Greetings:
I am new to this board and hope that someone might be of assistance.
I went to turn on my computer which was built for me. (I ordered the parts and someone put them in for me.) The configuration of my computer is:
P4 3EGHz, 800 MHz, 1MB Cache
ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe
ATI Radeon Pro AGP 8X 128 MB DDR
1 GB DDR PC 3200 Kingston (2x 512)
w/450W Power Supply ("Generic" shipped with a Artronix Case from Tiger Direct)
2 160 GB Harddrives
Floppy
CD-ROM
CD/RW Drive
With that said, here is the background, I went and ATTEMPTED to turn my computer on, and it will not come on. No matter what I do. It does not turn on. I have tried blowing all the dust out and NOTHING comes on. No fans, no lights on the case, nothing!
I thought it was the power supply, so I bought one of those Ultra Power Supply Testers, and unplugged the motherboard power and then plugged the power source directly into the tester. When I did that, all the leds indicating the various voltages come on for the power supply tester (+5V -5V +12V +5VSB PG -12V +3.3V). The most interesting observation from this supply tester is that all the lights on the case come when I hit the power button while the power supply lead that is normally plugged into the MB is plugged into the PS tester.
I also plugged in the Molex Connectors for the various drives, and all the LEDs light up also suggesting that things are okay there.
I should also mention that I have gone through and unplugged everything I can think of from the MB and still nothing comes on when I hit the power button.
The SB Power LED does still come on when the power switch in the back is set to on even though nothing comes on when I try to turn the computer on.
So, can anyone please help? I think its the CPU b/c that SB power led actually comes on (and stays on) when the switch in the back is set to on even though the computer wont actually turn on.
Please help me.
Best,
Cbltw
My Computer Will Not Turn On.. Please Help
It's prolly the MB. If it was the CPU it would try to come on and either go off immediately or just hang trying post and beep at you. Did you do anything just prior to this happening? Any static electricity shocks to the board or case?
*EDIT* you said someone built this for you, is this your first attempt to boot turn it on?
*EDIT* you said someone built this for you, is this your first attempt to boot turn it on?
Joe
Thank you for the speedy reply. I did not do anything prior to this happening. (No static shocks or anything.) I just went to turn it on, and it would not come on. It had been off for a couple of days. (I had shut it down.)
Also, this computer has been functioning for almost 2 years now. This is the first time that my computer has decided not to come on for this long.
There was one other instance where the computer did not want to come on, but I opened the case and blew all the dust out. It came right on after that. (I could not think of anything else to do at the time.)
But, now, its completely "gone".
So, you think its the MB.
Also, this computer has been functioning for almost 2 years now. This is the first time that my computer has decided not to come on for this long.
There was one other instance where the computer did not want to come on, but I opened the case and blew all the dust out. It came right on after that. (I could not think of anything else to do at the time.)
But, now, its completely "gone".
So, you think its the MB.
My first guess would have been the power supply but since you've tested that and it had been powering the rig fine previously, my thought is that it's the mobo. If it was a new build I was thinking there may be a stray standoff screw somewhere but I guess not.
We you OC'ing at all? The best thing to do is have your buddy who built it yank out the CPU and stick in another (compatible) system if there is one available but I really don't think it's the CPU. It would at least start to power on if it was. That's been my experience anyway.
Oh, BTW - welcome to the board!
We you OC'ing at all? The best thing to do is have your buddy who built it yank out the CPU and stick in another (compatible) system if there is one available but I really don't think it's the CPU. It would at least start to power on if it was. That's been my experience anyway.
Oh, BTW - welcome to the board!
Joe
Thanks for the welcome to the board.
I was not OC'ing at all. (After reading all these posts, I actually know what OC'ing is.
) But, no. I was not doing anything aside from trying to turn the computer on.
From the sounds of it, the MOBO has got to go! My buddy who put this together is far far away, so I may just buy the MOBO and ATTEMPT to put this sucka back together. Of course, should I miserably fail at it, I can always take it to the neighborhood BB or computer store and hope that they don't mutilate the thing.
As an aside, would the SB PWR led still light up if the MOBO is jacked up?
I was not OC'ing at all. (After reading all these posts, I actually know what OC'ing is.
) But, no. I was not doing anything aside from trying to turn the computer on.From the sounds of it, the MOBO has got to go! My buddy who put this together is far far away, so I may just buy the MOBO and ATTEMPT to put this sucka back together. Of course, should I miserably fail at it, I can always take it to the neighborhood BB or computer store and hope that they don't mutilate the thing.
