suspect Motherboard or CPU blown?

Jammin_jay · 02-04-2007, 06:31 AM

I suspect my Motherboard or CPU is blown? I've had this computer for 3 years, then all of a sudden i went upstairs to see a blank screen, with no screen saver on it. So i started invesigating. I tried to reboot, but no signal. Its not the video card, cause i took it out and put it in another computer and it works. When i turn the computer on, i get no beeps, fan turns on, light on the motherboard is on. I cannot even eject the CD drive or hear the hard drive spin, but when i disconnect the IDE cables from cd drive, and leave the power cable connected to it, it powers up, but soon as i plug the IDE cable from the motherboard back in, it shuts down. The same with the hd, it will spin when theres no ide cable plugged into it, but when i plug it it stops. How can u tell if its the motherboard or CPU, i am hoping its the motherboard, less expensive.

PC eye · 02-04-2007, 07:12 AM

Welcome to CF! Official Welcome Thread Please review if you haven;t already Forum Rules

After three years a number of things could be the cause for this. One item often missed is a $2-3 item namely the Lithium battery usually a CR2032 model number on the board itself. When that becomes too weak the system can simply shutdown and see startup problems or iy may not even startup.

High temps seen on the cpu, bios eprom, main chipset even can easily see hardware failure of one or the other. If you have never montiored system and cpu temps where the thermal pad on the stock heat sink and fan became hardened and non conductive of heat the cpu could be done in.

Your first problem there by your description is trying to plug in the ide cable while the system is running? THAT'S A DEFINITE NO! NO! You never plug or unplug any internal connections with the ac cord plugged let alone on a live system. If you don't "zzzzzzzapped!" you are likely to see more damage. The drive cable itself could be useless or something is shorting to ground there.

**The_Other_One** · 02-04-2007, 07:43 AM

Probably a bad motherboard... You could try removing components to see if it starts working, but I had the exact same problem with an older system once, and it was a dead motherboard... The system would turn on and off, but no video. CD-ROM's wouldn't eject/HD's wouldn't spin up unless they were disconnected.

Jammin_jay · 02-04-2007, 08:20 AM

I didnot remove the IDE cables when the computer is on. I did it when it was off. What i want to know is How to you tell if its the mb or the cpu. I dont want to buy a mb, and find out its the cpu. I dont hear any beeps from the computer at all. Both PSU and CPU fan both run. A green light is on the motherboard. And the HD light is constantly on, but the HD is not spinning. The only time it will spin, is when i shut the computer off, unplug the IDE cables, and then turn it back on. What is strange is that there is no signal to the Video Card, and no signal to the HD or the DVD drive. is there a way to tell if its the CPU or the motherboard. IF theres no beeps, even after i take the ram out too, what would that say. I checked the cpu, took the heat sink and cooling fan off, and it looks as good as new, no burnt smells, not even hot. pins are ok.

**The_Other_One** · 02-04-2007, 08:31 AM

Um...don't start pulling cables while it's on

It's rare for a CPU to give out. And even if it did, I'm pretty sure you could still eject the CD-ROM and the HDs would spin up.

Jammin_jay · 02-04-2007, 08:39 AM

Let say the CPU is blown, then i still should be able to open and close the Drives, well thanks for the info, theres a 99.9% chance its the motherboard then, and the CPU should be fine. MB's cost a lot less then CPU's, so i will get another MB with the same socket set and give it a try.

**The_Other_One** · 02-04-2007, 08:47 AM

You could always pull the CPU out and see if it makes a difference.

PC eye · 02-05-2007, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jammin_jay

Let say the CPU is blown, then i still should be able to open and close the Drives, well thanks for the info, theres a 99.9% chance its the motherboard then, and the CPU should be fine. MB's cost a lot less then CPU's, so i will get another MB with the same socket set and give it a try.

Don't think for one moment you can't have a bad cpu as well as board that went toast on you. When an older Socket A board suddenly went doa last year a friend grabbed the cpu to upgrade an XP2000 to the XP2600 from the other build. That proved to be a fatal mistake when that board crapped on the spot. The 2600+ cooked two boards in two different cases!

Assume the worst before the best.

Jammin_jay · 02-06-2007, 03:26 AM

Well, it wasn't the motherboard or the cpu. I was very lucky. It happened to be the PSU. I replaced the PSU and it started up. Very interesting how it can go.

