Troubleshooting a non-POSTing board?

[Steve]

I picked up a used Socket A board with the caveat that it may be dead, I'm not worried about getting a refund as I'm sure the seller will make right if need be. It came with a Barton 2500+, and one or the other (maybe both?) apparently died after an overclock attempt.

I'm testing it by laying it on its cardboard box, plugging in a spare PSU, and the PWR SW wire from a nearby case. I also have some RAM in it an a video card (both known good). I've even got the SPKR wire from another case plugged into it. I initially tried with the Barton it came with, the board would power up (fans spin) but no beeps and no post.

I've since pulled the battery for about half an hour, with the CMOS jumper in Clear (now back to Normal since reseating the battery). Still no beeps nor post. I'm also trying a spare Duron 1.8 but no luck, and I tried changing the FSB jumper. I even switched from DVI to VGA on my X1600 Pro (with its PSU wire connected) but no difference. Just spinning fans.

Is there anything else I can do to test this? I just want to make sure it's really dead before I request a refund. I'd hate to lose this board if it really can work. EDIT: I've also tried replacing the CMOS battery, no go.

 

[Steve]

Bumping to subscribe

 

[Steve]

Just to add, I've tried the board with no RAM, but I still get no beeps. I also plugged in a keyboard and tried a PCI video card. So unless there are any other suggestions, I guess it's toast

 

[Rike]

The only thing you haven't swapped out is the PSU. As long as the Duron was good and the PSU is good, I think the only conclusion is that the board is dead. You've already done everything else you could do without being a mobo tech.

 

[Steve]

Yeah, I think it's boned. I'm sure the PSU is good enough as the fans are spinning and the LAN light comes on, but I also tried my Sempron 2800+ and no luck, even after switching back to the AGP card. What a shame, this could have been a nice board too

 

[Steve]

The worst part about this is that the video card I was using to test doesn't work any more. The fan spins up but no display in two systems. There goes my HTPC's X1600 Pro

 

[Rike]

Bummer. So you think the bad mobo killed a good vid card? If that's the case, double bummer.

 

[Steve]

Yeah, I think what I learned from this is to always clear CMOS first, he may have had the AGP overclocked/overvolted.


Or I may have just mishandled the card and static-shocked it to death.