Author Topic: Help! (Read 480 times)

midnight Target · « **on:** January 19, 2007, 08:55:41 AM »

My computer at home...

its ded jim.

Anyway, tech support on the phone says it's probably my motherboard. It is an AMD 64 3500 or something like that. Of course the warranty ran out 6 months ago.

They will fix it for $250 to $400.

I've never changed a mobo myself. Suggestions?

republic · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2007, 08:58:56 AM »

Does it not come on at all? Or give an error code, or beep code?

midnight Target · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:00:57 AM »

No signal sent to monitor, Fan comes on, can't hear any HD activity, light on main switch works. I don't think it's the power supply.

eagl · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:05:39 AM »

Actually, it sounds like it could be a bad power supply. You could try replacing it for a lot less than $400...

republic · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:07:23 AM »

First thing I'd try would be a bios reset, should be a jump on the motherboard. If not, unplug the pc, and carefully remove the battery..let it sit for awhile (30 seconds) and then put the battery back in and power it up.

Then try the power supply if you have one handy.

mussie · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:10:41 AM »

no signal sent to monitor... sounds like the vid card has shat itsself....

Did you move it recently,

I say this because I had a video card come loose once, It was after I moved the PC. After I reseated the video card (took it out and put it back in) it was fine.

Check Your monitor cable, it may be loose or the video card may have moved in its slot.

If you have a spare Video card about try putting that in and booting the PC...

Its worth a shot.

eagl · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:13:44 AM »

Mussie has a good point... I've had more than one computer that I "fixed" by simply taking it apart and carefully re-assembling it.

That said, check your motherboard for blown capacitors. The little tube or beercan looking thingies. If the tops are bulged or have crusty stuff on top of them, they're blown and you need a new mobo.

mussie · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:21:14 AM »

whoops... I missed read your post thought you said you could hear HD activity...

As a side note: If you pc speaker (the one that only beeps) was not attached, you wont hear the error code beeps from you BIOS. do you know if it was attached..?

Could be RAM that needs reseating

What happened before it stopped working?

Did any of the following happen/occour
1- PC was Moved
2- PC Upgraded in anyway
3- PC was cleaned
4- was there a storm recently
5- do you have small children who like to put stuff in small holes that are usually found on the case of a PC (trust me I have found paint brush's inside my case)
6- Has it been very hot recently....

midnight Target · « **Reply #8 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:36:33 AM »

Negative on any changes, and my youngest is 19.

It has been VERY cold for California.

I came home yesterday and my screen saver (the fish swimming) was frozen. I couldn't reboot from the keyboard so I shut it down and restarted it.

ded.

Actually there is a fan running full blast when I start it up.

lukster · « **Reply #9 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:57:39 AM »

There are many things that can cause a machine to not post. Do you hear any beeps when you turn it on? It's really a process of elimination. I usually start by unplugging all the drives (turn it off first of course) both from the power supply and the ribbon cables connecting them to the motherboard. Turn it on, any change? If not plug 'em back in. If you have two sticks of memory take one out (all changes must be done with power off). No change? Put it back in and take the other out. No change? That narrows it down to the cpu, motherboard, or video card. Access to replacements is the only way to narrow it down further.

Saintaw · « **Reply #10 on:** January 19, 2007, 10:21:29 AM »

Mt, if you don't have the spare time... don't you have a local shop that can sort it out for you? Taking them things apart and putting them all back together takes time.

If you have the spare time, refer to the posts above

midnight Target · « **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2007, 11:34:48 AM »

Thanks all.

SteveBailey · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2007, 11:40:26 AM »

MT.. believe it or not, it might be as simple as your IDE(hard drive) connect or a loose power supply wire on the HD. It's not unheard of for these to come loose. Heck, even a stick of ram can come loose(rarely)
Check out all your connections before you give up on it or put any money into having it repaired.

It's a long shot but it's free and easy to check.

Edit: cjhances are it's not your HD though because you would still get a P.O.S.T.

Boroda · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2007, 02:20:15 PM »

1) Did it say "beep" on boot-up before it died? If it did and now it doesn't - then it MAY be a motherboard.

2) If it didn't - then check a PC speaker attached. If you hear HDD activity and HDD light blinks on and off - then it may be a monitor. Do you hear a Windows "Tadaam!" boot-up sound in your speakers? Do you have any other box with VGA 15-pin D-SUB outlet? Like another PC, laptop, or a modern DVD player? When you attach a monitor to this box - does it work? (In case of a laptop you need to turn an external display on, like [F]+[F3]).

I have seen so many PCs assembled by brainless people, "frankenstine" or brand-names, that I wouldn't be surprised if PC speaker isn't attached.

$250-400 for changing a MB?! I wish I could live like that!

MrRiplEy[H] · « **Reply #14 on:** January 19, 2007, 02:34:39 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by midnight Target

It has been VERY cold for California.

I came home yesterday and my screen saver (the fish swimming) was frozen.

ded.

Actually there is a fan running full blast when I start it up.

Damn Bubba! Water in fish screen saver frozen? Get a heater in your house..