PC Build Woes....

deadl0ck

Hi All,
I got my hands on an AMD 2.8 GHz machine, Gigabyte Mobo, with 512 MB Ram but no HDD.

I did a quick test and booted the machine and everything worked, but I didn't get round to setting up the HDD till the last few days.

I used an old 30GB HDD I had, and installed XP Pro, then I updated it with SP2, put on Kerio Firewall, AVG Anti-Virus and MS Office.

I installed a wireless PCI card and all was working well till last night....

After about 2 hours I got the dreaded Blue Screen of Death - something about an Interrupt error...(This was the first time it was running for any decent amount of time)

Anyhow - reboot and within 10 minutes BSOD again - this tiime paging file problem...

I opened her up and removed and reseated the RAM, the Graphics, the Wireless Card.
I double-checked all the cables into the Mobo.

Turned it on.....nothing....not a jot......totally dead.....

Tried a few different things (Including changing the power cable just in case) and still nothing.....

I removed everything except the CPU and fan and it still wouldn't turn on.....

Got up this morning and it turned on (to my total surprise), but no HDD Activity and no display....
Had another rummage around inside to double check I had inserted AGP Card correctly and to check that HDD was connected.....

Back together, hit the switch.....You guessed it - dead again.......

After a little googleing/reading, some people see this type of thing and they clear the CMOS or remove the battery for about 30 seconds and then they get it to boot....

I need to try that later......What do you guys think ?

Has anybody ANY ideas/suggestions ???? (Apart from the obvious "get rid of it").

Thanks !!!!

Ruu_Old

Have you got a different PSU you can try? It doesn't explain the BSOD but at least maybe you can get it started.

deadl0ck

Yeah - I can pull one from my Linux box....worth a try.

I'll try the CMOS Reset first and see if that helps anything....

Anti

Its a dead psu by the sounds of it.

BigEejit

or it could be a dry joint on the motherboard somewhere (possibly on the power connector). most likely the PSU though

when it does not turn on are there any lights turned on on the mobo?

deadl0ck

Maybe - but why would it be totally dead and then work again this morning if it was the PSU.

When I plug in the power cable, then fan does a tiny little movement (almost like a small shudder).

It seems to me that the Mobo is getting power but when it checks CMOS it sees something wrong and wont sent the start signal to the PSU.....

Or is this crazy talk ?

paddy

Reseat everything you took out and make sure it's secure, it sounds like shorted pins on one of your PCI/RAM/GRAPHICS etc. cards.

deadl0ck

OK - will try, but if I plug EVERYTHING out except CPU/FAN should it boot ?

If so, I reckon a first boot with just that, then try everything 1 at a time.

There is also on-board graphics (which is overridden by AGP if there is a card plugged in), so I can try it without the AGP Card.....

What d'ya reckon ?

far2gud

Could be any of your components. Hook up just the psu and motherboard with altenate power calbe and power source and test. If it stays up start adding in the rest of your components one at a time testing after each one. If it still goes down with just the psu and motherbaord go with psu as allready suggested

deadl0ck

Hook up just the psu and motherboard with altenate power calbe and power source and test

Should I remove everything from mobo, including CPU and Fan ??

far2gud

Yep - it is not unknown for the cpu to cause these issues. Most boards will boot without it and come to A halt during post. If it shuts down straight away you know it need the proc in place. You need to narrow the problem down, its a bit of a pain in the ar*e but is the only way you can be sure you have the correct component to replace.

PogMoThoin

Remove the gpu, you should get beeps. if you don't, change psu & try.

BigEejit

try the mobo outside the case on top of a newspaper on your table in case something is shorting to the case (which is earthed through the powersupply)

deadl0ck

It's alive !!!

Booted with cold boot after being left overnight - seems like AGP Card is the culprit, but there's on-board graphics so I don't care (It's for my GF's parents for an internet PC) - it worked and booted Windows when it was removed.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys !!!

deadl0ck

F**k It !!!

All was working well, so I moved the PC to my GF's Parent's house as the PC is for them.

Got there (2 minutes drive down the road) - PC dead again.

Left it last night - same this morning - nothing - not a jot !

Bloody Hell !!!!

This is really pi**ing me off !!!!

Gonna have to go over there later and start pulling it apart again.

zilog_jones

Did you try a different PSU, or different RAM?

deadl0ck

Not yet....

I have some RAM here I'll try. PSU may be difficult though....

It's very strange.

I'm gonna try a clen boot of the Mobo with everything removed, I'll also remove the Battery first to clear all CMOS.
If that doesn't work, I'll try and get my hands on a PSU.....

nobodythere

deadl0ck wrote:

When I plug in the power cable, then fan does a tiny little movement (almost like a small shudder).

I've had these problems with phantom computers before! Make sure no part of the mobo is shorting off the metal case.

The reason it shudders a little is probably due to capacitors on the board discharging, you can pretty much consider it zero power. I'd guess the mobo is just fudged

deadl0ck

OK - I'll check that also, might be a culprit seeing as it was working before it was transported, then wasn't.

I didn't get a rattling during the transport, but I suppose it wasn't exactly static either....Worth a look alright !!!

Thanks !