As an aside, would the SB PWR led still light up if the MOBO is jacked up?
only other thing i can think of is to unplug all the p/s, reset, speaker, hdd led, etc connectors from the motherboard, and then put them in again. Sometimes they can be 1 pin off from where they should be, and that will screw it all up.
There should be a diagram in your MB book, or you can go to the manuf. website and download it and look for the right way to hook them up - also make sure of the + and - ;) I have seen alot of them that the positive has a small arrow on the back of the black housing for the wires from the case.
If that doesnt work - then I throw in for the MOBO also!!
Mike
There should be a diagram in your MB book, or you can go to the manuf. website and download it and look for the right way to hook them up - also make sure of the + and - ;) I have seen alot of them that the positive has a small arrow on the back of the black housing for the wires from the case.
If that doesnt work - then I throw in for the MOBO also!!
Mike
Remember, I am opinionated and nothing I say or do reflects on anyone or anything else but me 
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kenc51
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Have you changed the jumpper to rest the bios and also removed the battery.....in that order? --> do that and leave it removed for ~5mins....Make sure the motherboard is unpluged from the PSU........that means both PSU cables!!!
Is the P4 connector attached? It's the yellow and black 4pin cable which goes near the CPU on that board.
Also have you tried testing with only 1 stick of ram? try the slot closest to the CPU......and then test all ram slots one by one and then do the same with the other stick of ram.
It's a process of elimination.........As FZ1 said.....can you test the CPU on another PC?
I've had 2 of those boards and a few other ASUS boards.....they're normally stable as a rock. There's a slight chance the CPU has killed the board!
Your using a P4E which uses alot more power than that board was designed for...........but having said that I ran a P4E on that board for years and it still runs in a friends pc.
@ knightrid,
I have not done any of that as of yet. Let me ask this though: If one of those connectors was off as you mentioned, would the computer have functioned for two years? (I really don't know.) This computer has been rocking for me since Sept of 2004. I will try that what you mentioned though.
@ kenc51... I have not changed the jumper to reset the bios. (honestly, I dont know where that is, but I think I saw it in the manual last night.)
As for the P4 being connected, it is in fact connected.
Also, I have tried removing the ram and testing it although, I did not do it the way that was suggested here. I will try your method.
Unfortunately, I do not have another computer in which I can test the CPU unit. I was not aware that my board was not "really" compatible with the power requirements of the processor...i suppose I could consider getting a more "compatible" ASUS board though should it turn out that this ASUS board.
If it is in fact that board, are there any suggestiions for other ASUS boards that could work?
Thank you all for your input. I will try to figure out how to reset the jumper and remove the battery.
I have not done any of that as of yet. Let me ask this though: If one of those connectors was off as you mentioned, would the computer have functioned for two years? (I really don't know.) This computer has been rocking for me since Sept of 2004. I will try that what you mentioned though.
@ kenc51... I have not changed the jumper to reset the bios. (honestly, I dont know where that is, but I think I saw it in the manual last night.)
As for the P4 being connected, it is in fact connected.
Also, I have tried removing the ram and testing it although, I did not do it the way that was suggested here. I will try your method.
Unfortunately, I do not have another computer in which I can test the CPU unit. I was not aware that my board was not "really" compatible with the power requirements of the processor...i suppose I could consider getting a more "compatible" ASUS board though should it turn out that this ASUS board.
If it is in fact that board, are there any suggestiions for other ASUS boards that could work?
Thank you all for your input. I will try to figure out how to reset the jumper and remove the battery.
Sorry I thought you just had the computer redone - if nothing was unplugged from when it was working, you are right, they would have no bearing on it now.cbltw357 wrote:@ knightrid,
I have not done any of that as of yet. Let me ask this though: If one of those connectors was off as you mentioned, would the computer have functioned for two years? (I really don't know.) This computer has been rocking for me since Sept of 2004. I will try that what you mentioned though.
Mike
Remember, I am opinionated and nothing I say or do reflects on anyone or anything else but me
First step, keep it sweet and simple. By this, remove as much as possible. I've seen a USB hub, keyboard, etc. cause a computer not to post.
Remove everything external.
Still nogo?
I'd try resetting the BIOS using the jumper.
Still nogo?
Remove everything: -expansion cards, drives, RAM.
Now you're looking for beeping to occur. One of the first things the computer will look is usually RAM. No ram in the system it should beep. No beeps, you're usually looking at a cooked motherboard.
If it does beep, try putting things back in one at a time. I have seen oil from fingerprints on the Ram and expansion card gold contacts. Use a pencil eraser to clean them. Also, some things can be tricky to put in 'straight'. I had a computer case that would try and lift one end of the expansion cards if you weren't 100% careful. These things can word for awhile, but over time cause something not to work. Having worked for an OEM before, it wasn't unusual to see things 'half' installed. So things weren't fully plugged in.
