My Computer is Dead!!!!!!!

bp_me

As the title sugests, my computer has died. I don't know how it happened, I was in another room for the morning, and when I came back, I found my computer had powered off. Thinking that windows had simply shut it down to save power, I just pressed the power button. It all went downhill from there:

My screen didnt automatically come on like it normally does, so I pressed the power button, only to be greeted by a no signal screen. Checked the connections, they were fine.

While checking the connections, I noticed a cluster of 4 leds (on my D-Bracket supplied with my motherboard) which are normally green, were red. After checking on my motherboard manufacturers site, I found a page suggesting that my processor was faulty, link below.

http://www.msicomputer.com/support/sup_tshoot.asp#1_4

My question is could anything else be causing this problem. The computer doesnt even attempt to boot after switching on. Specs as follows:

MSI k8Neo platinum mainboard
amd 64bit 3000+
1gb ram
200gb hdd
256mb geforce 6600
56k modem
dvd+-RW and dvd-rom
fdd


Any help much appreciated.
Brendan

p.s. I have never attempted to overclock any part of the configuration

Sgtshaft

What is the wattage and make of your psu?

bp_me

350 watt, unbranded. It has been running fine for the past month or so.

ozt9vdujny3srf

PSU has likely kaputted, possibly taking a few other things with it.

you'll have to find a way of testing everything seperately.

bp_me

Suspect the psu is fine, as it will still power up, and the fans come up to speed, as well as power being provided to the dvd roms. If the psu was gone, I wouldnt have been able to see the "cluster of leds" i referred to previuosly.

optiplexgx270

well if the motherboard is telling you its the processor well humm lets see humm em maybe its the monitor? :P

Winters

I had a similar problem with one of my old pc's.

Everything just went dead yet the fans would still run etc. Replaced the PSU and its all back runnign again. I'd say it is a PSU problem, its just feckign up and not sending enough power around or some odd thing like that.

optiplexgx270

In fairness it may be the prob but if you can test the processor in another pc before going out and buying stuff you may not need. Can you go to any store in town and ask them to test a processor for you and tell you if it is dead or not does anyone know?

bp_me

optiplexgx270 wrote:

well if the motherboard is telling you its the processor well humm lets see humm em maybe its the monitor? :P

No need for the sarcasm, I am simply trying to find out of there is another possibilty before I try to deal with komplett to get an rma for this (funny storey, they also sent me a defective monitor and that took nearly 5 weeks to resolve)

@ Winters

I will try borrow a psu out of another computer later, but personally find it to be unlikely that it would suddenly stop providing enough power.

bp_me

optiplexgx270 wrote:

In fairness it may be the prob but if you can test the processor in another pc before going out and buying stuff you may not need. Can you go to any store in town and ask them to test a processor for you and tell you if it is dead or not does anyone know?

Think the guy across the road has a socket 754 setup, might pop over later.

Winters

No. If its unbranded or a cheap brand I wouldnt put it past it.

All the parts that were running in that PC are still going strong. Its just the PSU that was the problem. I've had it happen to me twice with crap PSU's.

optiplexgx270

Hehe once you don't blow anything else on his pc :P

Sgtshaft

Abby Magnificent Racketeer wrote:

PSU has likely kaputted, possibly taking a few other things with it.

you'll have to find a way of testing everything seperately.

This is the way to go. I suspect it may be the psu always go with quailty either a enermax or antec.

optiplexgx270

Well if you can rule out the processor then it is most likly the PSU and then you can test it with another PSU just easier to switch the processors first and rule it out.

Let us know what it turns out to be.

bp_me

used a multi-meter to check the psu. all the voltages are there. its not the psu

snappieT

What about the current. My last (and first and only) Qtec had the correct voltages, but at 0.1A - not getting very far with that!

bp_me

snapscan1212p wrote:

What about the current. My last (and first and only) Qtec had the correct voltages, but at 0.1A - not getting very far with that!

V = IR, so at the correct voltage levels, the correct current should also be there. Unfortunately no way of checking this, except to say that I find it unlikely to be the psu. Will have to borrow someones socket 754 mb later.

Sgtshaft

I know u have checked your psu but I have looked at your specs again and I don’t think that cheapo psu can cut it; I think your psu just does not have enough wattage on the +12 rail. I have had lots of trouble with dodgy psu`s and they can cause all kind of intermittent trouble, you really need at least a 400watt minimum.

Have look at this forum its the best for anything nforce related.

http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=11&sid=de9954d9180dd79377e2fb0fc4b93031

bp_me

cheers. will have a look.

WizZard

Remove everything tht is not necessary. Leave minimal setup and try to boot up

eg. CPU, Graphics card, 1 HDD, PSU connected to the mobo and try to boot.

bp_me

WizZard wrote:

Remove everything tht is not necessary. Leave minimal setup and try to boot up

eg. CPU, Graphics card, 1 HDD, PSU connected to the mobo and try to boot.