**The_Other_One** · 02-06-2007, 04:34 AM

That must of been one dead PSU... Its pretty rare it affects the drives like that too

02-04-2007, 06:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jammin_jay New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 5	suspect Motherboard or CPU blown? I suspect my Motherboard or CPU is blown? I've had this computer for 3 years, then all of a sudden i went upstairs to see a blank screen, with no screen saver on it. So i started invesigating. I tried to reboot, but no signal. Its not the video card, cause i took it out and put it in another computer and it works. When i turn the computer on, i get no beeps, fan turns on, light on the motherboard is on. I cannot even eject the CD drive or hear the hard drive spin, but when i disconnect the IDE cables from cd drive, and leave the power cable connected to it, it powers up, but soon as i plug the IDE cable from the motherboard back in, it shuts down. The same with the hd, it will spin when theres no ide cable plugged into it, but when i plug it it stops. How can u tell if its the motherboard or CPU, i am hoping its the motherboard, less expensive.

02-04-2007, 07:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,292	Probably a bad motherboard... You could try removing components to see if it starts working, but I had the exact same problem with an older system once, and it was a dead motherboard... The system would turn on and off, but no video. CD-ROM's wouldn't eject/HD's wouldn't spin up unless they were disconnected. __________________ Urban De-Development * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT * C2D T5250 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100 * G4 1.33GHz \| 512M RAM \| 40G HD \| Radeon 9200

02-04-2007, 08:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,292	Um...don't start pulling cables while it's on It's rare for a CPU to give out. And even if it did, I'm pretty sure you could still eject the CD-ROM and the HDs would spin up. __________________ Urban De-Development * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT * C2D T5250 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100 * G4 1.33GHz \| 512M RAM \| 40G HD \| Radeon 9200

02-04-2007, 08:47 AM	#7 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,292	You could always pull the CPU out and see if it makes a difference. __________________ Urban De-Development * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT * C2D T5250 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100 * G4 1.33GHz \| 512M RAM \| 40G HD \| Radeon 9200

02-06-2007, 04:34 AM	#10 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,292	That must of been one dead PSU... Its pretty rare it affects the drives like that too __________________ Urban De-Development * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT * C2D T5250 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100 * G4 1.33GHz \| 512M RAM \| 40G HD \| Radeon 9200

02-04-2007, 07:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,922	Welcome to CF! Official Welcome Thread Please review if you haven;t already Forum Rules After three years a number of things could be the cause for this. One item often missed is a $2-3 item namely the Lithium battery usually a CR2032 model number on the board itself. When that becomes too weak the system can simply shutdown and see startup problems or iy may not even startup. High temps seen on the cpu, bios eprom, main chipset even can easily see hardware failure of one or the other. If you have never montiored system and cpu temps where the thermal pad on the stock heat sink and fan became hardened and non conductive of heat the cpu could be done in. Your first problem there by your description is trying to plug in the ide cable while the system is running? THAT'S A DEFINITE NO! NO! You never plug or unplug any internal connections with the ac cord plugged let alone on a live system. If you don't "zzzzzzzapped!" you are likely to see more damage. The drive cable itself could be useless or something is shorting to ground there.

02-04-2007, 08:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
Jammin_jay New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 5	I didnot remove the IDE cables when the computer is on. I did it when it was off. What i want to know is How to you tell if its the mb or the cpu. I dont want to buy a mb, and find out its the cpu. I dont hear any beeps from the computer at all. Both PSU and CPU fan both run. A green light is on the motherboard. And the HD light is constantly on, but the HD is not spinning. The only time it will spin, is when i shut the computer off, unplug the IDE cables, and then turn it back on. What is strange is that there is no signal to the Video Card, and no signal to the HD or the DVD drive. is there a way to tell if its the CPU or the motherboard. IF theres no beeps, even after i take the ram out too, what would that say. I checked the cpu, took the heat sink and cooling fan off, and it looks as good as new, no burnt smells, not even hot. pins are ok.

02-04-2007, 08:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
Jammin_jay New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 5	Let say the CPU is blown, then i still should be able to open and close the Drives, well thanks for the info, theres a 99.9% chance its the motherboard then, and the CPU should be fine. MB's cost a lot less then CPU's, so i will get another MB with the same socket set and give it a try.

02-06-2007, 03:26 AM	#9 (permalink)
Jammin_jay New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 5	Well, it wasn't the motherboard or the cpu. I was very lucky. It happened to be the PSU. I replaced the PSU and it started up. Very interesting how it can go.

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