Someone help me please... My computer is a monster paperweight... Something is wrong with the mobo or cpu...

Poizun

Junior Member
May 23, 2004
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Out of the blue one day, for no reason whatsoever (I don't overclock or anything), my computer just froze and then decided to stop working :frown:. Considering the fact that the CPU was under no stress at all prior to the discontinued service and everything else seemed alright, I assumed that the problem was in fact the motherboard. Lo and behold, I received a replacement motherboard from the fine folks at Asus, and it still doesn't work. Now, I have the same problems as senor Brule (Post: "Problems with soyo k7vme"); lack of POST, no beep messages, no video on monitor, no sounds, nothing. Pretty much what happens is I turn on the computer and the power LED goes on and the IDE activity LED stays solid for a good 30 seconds (pretty unusual for me). The fans all turn on, and absolutely nothing happens. I can't get to the BIOS and clearing the RTC cache doesn't help at all. I've double checked every jumper and made sure all plugs and cables were in place, and I'm gettin' grey hairs from it all already (even at the age of 19).
I called up Asus again and told them what happened (that it still didn't work) and they told me that it can't possibly be the motherboard then because they test everything before it goes out. So I tried the RAM. Theoretically, if I had bad RAM and I removed it from the motherboard and turned it on, it should give me error beeps. I would supposedly be forcing beeps which would be one way that I could see if my motherboard was working at all. No-siree... No beeps. So then I tried to see if it in fact was my CPU like the fellow at Asus said. Going by what tech support said, I removed the CPU and turned it on. Theoretically, I should again be receiving error beeps since I am inducing error, but again, I do not. Then I decided to swap CPUs. I have my family computer, a Dell at 2.4 GHz. So I swapped them, and whattaya know... It works!! I have reached the conclusion that it WAS my CPU all along. Not so... I put the 2.8c CPU in the Dell, and it somehow works also! So... In high hopes that maybe putting it in the Dell had reset some kind of switch in the CPU (wishful thinking), I put it back in my Asus mobo, and it didn't work... So now I'm here...
I'm sorry for such a long post, but I've been so stressed out over this, and I've searched high and low for a solution to no avail... If I could get any help or comments at all, I would really appreciate it...
O yea... Specs are in my sig... Thanks again for any help I can get from you guys/gals...
 

johnjkr1

Platinum Member
Jan 10, 2003
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First off, if you remove the CPU, you get nothing. No beeps, no nothing, the cpu is required for anything to happen, even beeps. Next, to hear post beeps, you need a pc speaker. Not all motherboards come equipped with these onboard, you may need to plug in a PC Speaker. As for Asus "testing everything", I've gotten bad RMA's from them before, so I wouldn't believe that for a second. What you know is that your CPU is known good. I would try the mem in the dell to to verify it. It sounds like you have a bad motherboard or power supply, but try what huesman suggested and clear the cmos. Basically, I would strip it down to bare minimum (no keyboard, mouse, pci cards, ide cables, etc (yes, keyboards can cause no posts)) and try again.
 

Cheetah8799

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2001
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Make sure you unplug all your IDE devices, floppy drive, etc., just to help eliminate any possible problems there. Also pull any extra PCI card devices. Like sound card, network, etc.

As johnjkr1 said, don't always trust the RMA folks. They may have shipped it good, but the mobo can get damaged in transit. Happens all the time.

Try pulling the power supply from your working rig and using it in the bad system. Just to see if it helps. Same for the ram, if it's compatible.
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
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Also, if you have an RPM-monitoring wire from your power supply plugged into your motherboard, or any other low-RPM fans that have three-pin plugs, don't plug them into the motherboard. My Asus A7N8X Deluxe freaks out if it has a super-low-RPM fan plugged into it and it won't POST. How's that for a sneaky one :)
 

Poizun

Junior Member
May 23, 2004
14
0
0
Thank you for your help guys/gals...
I have tried to clear the CMOS numerous times even... still doesn't work...
I'm going to try the PSU RPM wire trick first to see if that works...
After that, I'll go barebones and see what I can do from there...
Thanks again for all your help! I'll report back if I get any progress...
 

Poizun

Junior Member
May 23, 2004
14
0
0
Grr...
Ok... Well, the PSU RPM trick didn't work... I didn't expect it to since, this computer has worked before with all the same stuff...
I stripped down to barebones... Just my boot HD, the CPU, RAM, PSU, video card, and mobo... Still nothing...
I guess that leaves the memory, but I doubt that is the case since it worked when I used the Dell's CPU in the Thermaltake...
I am so confused... I think I will call Asus's tech support in a little while to hear what they have to say...
I just don't understand why this happens...
One more thing... When I was using the Dell's 2.4GHz in my Thermaltake, it "fried" again... So now both of my CPUs (2.4 and 2.8c) do not work in the Thermaltake... However, they both still work in the Dell... I know it might not make any sense... Makes no sense to me at least... =/
 

johnjkr1

Platinum Member
Jan 10, 2003
2,124
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If the two cpu's work in one machine, and not the other, you are not "frying" the cpu's. Something is damaged in your thermaltake machine. It could be the board, power supply or the psu. I hope you tried it without the hard drive, keyboard, mouse, etc like I suggested. Also, check for a PC speaker. Beep codes can tell you alot of things. Also, it seems that you could test out the ram in the dell to rule that out.
 

