- Apr 6, 2002
- 45,182
- 12,464
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The computer is back up and running. However, about four months ago I was trying to figure out how to delete some orphaned map drive locations on my main rig. I could disconnect them, but whenever I would try to remap the drive it would not let me reconnect. I tried disconnecting all of my drives and stripping the file server down to the basics. Still was having issues. My SSD was maxed out. No room for even updates. So, being the pc tech that spent way too much time troubleshooting, I decided to just to a fresh install. I have a Win7 64 formatted on a bootable flash drive. I changed the boot option in the bios and powered down the file server. I inserted the flash drive. Powered up the computer. Nothing. Fans spin, but no video. Repeat. Same thing. Take out flash drive. No video. Repeat ad nauseum.
I had borked my motherboard. Or so I thought. This Foxconn branded motherboard was always flaky. But it was cheap and full size, full of expansion slots. Two PCI slots (for my SATA expansion cards) to be exact. I tried everything. Reset the CMOS. Took out the battery. Disconnected all drives except for the boot drive. Swapped out the power supply with a known working PSU. Ran memtest. Nothing I did could get the machine to post. I fix computers in my sleep so this is very frustrating. I assume my mobo is dead.
I prepare to build another home server. Bought me the baddest computer case I have ever had. Didn't have the money to go further. Well, after sitting on this box for over three months I got a wild hair and said WTF and powered the sucker up. And it did! Got video and it posted! No way. So, I pulled a sata dvd drive from an old box and proceeded to install Win7 64 from DVD.
Specs are below:
AMD A4 3300
Foxconn A75A
Seasonic S12 430
Samsung 840
8GB ram (2 x 4GB 1600)
8 HDDs (1.5TB - 4TB)
So, any idea what happened? I want to know the answer as a professional curiosity. I will still build the new monster home server when I can afford it. I just want to know what was the cause/problem of my dead computer. Why would letting it sit for so long allow it to boot up once again? It's a three year old build. I did it on the cheap when my old Abit 939 mobo died. I just needed something to serve up files and had a couple of PCI SATA expansion cards I wanted to reuse.
Would love to hear from the experts! TIA
I had borked my motherboard. Or so I thought. This Foxconn branded motherboard was always flaky. But it was cheap and full size, full of expansion slots. Two PCI slots (for my SATA expansion cards) to be exact. I tried everything. Reset the CMOS. Took out the battery. Disconnected all drives except for the boot drive. Swapped out the power supply with a known working PSU. Ran memtest. Nothing I did could get the machine to post. I fix computers in my sleep so this is very frustrating. I assume my mobo is dead.
I prepare to build another home server. Bought me the baddest computer case I have ever had. Didn't have the money to go further. Well, after sitting on this box for over three months I got a wild hair and said WTF and powered the sucker up. And it did! Got video and it posted! No way. So, I pulled a sata dvd drive from an old box and proceeded to install Win7 64 from DVD.
Specs are below:
AMD A4 3300
Foxconn A75A
Seasonic S12 430
Samsung 840
8GB ram (2 x 4GB 1600)
8 HDDs (1.5TB - 4TB)
So, any idea what happened? I want to know the answer as a professional curiosity. I will still build the new monster home server when I can afford it. I just want to know what was the cause/problem of my dead computer. Why would letting it sit for so long allow it to boot up once again? It's a three year old build. I did it on the cheap when my old Abit 939 mobo died. I just needed something to serve up files and had a couple of PCI SATA expansion cards I wanted to reuse.
Would love to hear from the experts! TIA
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