PC won't start

[cyitling]

Hi everyone,

i am quite new to pc hardware but i am trying to find out what is wrong before i actually resort to buying a new pc..

here it goes... i have...
gigabyte 7VA rev 1.x KT400
amd 2100+
ram 512+128
geforce 6600GT
psu: coolermaster 450W
2x dvd rom
2x hdd

its not a new pc and i have been using it for about 5 years.. then one day while i was half using it... it just shut down by itself without any warning.. then it wouldn't start up again.. when i try again the next day.. it started up but no display and there was a beep(i think it was one long one) then the power button started blinking green instead of the constant light being on... i try to narrow down the problem but to no avail.. i stripped it to just one ram (tried both of them, one at a time), 1 hdd, no keyboard or mouse... but the same problem remains.. i don't think its the psu as the power is on with an amber light on on the motherboard and the cpu fan and graphics card fan is running... and unless both rams go crazy at the same time.. which i doubt.. it shouldn't be that either...

the only thing that i can think of now is the motherboard.. if that is the case i will need to get a new one and have a major overhaul to my pc....

any help will be greatly appreciated... and i am trying my best to get it solve or at least know the problem in 2 days time as i will be going to the city to get all the new parts then...

 

[raybay]

It could be: power switch failure, power supply failure, memory, video graphics, hard drive, CPU fan, sound card, or modem under certain conditions... more likely than the motherboard... but it could still be the motherboard.
You will have to change out some of the components to test it.
If your computer has a floppy drive, disconnect everything except the power supply, floppy drive, and connection to the monitor. Use a MS-DOS or Windows 98 floppy. See if that configuration will give you anything on the screen.
If not, watch your power supply fan from the back. Does it turn 1/4 to 1/2 turn when you push the power switch? If so, it could be the power supply. You can test the power supply with a $10 device from CompUSA, Frys, Computer Geeks, Outpost.com, or Newegg, and test it... or borrow a power supply to see if an alternate power supply will allow it to boot up.
Try the memory modules one at a time, trying to boot with each module one at a time.
With the case off, do you see a green light on the motherboard showing that it is receiving power?
The idea is to troubleshoot from the most fundamental setup... if anything works, add a component. If nothing works, change a component.
I would suspect the video card, cpu fan, memory module, and hard drive in that order.

 

[cyitling]

i have tried swapping the memory and dc almost everything... but the same thing still occurs... cpu fan and psu fan is working just fine... no floppy drive..

there is an amber light on on the motherboard after i turn on the pc.. all the fans a turning.. just no display on my lcd or even the hdd red light blinking.. just the green power light blinking after the beep...

 

[raybay]

Go to your manufacturer web site to look up the beep codes. If it is giving you a beep, that may be an indication of what is failing to work.
Since those other items work, I doubt you have a motherboard failure, but it is likely that the problem is somewhere in video graphics... hard to check when you cannot see display... but you might try exchanging any old PCI video card or AGP video card just to see if you get anything on the screen...
And do not discount the monitor either, particularly if it is a flat panel.

 

[cyitling]

at the moment i don't have a spare graphics card to try... and i am using agp..

i was watching a movie half way when this happens... i doubt its the monitor which has the problem...

i can't seem to be able to locate in the gigabyte website where to find out what does the beep mean...

 

[vuonggg]

I think its a motherboard or a processor problem.. I had almost the similar thing also with my DFI board that i replaced recently.

 

[cyitling]

yeah.. i also suspected my motherboard coz if the lights and fans are going it shouldn't be the psu.. and i have 2 different rams that i have used for about 2-3 years.. i switch them on one by one and still the same problem.. i disconnected my 2 dvd roms and 1 hdd with only the graphics card, 1 ram and 1 hdd still same problem without any change...

in any case.. since i am using agp graphics card and i do play pc games...if i were to change a new agp graphics card that allows me to play games like neverwinter nights 2.. it will not be worth it as it will be out of date too soon... so if i need to change either the graphics card or motherboard.. i will still need to practically get a new pc...

its just that it would be good to know what actually happen...

ps: what is a DFI board?

 

[vuonggg]

lol yeah but if you have no money for a new pc i would recommend fixing your old one, but yeah Socket A is pretty much out of date.

DFI is brand like.. Biostar, Asus, Gigabyte, etc.

 

[cyitling]

while we are at it... what do you all think of the new pc that i am thinking of getting...

core 2 duo 2.13hz
corsair 1Gig
geforce nx 7900gt
+my original 2x ata hdd and 2x dvd rom

what motherboard do you all recommend? and will my 450W coolermaster PSU be able to support them or do i have to get a new one...

 

[raybay]

Coolermaster will work. 1 GB is not enough... GeForce NX 7900GT is good for the money, and I don't know the meaning of 2x ata hdd and 2x dvd rom

 

[Tedster]

BIOS beeps indicate hardware failure. If it won't even post, get a new PSU.
check your mobo manual for BIOS beeps.

 

[vuonggg]

Oh yes i think those specs would be great! The c2d e6400 is pretty good but it would overclock about the same as the e6300. If you are planning to run Vista in the future I would highly recommend 2GB of memory. How much are you willing to spend on your motherboard? How many amps does your power supply have on the 12+ volt rail? and for the graphics card NX 7900gt is fine, but if you could spend a bit more, you could get the 8800gts 320mb for 300 bucks and that thing would blow away a 7900gt plus it supports dx10 for future games.

evga 8800gts 320mb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130038

evga motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813188009

a little bit older technology
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128012

 

[cyitling]

raybay: it means that i have 2 ata hdd and 2 dvd roms..

vuonggg: for my psu i think i have one of each + and -12V..i was thinking of getting the 8800gts.. but getting that and a new motherboard is a little over budget for me... as for the memory.. i won't be using vista any time soon.. so 1G for now should be sufficient.. if need be i will upgrade later... i heard 7900gt is pretty good already and can support quite alot of games as it is...

i forgot to add.. in the event that i decided to get the 320M 8800gts.. will leadtek be a good brand and i heard it requires a lot of power...

 

[vuonggg]

for the psu its better to have more than 30A on the +12v rail, some psus have more than one +12v rails so of course that would be better. I got this from someone else threat in here, but if your psu has like 1,000watts and only 5amps on the +12v rail it wouldn't power anything. Oh and make sure your psu has a 24-pin connection. If you are buying a new psu I recommend not going cheap on those. Even though mines cheap, but it has pretty darn good ratings ^^

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817189003

The 7900GT requires atleast 20A and the 8800GTX requires I think about 30A.

I think any brand would be the same. On Newegg I just depend on the ratings of the product, but yeah I heard Leadtek is a pretty good brand.