It's really hard to diagnose between MB and CPU problems. (Unless you have another system to put the CPU in.) But the chances are better then 90% that the MB has failed before the CPU ever does.
Remove everything external.
Still nogo?
I'd try resetting the BIOS using the jumper.
Still nogo?
Remove everything: -expansion cards, drives, RAM.
Now you're looking for beeping to occur. One of the first things the computer will look is usually RAM. No ram in the system it should beep. No beeps, you're usually looking at a cooked motherboard.
If it does beep, try putting things back in one at a time. I have seen oil from fingerprints on the Ram and expansion card gold contacts. Use a pencil eraser to clean them. Also, some things can be tricky to put in 'straight'. I had a computer case that would try and lift one end of the expansion cards if you weren't 100% careful. These things can word for awhile, but over time cause something not to work. Having worked for an OEM before, it wasn't unusual to see things 'half' installed. So things weren't fully plugged in.
It's really hard to diagnose between MB and CPU problems. (Unless you have another system to put the CPU in.) But the chances are better then 90% that the MB has failed before the CPU ever does.
@mike and moon111.. thanks for the input here. About the only things I have not done are to try resetting the bios AND trying to start the computer in the absence of all devices and memory.
Will keep you guys abreast of what happens.
BTW, does anyone have any suggestions on ASUS (or other) motherboards, that could be used to replace this one in the likely event that I need to replace this board? (Someone mentioned that this board is not rated powerwise to handle the processor being used in it.)
Thanks again
Cbltw
Will keep you guys abreast of what happens.
BTW, does anyone have any suggestions on ASUS (or other) motherboards, that could be used to replace this one in the likely event that I need to replace this board? (Someone mentioned that this board is not rated powerwise to handle the processor being used in it.)
Thanks again
Cbltw
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kenc51
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I said the P4E was not designed for the skt478 -> this doesn't mean it won't work.........The P4"E" is based on the prescott core, it has 1mb of cache and uses alot more Watts. The P4C800 and P4P800 boards are some of the only boards that do work well...........there are some reports of boards been killed, but usually via Overclocking and letting the temps go too highcbltw357 wrote:@mike and moon111.. thanks for the input here. About the only things I have not done are to try resetting the bios AND trying to start the computer in the absence of all devices and memory.
Will keep you guys abreast of what happens.
BTW, does anyone have any suggestions on ASUS (or other) motherboards, that could be used to replace this one in the likely event that I need to replace this board? (Someone mentioned that this board is not rated powerwise to handle the processor being used in it.)
Thanks again
Cbltw
@kenc51...
I apologize for the misread/misinterpretation. That last part of your last post ("...letting the temps go too high") is probably what did it for me because I dont OC.
I had not recently thought about this, but it turns out that the room where I have this computer gets incredibly hot when this computer is actually on. (Its noticeably hotter in there when the door is closed.) The room is essentially a small closest with a small "desk" where I keep the computer. (In other versions of my apartment, this would be a 1/2 bath.) So, if it turns out that this board is dead, I am willing to bet it was the heat issue. I could be wrong though.
Aside from keeping the door open, I dont know of anyother way to possibly keep the room cool and hope that the internal temps don't rise too much on the board.
Thanks again.
I apologize for the misread/misinterpretation. That last part of your last post ("...letting the temps go too high") is probably what did it for me because I dont OC.
I had not recently thought about this, but it turns out that the room where I have this computer gets incredibly hot when this computer is actually on. (Its noticeably hotter in there when the door is closed.) The room is essentially a small closest with a small "desk" where I keep the computer. (In other versions of my apartment, this would be a 1/2 bath.) So, if it turns out that this board is dead, I am willing to bet it was the heat issue. I could be wrong though.
Aside from keeping the door open, I dont know of anyother way to possibly keep the room cool and hope that the internal temps don't rise too much on the board.
Thanks again.
Greetings All:
So, a little while back, I had the problem with my computer (described in post 1), and I thought I had an issue with my motherboard OR my processor as my computer will not start and I had pretty much eliminated, or so I thought everything else.
Well, I replaced my motherboard with an Asus P4S800D-X (the original was ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe ) primarily because I could not find that board anywhere INCLUDING e-bay where I kept being outbid for the board.
So, I put the board and the processor in and power it up with only the board and processor. Everything turns on and I get the beeps saying that the memory is missing (which was good). Next, I put the memory in and its cool. Finally, I put all of the stuff from the original board onto this board. I power it up and it TURNS ON! No problems!
I immediately get on the web and update things (and check my email... ) So, i am thinking.."wow.. its okay!
