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What tests would you run to make you finally conclude that your mobo is dead?

R

Randskey

Golden Member
I have an old Soyo SS7 mobo that ran well for months - components include a GORB'd K6-350@400, TNT2M64 AGP, 128 MB SDRAM, Vortex2 sound card, HPNA network card, PCI winmodem, reg CD-ROM and a couple of 3.5GB HDD's - all of these on a 250W AT case and Win98 OS. Also have Norton AV as well as System works.

For the last couple of months, mobo started acting strange in that it would BSOD everytime I tried to get e-mail. It would work after at least a couple of re-boots. Boot-up also was irritating because sys.ini was looking for a missing .vxd file. All in all, I decided it's time to reformat the drives, do a clean install and try Win2K.

That's when the downward spiral began. The OS would install but I get this "performed illegal operation" error messages once the PC boots up to the desktop - still BSOD's trying to get e-mail (regardless of modem - tried PCI, ISA and external). In addition to the modem, I also tried switching other working spare parts that I had (CPU, RAM, vid card, PS).

Then finally, I powered up and the PC failed to actually boot-up - fans and HDD's are spinning but the PC remains dead - not even a beeping sound. The mobo is probably dead as all other parts still work with my other PC's.

I'm sure there is an easier way to find out if a previously functional mobo is dead - anybody out there with a Top Ten list to share?🙁
 
1: Replace the CPU. If the symptoms persist:
2: Take out the RAM. If the mobo beeps in protest, its still good. Or:
3: Remove all expansion cards (PCI, AGP.) If it beeps due to no video card, its alive.

Honestly, I'd call it quits if after changing the CPU and removing the ram it still wouldn't beep.

Might want to make sure the speaker on the mobo works too 😉
 
Actually I had a live (Asus) board that didn't beep when it had no memory. It would just sit there, spinning its fans, behaving like it was dead. So booting with no video card (and no onboard video) is very good advice.

EDIT: Just my 2 pennies. 😉
 
I've had so many power supplies go bad that I always
install a good working power supply before I declare the mobo officially dead.
 
3 video cards, 3 sticks of ram, 3 processors, 2 powersupplys, motherboard laid out on antistatic mat. Thats how I tell if its dead.
 
Take your system in to a reputable dealer and have them plug a pci diagnostic card into your motherboard. That should tell you what is wrong.
 
Try another power supply.

If the CPU is dead - it will give a BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP ...
If the memory is missing - it will go.. some kind of beep
If the video card is missing - it will go BEEEEEEEEEP BEP BEP

So in other words.. if it makes none of these sounds... the motherboard is dead.
If it's the CPU, memory, or video card... it will make some sounds.
 
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