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I was working on my computer when the monitor suddenly shutoff. I did a manual reset and now the monitor will not turn on and the BIOS will not post. After trying several things, the BIOS posted once, and now will not post anymore. I reset all items. Booted the computer with only the CPU, RAM and Video card, still no post. I tried a different power supply, still no beeps or posts. No keyboard or mouse lights either. Any help ASAP would be great! Thanks!!!!

System specs
P4 3.4 Ghz
Gigabyte GA-8KNXP motherboard
3 GB RAM
X800XT video card
XP Pro

Once I needed to remove the addon Video card, and then disperse all the computers internal voltage. By holding down (the non powered) computer's ON button for 30 secs.

Then plugging in the Vid card and power again, and turn on

Try that

i removed the video card and dispersed the extra power, still no luck. Could it be the motherboard? What are the signs of a bad motherboard? It was working fine then all of the sudden the screen went blank, then turned off.

Hmm, no onboard video on that Motherboard to try.

It still can be M/b CPU, Ram

I'd start (well secondly now) with a bios reset (from the Motherboard)
You may need to view your manual to find out how to reset the bios

Then try BenchTesting (ie Motherboard out of the case!)

Keep us informed, it's unknown at this point.

I reset the bios, removed the battery as there are no jumpers. I tested the RAM each individually, dont think that is it. Wouldnt the motherboard still beep with no RAM or Video card installed? I removed everything and tried to start it, still no beep. Tried just RAM and video card, no beep. CPU and RAM, no beep. This leads me to believe it's the motherboard. But i have no extra RAM or CPU to test. Any other thoughts??

The beep doesn't always happen, anyway you need the little speaker plugged in, into those control pins on the motherboard.

Now..., benchtesting ??

The speaker is plugged in and yes i am benchtesting it. Thoughts?

Reseat CPU
Some info on that:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_s...structions.htm

Check, completed, no luck.

if u took everything out that is not absolutely needed to boot, and placed the computer on a cardboard and still got nothing then I think u're motherboard died, although it could be the processor although most of the time that would be the last thing to die as they generally have a life of 10 years or longer. did u test with different chips of mem, and different slots?

I think your right. I cant get the keyboard lights to come on, no caps or num lock. I think it could be the MOBO as well.

I removed 2 sticks of ram and reseated the processor, got a POST beep. Then nothing. It seems that sometimes when i put pressure on the heatsink of the CPU it will give a post beep, but them not other times. Does this mean my processors bad?

No, it's just releasing all the voltage to the M/b, then when you try starting it beeps then stops.

At this stage I'd be unplugging everything from the M/b except Ram and CPU (even the cpu fan can be temporarily unplugged during test)

Also unplug:
Keyboard/Mouse
Onboard USB connectors
Absolutely all the data cables (Harddrive/DVD/Floppy)
All addon PCI cards (including Video card - even if you only have the addon video card, some m/b don't have onboard video)
All fans
Can't think what else, just everything that is absolutely not required

Test, report back

Also, if you have an option for testing with another PowerSupply do it.

Unplugged everything but RAM and CPU, also unplugged the CPU fan, still no beeps with both power supplies. I cant seem to figure out why it would stop working while just sitting there. After 5 years the display just turns off, and now i'm here. And stumped too.

Drop the Motherboard on the floor !
Actually one guy washed his Motherboard once,(then dried it) and then it worked. (although circuit board cleaner would be better!)

The above is when you get really p!$$ed off

haha, not a bad idea!!! and yes i am very p* off! lol, but seriously

Its so strange, sometimes it will post randomly, and then other times it wont. I just dont understand it. It does it with both PS, so i dont think it's that. Cripes!

Quick question, when trying things, if i just have my HSF sitting on top of my CPU (with thermal paste), not fastened in, but secure, does that affect if it gives the bios beep or not?

I have a HSF that's terrible to take on and off to reseat the CPU, wondering if this matters at all. Thanks!!

No, I test like that sometimes (ie just sit it there-when there is no POST ->Power On Self Test)

But normally this would be extremely unsafe.

1. It could fall off, on to the motherboard (if it started that is!)
2. It does not provide the correct cooling, due to gaps (I think if it actually got hot, you'd be happy though!)

Mind you, it is possible that the CPU is on, but the M/b is not allowing POST (in full)
So whilst testing, just make sure the CPU doesn't get too hot (actually even a little warm- because that mens it's getting power)

Thanks, and yes i can confirm the CPU is getting power, that's for sure, the heatsink gets warm. For whatever reason the MOBO isn't posting still. You think it's with the MOBO not sending the correct voltage to the CPU then? I cant figure out why it would POST randomly.

I'd say Motherboard

You know I've seen this fault before as well.
It also happened to me (which is worse than happening to you, read on: )

Someone asked me to look at their computer (can't remember what. I think it was a virus issue)
Anyway, I got the computer, and they went off for the day.
I ran all the scans and all, removed the infection, restarted a few times in the process.
And then.. It just never stated again
After about an hour of useless fiddling, I contacted the guy that dropped it off.
Here we go...

"Well it was working when I dropped it off, you must have f#@ed it!!!"
Um No, I only fix them, why would I want to stuff it up

"Well what are you going to do to help me?"
You need to purchase a new Motherboard

"I'll come and get it, and never do business with you again"
That's ok I prefer happy customers anyway!

So, it can happen to anyone, and it wasn't my fault, but some users will never understand that.

Crikey! Wow, that is a tough break, sorry to hear about that. Thank you so much for all your help, i shall pursue to find the same motherboard as i have a RAID 0 with the onboard GigaRAID chipset. I think that is my only option to recover the data off of the two drives.

Can you think of any other way to get data off of drives in this situation?