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Something wrong with my parent's pc, advice wanted

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Xellos2099

Platinum Member
Ok so my parent have an aging dual core system and a motherboard from the phenom II era and these few days they are having some issue booting the computer. I can power on the machine but it does't boot. Mouse light are on but for example cd drive won;t reject during that time Sometime I have to push reset several time before I can hear the SSD drive moving and finally it boot. What could be the issue, cpu, motherboard, hdd, psu. The hdd is a samsung SSD that I got last year.
 
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I don't think whatever sound you are hearing is coming from a SSD since they don't have moving parts.

Maybe it's coming the CPU/Case/PSU fan or the optical drive.
 
It is not a post sound, could be some electricity sound. Anyway, ideally I want it to be battery> PSU> mobo. Not sure if it is worth it to replace mobo on such an old system
 
Double check if you don't have any loose CPU and mobo power cables, if you checked it's likely the mobo is dead.
 
Just put together a new computer. If it does finally boot, then maybe the files are corrupted or it is all full of spyware and and other junky stuff they downloaded. Might try just reloading the OS.

It all depends on what kind of CPU it has. There are a lot of older core 2 duos.
 
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If this is a desktop, try replacing the power supply. Sounds like it could be shot. Likely the +12V line is sagging.

If you have a multi-meter, you can check this directly.
 
If it is in an area that endures frequent line voltage fluctuations, the PSU could definitely be on the way out.
 
Turn out it is the ram controller. I got a psu form best buy to test it out and the issue remain. Out of frustration i took out one of the ram and the computer post eveytime but unable to get into window. After some more testing for a few hours i give up, put back in the old psu and the second stick of ram and cross my finger and hope it will boot so i can at least recovery the window 7 key inside. After a few reset it can get into window and I find out WHY it couldn't boot into window when i remove a stick of ram. It was a 64 bit window and it require 2 gig of ram. So i borrow some and when i put 1 stick of 2 gig ddr 2 it work but shortly after the pc suddenly shutdown.
 
Xellos2099 said:
Turn out it is the ram controller. I got a psu form best buy to test it out and the issue remain. Out of frustration i took out one of the ram and the computer post eveytime but unable to get into window. After some more testing for a few hours i give up, put back in the old psu and the second stick of ram and cross my finger and hope it will boot so i can at least recovery the window 7 key inside. After a few reset it can get into window and I find out WHY it couldn't boot into window when i remove a stick of ram. It was a 64 bit window and it require 2 gig of ram. So i borrow some and when i put 1 stick of 2 gig ddr 2 it work but shortly after the pc suddenly shutdown.
Click to expand...

That's not really a proper diagnostic. And Win7 64-bit will boot with 1GB RAM. So lack of 2GB RAM is not the reason it wasn't booting.

Sounds like your board's shot.
 
Interesting, any how, when i put in 1 gig stick of my old ddr2, system completely refuse to boot. And now when i put in 2 gig stick of ddr2, the computer will work for a few minute and then bsod of just turn off.
 
a dual core from the phenom era .. probably too old to put any effort into repairing it.

look at a new minimal build, you can get a lot of pc for little money.
 
Right now i have 2 choice, help get them something cheap for 100ish for a rebuild or i can sell them my 2500k + mobo + ram for 200ish and i use that money to do a skylake build
 
Any update on your plans, OP?

I just recently picked up three Gigabyte Brix J1900 units from Newegg for ~$100 + ship ea.

Slapped in an 8GB GSKill DDR3L-1600 CAS9 SO-DIMM, and an SSD, and installed Win7 64-bit, and they work great! Ok, not super-snappy, but adequate for what I'm using them for.

Would have installed Linux, but ran into some issues. (Freezing.)
 
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