Old Computer... New Problems

C

cdoggy

Posts: 32   +0
Alright here it goes...

I have an anchient, I mean old old, computer. It was a costum built computer that cost about $2000 in it's day, like 1995. It has like 95 to 100mb of ram. 200W Power supply, No idea about the motherboard or GFX Card. 36x CD drive, and like a 30G or someting like that HDD. No sound built in, no Modem Built modem, though i do have a PCI modem and some sound card theat goes in a port twice as big as a PCI port. Now to the problem.

Along time agao, in a land... I mean, oohh... sorry, I was plugging it in(the computer that is). I hit the button and the power light flashed, no sounds, no fans, just two(2) lights, power and HDD LED lights on front of case. Now to get it on I would have to unplug the power wait a few seconds, plug it in and try up to 20 times and eventually it would come on. Now it won't flash the led's or turn on. Any Ideas, or do you think that time has just taken it's toll? I really dought it's the power supply, and I tell my self it's not the mother board, but I have a feeling it's the mother board... Any Ideas to make this motha duckar power on, I want to use this old beast to experiment with, it just seems fun to go through and mess with things without having to worry about skrewing up a $1000 machine, sience it's probably worth about $10 if that...

Thanks for reading guys, hope you can help

Cdoggy~
 
Well it might be... One day I looked on the back and there was a switch it was red, so i slid it it said 115 and 240 or someting, soon realized was not to smart, but the thing is it still turned on after I did that, and I tried a 300W powersupply ans still nothing happened... I really dought it's the PSU
 
I nrt bast spallr dood... sorry... But then why would it flash the LED's and after a while start up?
 
Could be a weak CMOS battery or bad/burned power supply connector on the old motherboard
 
Here's my MOBO Info...

AB-BH6 ABIT Logo
BH6 Photo
ABERDEEN PART# MB6503
PROCESSOR Single S.E.C Slot 1
Intel® Pentium® III or Pentium II
350-700MHz
Intel Celeron (tm)
CPU SOFT MENU II
CHIPSET Intel 440BX AGPset
66Mhz or 100Mhz Frontside Bus
CACHE MEMORY N/A (Built into Pentium III/II processor)
SYSTEM MEMORY 3 x 168-Pin DIMM Socket
Support 8MB to 128MB 3.3V SDRAM
Total Memory Capacity 384MB SDRAM
ECC Support
(PC100 Memory Necessary)
ECC Parity Support
ON BOARD I/O 1 x Floppy Port (Up to 2.88MB, 3 Mode)
2 x Serial Ports (16550 Fast UART Compatible)
1 x Parallel Port (ECP, EPP Port)
IrDA TX/RX Supported (Optional)
2 x USB Ports
1 x PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse Ports
ON BOARD IDE 2 x PCI Bus Master IDE Ports (Up to 4 IDE Devices)
Supports PIO Mode 3, 4: 17MB/Sec.(Max.)
DMA Mode 2: 22MB/Sec.(Max.)
UltraDMA Mode: 33MB/Sec.(Max.)
SOFT MENU II Technology that eliminates all jumpers on the mainboard that set CPU parameters
The BH6 BIOS supports an external clock of 66/75/83/100/112/133Mhz, a multiplier factor of 2/2.5/3/3.5/4/4.5/5.
BIOS Award Plug and Play BIOS
APM, DMI Year 2000 compliant
ACPI power management
EXPANSION SLOTS 5 x PCI Bus Slots
2 x ISA Bus Slots
1 x AGP Slot
BOARD SIZE ATX form factor 12.0" x 9.6"
 
I tested the CMOS battery with a little LED light, it light it up fine, but how do i check for a burned powersupply connector?
 
As you've already acknowledged, that PC is worthless. You're going to spend more in replacement components than it's even worth. I'd suggest that you just buy another used PC for $100 or something.
 
...I don't plan on buying anything... but I really don't think it's unfixable... ima keep trying till, well yea your probably right, but it will be a confidence boost if i ca get it on and use it for beginner Overclocking, cause it just looks fun... otherwise i got a HDD PSU CD Drive that i can use with some old Pice of crap MoBo somewhere...
 
cdoggy said:
IBut then why would it flash the LED's and after a while start up?
Click to expand...
A bad PSU can cause just about any issue imaginable and the symptoms you've described are definitely common to bad PSUs.

BUT, as you have figured out through the process of elimination, the PSU should not be the cause. (The 300 watter you tried didn't work either). Assuming you can trust that 300w works properly, then your PSU can be ruled out.

Remember, keep an open mind - For issues like these you may never get it figured out if don't expect the improbable or accept the possibility of the impossible.
 
HAHA!!! RICK I love your Siggy... anyways... I have the 300W running in my old computer... but this is a 20 pin mobo, and that was a 24pin, but it seemed capable of running a 20 pin connector... but it has a led on the back of the 300W PSU that lights up if plugged in, but when i plugged it into the 20pin it made a quiet ticking noise like a clock and the light never came on... whats that mean?
 
cdoggy said:
I tested the CMOS battery with a little LED light, it light it up fine, but how do i check for a burned powersupply connector?
Click to expand...

Wiggle the 20-pin connector while powering up the PC. If the computer starts, there's nothing to do but resolder the connector or replace the motherboard
 
any of you guys have XFire? If so add chrisdog123, maby we can figure this out in real time....
 
cdoggy said:
HAHA!!! RICK I love your Siggy... anyways... I have the 300W running in my old computer... but this is a 20 pin mobo, and that was a 24pin, but it seemed capable of running a 20 pin connector... but it has a led on the back of the 300W PSU that lights up if plugged in, but when i plugged it into the 20pin it made a quiet ticking noise like a clock and the light never came on... whats that mean?
Click to expand...

It means that the test power supply (300 watt) is not compatible, or it is not properly connected to the suspect motherboard. If it has a 24-pin connector, the removable/extra 4-pins just hang there not connected. The remaining 20-pins need to be properly and securly to the old motherboard
 
well the 4 pins are connected to the other 20 pins, but there is a line the symbolizes the serpration of the last 4 pins... so i'm guessing that the PSU is a possiable problem?
 
used to, when i could eventually get it to turn on, the PSU would make a quiet beep noise,then i would unplug it and try agian, it doesn't buzz wwhen the PC is on, just a constant beep/buzz tho. Now it doesn't buzz and the LED lights don't flash
 
I'm confused...
The TEST power supply is 300 watts and it has a 24-pin connector. The suspect motherboard has a 20-pin connector, right? There is no way you can plug in a 24-pin power supply connector into a 20-pin connector without separating those 4 pins. They are made to separate from the other 20 without damaging the 24-pin connector. You just break the 4 pins away, and then push them back in, next to the 20 pins in a 24-pin motherboard connector
 
correct, but the last 4 pins just slid down as if there was a 24pin there, but there not seperate, just imagine a 20pin connector with a 24 on top and 4 pins hanging over the side... like legos...
 

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