Well, I had to leave, so I turned the computer off by powering it down in the normal fashion... start> log off > shut down. I then come back later on and the computer will NOT POWER UP!
So, now I am sitting with a "dead" computer again and have no real clue what it could be. At this point, I am wondering whether my powersource or something is acting screwy on the shut-down portion. (I dont really know if thats possible but I figured I'd mention it.)
Does anyone have any ideas about what this could be because I don't think its a coincidence that I had the "same" problem with another motherboard. Namely, when I shut it down, it will not power back up.
thanks for any help you guys provide.
So, a little while back, I had the problem with my computer (described in post 1), and I thought I had an issue with my motherboard OR my processor as my computer will not start and I had pretty much eliminated, or so I thought everything else.
Well, I replaced my motherboard with an Asus P4S800D-X (the original was ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe ) primarily because I could not find that board anywhere INCLUDING e-bay where I kept being outbid for the board.
So, I put the board and the processor in and power it up with only the board and processor. Everything turns on and I get the beeps saying that the memory is missing (which was good). Next, I put the memory in and its cool. Finally, I put all of the stuff from the original board onto this board. I power it up and it TURNS ON! No problems!
I immediately get on the web and update things (and check my email...
) So, i am thinking.."wow.. its okay! Well, I had to leave, so I turned the computer off by powering it down in the normal fashion... start> log off > shut down. I then come back later on and the computer will NOT POWER UP!
So, now I am sitting with a "dead" computer again and have no real clue what it could be. At this point, I am wondering whether my powersource or something is acting screwy on the shut-down portion. (I dont really know if thats possible but I figured I'd mention it.)
Does anyone have any ideas about what this could be because I don't think its a coincidence that I had the "same" problem with another motherboard. Namely, when I shut it down, it will not power back up.
thanks for any help you guys provide.
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Apoptosis
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you're running all name brand parts with a:
I'd highly suggest upgrading your power supply to something name brand. The Antec NeoHE and Thermaltake ToughPower series are both great brand lines that won't cause sticker shock.450W Power Supply ("Generic" shipped with a Artronix Case from Tiger Direct)
Apoptosis,
Would a "screwy" powersource be able to cause the problem that I described? I am gonna take your advice and get a better source, but I am just curious if anyone has an ideas on why this would happen.
Could it be that there is some "surge" of power on shut-down that "burns" things out such that the board is "fried" and needs to be replaced?
Thanks Apoptosis.... That was/is the only thing I think I can replace at this point aside from the case!
Best regards...
cbltw
Would a "screwy" powersource be able to cause the problem that I described? I am gonna take your advice and get a better source, but I am just curious if anyone has an ideas on why this would happen.
Could it be that there is some "surge" of power on shut-down that "burns" things out such that the board is "fried" and needs to be replaced?
Thanks Apoptosis.... That was/is the only thing I think I can replace at this point aside from the case!
Best regards...
cbltw
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Apoptosis
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In all honesty I've replaced two power supplies in the past month and one was identical to the problems you were having for the most part. The system would be left on and the owner would come back and it would be off and wouldn't start... a few days later it would work and the next it wouldn't. He got the PSU from a friend that had it left over from a case he bought for $30. It was a generic 400W PSU and when I took it out it weighed nothing. The new PSU I put in it was 10 times heavier... The more a PSU weighs the better quality it is for the most part!cbltw357 wrote:Apoptosis,
Would a "screwy" powersource be able to cause the problem that I described? I am gonna take your advice and get a better source, but I am just curious if anyone has an ideas on why this would happen.
Could it be that there is some "surge" of power on shut-down that "burns" things out such that the board is "fried" and needs to be replaced?
Thanks Apoptosis.... That was/is the only thing I think I can replace at this point aside from the case!
Best regards...
cbltw
Apoptosis,
Thanks! I just checked on those powersources, and I will put an order in shortly. (Unfortunately, I think my motherboard is toast, so I am likely gonna order another one.)
Or would you suggest that I just order the ps, and see if it works with the mobo? (Right now, the powerstandy light comes on for the "new" mobo (as it did for the "old" mobo) although the computer will not power up.)
If I do nothing else, I will order the ps as you suggested.
I will keep the group posted.
Best regards,
cbltw
Thanks! I just checked on those powersources, and I will put an order in shortly. (Unfortunately, I think my motherboard is toast, so I am likely gonna order another one.)
Or would you suggest that I just order the ps, and see if it works with the mobo? (Right now, the powerstandy light comes on for the "new" mobo (as it did for the "old" mobo) although the computer will not power up.)
If I do nothing else, I will order the ps as you suggested.
I will keep the group posted.
Best regards,
cbltw