Desktop won't start

[Plite]

Problem: 5 year old Acer Aspire desktop PC. No additional software or hardware installed recently. It was working fine one day, not starting up the next. No signal to display. Keyboard number lock indicator not responding. DVD tray won't remain opened. The CPU fan is working. There is two internal HDDs, both seems to be working (judging by noise and vibration).

What have I done so far: I removed and redid both RAM and CMOS battery (after applying some friction) following many Internet Forum advises. Tried to turn on the PC with just the minimum of hard wares attached.
Now the power indicating LED wont work, though the mouse, fan and HDDs are all getting current.

Update (My present PC configuration):

1. Elite group motherboard: A780LM-M2
2. AMD Athlon 2 170u AM3
3. 2GB DDR3 UNB-DIMM 1333U
4. I couldn't find any info on Power Supply other than it's made by Delta. Probably Max Power 300W. As there is 3 in it's product name (DPS-30something; only that much is written)

I am very inexperienced about all this, but my guess is that it's a Mother Board failure. How do I verify it? If the motherboard is gone, can I choose to install these parts with all other components as they are:

1. intel-pentium-g4560
2. gigabyte-ga-h110m-s2
3. Corsair - Vengeance LPX 8GB

I mean, I know HDDs won't be a trouble, but what about the case? Can I keep the old one? How about the SMPS? The fan? I have never done anything like this before but I am tempted by the internet to wet my feet this time. How would you have gone about solving this with minimum money and effort spend?

 

[Agent Smith]

To verify the motherboard I would pull all the hardware except the CPU and one stick of RAM. I would also test the PSU with a multi meter.

 

[Plite]

To verify the motherboard I would pull all the hardware except the CPU and one stick of RAM.

And then? I do not know much about this, it would help a lot if you elaborate a bit more.

 

[_Pete_]

He is saying to disconnect everything from the motherboard except stuff that is needed to run the motherboard. So disconnect the hard drives, take out all the RAM sticks then just reinsert one in slot 0 or 1, however they have labelled them. Disconnect any other drives such as DVD or floppy drive. If your motherboard has on board graphics remove the graphics card. remove any other cards you may have connected. Leave the power supply connected and the monitor connected preferably to the on board graphics. Start your computer and it should run the Power On Self Test or POST. if it runs that okay then you can be fairly sure your motherboard is okay. It should stop at a point where it tells that your computer cannot find a hard drive or it may say that it cannot find an operating system. If that all works then start putting all the bits that you disconnected back one by one. Hopefully at some point your computer will fail to start properly and then you know that it is that part that has failed. Having said all that in a lot of cases just taking all the RAM out and reinserting it can make a dead computer work.

It could be easier, although more expensive, to take it to your local computer guy.

 

[Plite]

It could be easier, although more expensive, to take it to your local computer guy.

I wish it was that easy to find a computer guy who knows his shit in this part of the world. Anyway I have already contacted our go-to-computer-shop and they won't be coming this way before later this week. They will probably install a crap motherboard and bill twice it's cost.

Your reply was very informative by the way. Thank you.

Done! No signal.

 

[Agent Smith]

Done! No signal.

You have no signal from the onboard video from the motherboard? You may need to go into BIOS and turn on on board video. To get into BIOS, turn the computer on and either repeatedly hit the F2 key or Delete key. The exact key varies with motherboards. It should say really quick on screen when you boot what key to press to enter BIOS. They may call it "set up."

Edit- Okay, seen your first post again. Since it's a Gigabyte MOBO the key should be the Delete key.

 

[Plite]

You have no signal from the onboard video from the motherboard? You may need to go into BIOS and turn on on board video. To get into BIOS, turn the computer on and either repeatedly hit the F2 key or Delete key. The exact key varies with motherboards. It should say really quick on screen when you boot what key to press to enter BIOS. They may call it "set up."

Edit- Okay, seen your first post again. Since it's a Gigabyte MOBO the key should be the Delete key.

I have confused you with my two separate question in one post. I will update it soon. The Gigabyte MOBO is the one I want to replace the old one with in case it is dead. You seem to think the display is getting some sort of signal initially and then not showing up anything. But it is not get anything at all. The keyboard is almost dead. 3 LEDs on it blinks at the start (every time I turn on UPS and then press power button) and then it never blinks- even when I press "caps lock" or "num lock". Even the Power Indicating LED on the case is now dead (that, I am afraid, caused by my ignorant hands on MOBO).

 

[_Pete_]

First of all unplug your computer from the UPS and plug it straight into the wall socket if you can. Obviously there is some sort of power there but if the power indicating LED on the board is not lighting up then the MB could be dead, the CPU could be dead or the power supply itself could be dead. As far as us mere mortals are concerned the only way to fault find those items is to replace with known good ones. the problem with that way of fault finding is that you could well blow one or more of those items when trying them and then it starts to get stupidly expensive. So expensive in fact that I would be looking at buying a ready built unit that works. A replacement 5 year old computer wouldn't cost much and it would, possibly, be cheaper to even to buy a newer used computer rather than going down the road of swapping components.. I am assuming that the hard drive is okay and if that is the case then transferring files to another computer is reasonably easy.

 

[Agent Smith]

The Gigabyte motherboard and CPU are compatible since they are socket 1151. As to the RAM you will want to go to Gigabyte's website and look at the MOBO's QVL list of compatible RAM.