMOS, but that did not help.

I am guessing it is a fried MOBO.
Is there a chance it could be something else though? Like the HDD or video card maybe?

Any help, in fixing the issue, or at least narrowing down what new part I need to buy, would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[Number1]

Is there something wrong with the wiring in your house? That static should have discharged trough the case to the ground wire and have NO effect on your PC. Maybe your ground wire is not connected in your wall outlet? Or there is something wrong with your PS.

Anyway, disconnect everything and only use one stick of ram and try to get into the bios.

 

[thegisguy]

I would have guessed it was a Cmos issue. Still could be. Does your MB have a removable Bios chip? Is so you might be able to replace it.

 

[BUrassler]

It cant be the wiring in my house, b/c this "shorting" issue has happened both in my new apartment and at my parents house when I was previously there with the same computer.

Maybe the Surge Protector I plug my computer into is no good?!

I will try with nothing but 1 stick of RAM and see what happens.

Any other ideas are still welcome. Thanks!

 

[BUrassler]

Originally posted by: thegisguy
I would have guessed it was a Cmos issue. Still could be. Does your MB have a removable Bios chip? Is so you might be able to replace it.

I actually do not know if my MOBO has a removable BIOS chip, I will try to figure that out.

 

[thegisguy]

It's easy enough to figure out if it's removable. The removable ones have for lack of a better term a bed they plug into. Plug off the side panel of your case and you'll know right way.

 

[bka4u2c]

This may sound like a silly question but did you use the motherboards standoffs on the case/tower? I only ask because I've seen this happen before and it would cause the system to power off with the slightest bump.

 

[BUrassler]

Originally posted by: bka4u2c
This may sound like a silly question but did you use the motherboards standoffs on the case/tower? I only ask because I've seen this happen before and it would cause the system to power off with the slightest bump.

If the standoffs are the little metal spacers that go between the motheboard and the case, than yes, I used those.

 

[thegisguy]

Originally posted by: bka4u2c
This may sound like a silly question but did you use the motherboards standoffs on the case/tower? I only ask because I've seen this happen before and it would cause the system to power off with the slightest bump.

If he didn't use the standoffs the system wouldn't have posted to began with due to a ground issue.

 

[bka4u2c]

Originally posted by: thegisguy

Originally posted by: bka4u2c
This may sound like a silly question but did you use the motherboards standoffs on the case/tower? I only ask because I've seen this happen before and it would cause the system to power off with the slightest bump.

If he didn't use the standoffs the system wouldn't have posted to began with due to a ground issue.

Well I'm not sure about not powering on at all because a co-worker of mine didn't use any and the system would power up and run normal until the case was bumped then it would lose power.

 

[thegisguy]

Bka4u2c,

I guess it would probably depend on the case and the motherboard. Some cases come with some built in standoffs. If that was the case I guess it would power up. I was speaking more generally. In Most cases the Motherboard would ground out and therefore not post. Of course there are exceptions as you pointed out.

 

[bka4u2c]

Originally posted by: thegisguy
Bka4u2c,

I guess it would probably depend on the case and the motherboard. Some cases come with some built in standoffs. If that was the case I guess it would power up. I was speaking more generally. In Most cases the Motherboard would ground out and therefore not post. Of course there are exceptions as you pointed out.

I hear ya!

I'm interested to see what BUrassler finds as the culprit for this problem. It does sound like the motherboard may be done. But what is causing all the static build up?

 

[BUrassler]

Originally posted by: bka4u2c

Originally posted by: thegisguy
Bka4u2c,

I guess it would probably depend on the case and the motherboard. Some cases come with some built in standoffs. If that was the case I guess it would power up. I was speaking more generally. In Most cases the Motherboard would ground out and therefore not post. Of course there are exceptions as you pointed out.

I hear ya!

I'm interested to see what BUrassler finds as the culprit for this problem. It does sound like the motherboard may be done. But what is causing all the static build up?

I didnt realize this static build up was such an anomaly. I also get identical shocks when I touch my Receiver, which outputs my computer's sound and is plugged into the same sugre protector & outlet.