HappyCracker

Senior member
Mar 10, 2001
939
5
81
try pulling the motherboard out and running it on a piece of cardboard/wood/whatever to make sure nothing is short circuiting. also check the circuits on the back of the board (longshot) and check for anything burned out. you could try putting your board in the dell case and see what happens there. basically it's a trial and error process, ruling out what works and what doesn't. right now it sounds like the case, but i dunno. best of luck to you
 

Poizun

Junior Member
May 23, 2004
14
0
0
OK... I'd like to thank you all for your comments and your help...
But I still have the same problem... The RAM - I don't have another computer with DDR RAM that I could test it out with, but I don't know how it would not work considering that the RAM was fine when I plugged the 2.4GHz CPU from the Dell into the Thermaltake...
As for the functionality of the PC speaker, it's fine... It's worked numerous times in the past, but I can't get any beep codes... The speaker is hooked up correctly (that's the first thing I made sure of), but I don't get anything... I can't even get error beeps when I TRY to do it...
Pulling the mobo out and grounding it... I have not yet tried that, but, again, I don't think that would be the problem since it worked when I had used the 2.4 GHz CPU from the Dell... I didn't change anything during the transition from the original CPU to the Dell CPU...
This problem is really frustrating me... But I wanna thank you all for your help...
I just called Asus tech support, and the only thing they could think of is to RMA it again... I suppose I could give that another shot, but I will keeps tabs on this forum for the next few days before I send it in for RMA just in case I could fix it without RMAing...
Any more comments/suggestions/solutions would be great... Thanks again! I appreciate your help!
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
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Maybe your Thermaltake power supply is having a problem. Do you have another standard ATX power supply you could try in it?
 

Poizun

Junior Member
May 23, 2004
14
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=/ I don't have any other power supplies to use... Well, I do kinda...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but is the Dell PSU a proprietary one? I'm not sure, but I guess if it isn't I could give it a shot... I just wanna make sure so that my mobo isn't underpowered or anything... The last thing I need is something else messing up... But I guess that underpowering shouldn't damage any of my components right?
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
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Some Dell power supplies are proprietary. I wouldn't risk it... you might end up 0 for 2 and THEN what's your wife gonna say? :evil:


;)


edit: to be fair, a Dell with a 2.4C in it is probably ATX. If you want to give me the model number of the Dell, I'll cross-reference it against PC Power &amp; Cooling's handy Dell-PSU selector thingie and see if it comes up normal ATX or Dell-specific.
 

Poizun

Junior Member
May 23, 2004
14
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Lol... She wouldn't say anything... Because I don't have a wife... Esp at the age of 19... =P
But, yea... That's what I was thinking also (minus the wife part) =)

The CPU for the Dell is not a 2.4C, just a regular 2.4... As for the model number, it's a Dimension 8200... Unless it's something else more specific...
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
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Originally posted by: Poizun
Lol... She wouldn't say anything... Because I don't have a wife... Esp at the age of 19... =P
But, yea... That's what I was thinking also (minus the wife part) =)

The CPU for the Dell is not a 2.4C, just a regular 2.4... As for the model number, it's a Dimension 8200... Unless it's something else more specific...
Ok, I looked up the Dimension 8200 at PC Power &amp; Cooling's PSU configurator here and it comes out with a normal ATX PSU, so I think you're cleared to try the "heart transplant" if you want to. Good luck! :)
 

Poizun

Junior Member
May 23, 2004
14
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Thanks for the reply dude!! I'll give it a shot when I get a chance... My hands a little bit tied right now (by the wife ;))... I'll be sure to let you know how everything goes! Thanks again!
 
May 10, 2004
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Tradeing out with another computer is not a fair test. Have you gone back to basics, removed everything? Then restart with nothing on it. Add the minimum memory module. If that doesn't work, trade with a friend to see if another memory module of the same FSB will work. If you get anything working, add one component at a time... simple stuff first... floppy, CDR, etc. I would bet on memory, power supply, damaged connector or cable. Keep it simple. Be sure to use a battery powered speaker if you an find one. Have you tried memtest86 or other memory checker. First thing I would do is trade out the power supply, then try every combination with two different power supplies, two different memory sets, two different cable sets. Be sure you haven't buggered up something in the process. Check your processor to assure that no pins have been bent. Look for a pulled wire on a cable. Remember, it can be the motherboard, but it usually is not.