Its pretty minimal as it is.

The only thing is, if the psu wasnt up to the job, why has it worked perfectly (even at 100% cpu use) for so long?

edit: even with no optical drives or fdd it makes no difference.

Sgtshaft

bp_me wrote:

Its pretty minimal as it is.

The only thing is, if the psu wasnt up to the job, why has it worked perfectly (even at 100% cpu use) for so long?

edit: even with no optical drives or fdd it makes no difference.

There is no easy answer why your psu worked for so long but sometomes they can all of a sudden go like this, all I can say to you is never skimp on a psu.

For example your psu is rated at 300w but in reality its probably giving out about 250w (i.e. nowhere near enough power for that board/CPU/mem/vid) u could try just cpu and ram and see do you at least get to the bios screen, I doubt there is anything seriously wrong with your components. Oh you could try to reseat your cpu (just in case)

bp_me

Sgtshaft wrote:

There is no easy answer why your psu worked for so long but sometomes they can all of a sudden go like this, all I can say to you is never skimp on a psu.

For example your psu is rated at 300w but in reality its probably giving out about 250w (i.e. nowhere near enough power for that board/CPU/mem/vid) u could try just cpu and ram and see do you at least get to the bios screen, I doubt there is anything seriously wrong with your components. Oh you could try to reseat your cpu (just in case)

I'm going to try to get hold of a higher rated psu before i do anything else. To reseat the cpu will break the thermal material, so I need to get some replacement before i do this. Might pop down to pc world tomorrow.

WizZard

If you're near D4 I can test the components with a higher rated PSU for you if you'd like, I have one spare at the mo' (actual 450w)

ozt9vdujny3srf

Sgtshaft wrote:

There is no easy answer why your psu worked for so long but sometomes they can all of a sudden go like this, all I can say to you is never skimp on a psu.

For example your psu is rated at 300w but in reality its probably giving out about 250w (i.e. nowhere near enough power for that board/CPU/mem/vid) u could try just cpu and ram and see do you at least get to the bios screen, I doubt there is anything seriously wrong with your components. Oh you could try to reseat your cpu (just in case)

How come my lightbulbs blow all of a sudden after working fine for ages?

You can overload something for quite a period of time causing gradual damage until it eventually goes poop. This is why lightbulbs have a certain lifetime for instance.

bp_me

Abby Magnificent Racketeer wrote:

How come my lightbulbs blow all of a sudden after working fine for ages?

You can overload something for quite a period of time causing gradual damage until it eventually goes poop. This is why lightbulbs have a certain lifetime for instance.

Yes, but then I wouldnt have all the voltages working.

@wizard
in waterford, but thanks

Anchises

Suspect the psu is fine, as it will still power up, and the fans come up to speed, as well as power being provided to the dvd roms. If the psu was gone, I wouldnt have been able to see the "cluster of leds" i referred to previuosly.

I agree. PSU seems OK. If you have the condition with only MoBo, PSU, and RAM, you have little choice but to substitute each component into a known good system. Swapping good components into your system, will only confuse, since that will fail till you get to replacing the duff component, and who has spare cpu, vid card and RAm - plus it could be a mobo fault (unlikely tho' since it would probably not even light the leds if that was the case )


Have you listened for POST beep codes ? or does it get that far ?

Good luck

bp_me

Anchises wrote:

I agree. PSU seems OK. If you have the condition with only MoBo, PSU, and RAM, you have little choice but to substitute each component into a known good system. Swapping good components into your system, will only confuse, since that will fail till you get to replacing the duff component, and who has spare cpu, vid card and RAm - plus it could be a mobo fault (unlikely tho' since it would probably not even light the leds if that was the case )


Have you listened for POST beep codes ? or does it get that far ?

Good luck

Doesnt get as far as the post im afraid. need to find someone with a socket 754 mobo i think.

unkel

bp_me wrote:

V = IR

If only

WizZard wrote:

If you're near D4 I can test the components with a higher rated PSU for you if you'd like, I have one spare at the mo' (actual 450w)

Bold shows experience

Mutant_Fruit

bp_me wrote:

V = IR, so at the correct voltage levels, the correct current should also be there.

Exactly... should.

Take this example. I have a wire that runs at 5volts. I connect a light to it that needs 5volts and 1 amp to run. Bada bing, bada bang. We have one working light. 5 volts on the rail, and 1 amp running through the light. Now, what happens if i connect another light in parallel. We now have two lights, each at 5 volts, each pulling 1 amp. So we have a 5volt rail, pushing two amps.

Now, connect 10 of em in parallel... can the PSU supply 10 amps at 5 volts? Doubtful. And this is roughly why it could be your PSU thats died. I've heard a lot of stories of cheap PSU's not lasting when under strain, and 10 parallel bulbs put that one under a lot of strain.

bp_me

Reseating the cpu didnt help.