Processor or motherboard?

[MooseMuffin]

So yesterday, while playing a video game, my computer just clicked off randomly. Attempts to reboot it result in the following:

fans spin, hard drive light blinks, cd drive(s) lights blink
There's no video
judging from the continuous drive light blinking, the system isn't booting

I figure if it were the power supply, nothing would be spinning/blinking.
I figure if it were the video card, the system would boot normally, I just wouldnt see it.

I feel like if the motherboard were broken, none of the perphirals would seek, but thats a poor theory and why I've come to ask you guys.

Is there any way I can figure out if its my mobo or processor that died? I don't have a spare of either part, nor do I know someone with similar hardware that I can test with. I also didn't see any physical damage on either part, but I did smell a slight burning smell when I opened the case, but couldn't locate the source of it.

 

[jfunk]

Well, this could easily be Mobo, CPU, or PS.

If it was video only, you should get error beeps from the board.

Just because stuff is spinning up doesn't mean it isn't the PS.

Do you have any diagnostic LEDs on your mobo?

For the most part, you're going to have to swap parts out to test this stuff.

 

[beggerking]

mb and CPU are very unlikely to break under normal conditions..

most likely its ram or hd..
try reset the ram, unplug all ide cables, reset videocard, and see if that boots it up.

also, try clear the mb bios

 

[MooseMuffin]

No lights on the mobo, and no error beeps.

I also have no real access to parts that I can use for swapping out.

I do have good reason to believe that its the CPU though. A few months back I accidently ripped the cpu from its (locked) socket while replacing the fan, bending a row and a half of pins. I bent them back and everything has been running fine, but I imagine that sort of thing would sevearly impact a processor's lifespan.

Still, I would hate to buy a new one just to have it not be the problem. Should I go with my gut and replace the cpu, or am I better off bringing it someplace to get fixed, rather than buy parts I may not need?

 

[VanTheMan]

Ouch! As the rule of Q-Tips says "Always stop when you feel resistance." Try resetting BIOS and see if you can get some beeps to tell you what's going on. The only way you're going to be 100% sure is swapping. Any repair place is probably going to charge you at least as much as new hardware would cost and you might still have a messed up system afterwards.

 

[MooseMuffin]

So with a video card being the only part I had available to me to swap out, I did and bam, boot. Makes 0 sense to me, but at least I didnt buy a new cpu.

 

[daveybrat]

These kind of situations are why Post PCI cards are so great! I use the Soyo PCI diagnostic card at work, and it's great on systems that won't post at all. It will give you an LCD readout of a code that can be referenced in the manual that comes with it. It will tell you what it's getting stuck on, like memory, vid card, cpu, bios, etc.

They go for about $30 online. Not that you'll need it now though