I'm trying to help a friend with a PC problem. Here's the specs: Windows 98, Microstar MS-6368 Socket 370 w/ PIII 866, on-board video & sound, 10 gig HDD, CD, CDRW, FDD, 56K PCI, 1 stick of 256MB PC133, etc.
When I press the power switch, everything (HDD, PS, CPU fan, etc) turns on but there's no video, no post beep, and no memory test. But if I wait long enough (literally 3-5 minutes) the PC will beep and post the initial boot screen then everything is fine form there.
Here's what I've done so far...
1) I stripped the machine of everything not needed and it still had the same problems. I left only the CPU, HDD, memory, on-board video and sound connected (no FDD, no Cd drives, and no 56K PCI modem).
2) Swapped HDDs, no change.
3) Swapped memory, no change.
4) Swapped IDE cables, no change.
5) Virus scan came back clean running the HDD on my PC as a slave drive.
6) I tried another PCI video card (but I didn't disable the on-board video if that matters any).
7) I reseated everything, literally everything (power supply connector, CPU, memory, all cables, etc).
8) I swapped power supplies, still no luck.
9) I reset the CMOS jumper, no change.
10) I replaced the CMOS battery, no change.
11) Tried different power cord, no change.
12) I have this plugged into my monitor, keyboard & mouse and no changes either (same problem as when system is using my friends monitor, keyboard & mouse).
13) I've also tried another power switch - still no luck.
I think the motherboard has problems and may be dying. Does anyone else have any ideas? I'm totally lost here and need any assistance or suggestions that anyone has to offer. Unfortunately I don't have any testing equipment if there's something in particular that I should be testing, but I have spare working parts so that's why I swapped everything out except the motherboad & CPU.
When I press the power switch, everything (HDD, PS, CPU fan, etc) turns on but there's no video, no post beep, and no memory test. But if I wait long enough (literally 3-5 minutes) the PC will beep and post the initial boot screen then everything is fine form there.
Here's what I've done so far...
1) I stripped the machine of everything not needed and it still had the same problems. I left only the CPU, HDD, memory, on-board video and sound connected (no FDD, no Cd drives, and no 56K PCI modem).
2) Swapped HDDs, no change.
3) Swapped memory, no change.
4) Swapped IDE cables, no change.
5) Virus scan came back clean running the HDD on my PC as a slave drive.
6) I tried another PCI video card (but I didn't disable the on-board video if that matters any).
7) I reseated everything, literally everything (power supply connector, CPU, memory, all cables, etc).
8) I swapped power supplies, still no luck.
9) I reset the CMOS jumper, no change.
10) I replaced the CMOS battery, no change.
11) Tried different power cord, no change.
12) I have this plugged into my monitor, keyboard & mouse and no changes either (same problem as when system is using my friends monitor, keyboard & mouse).
13) I've also tried another power switch - still no luck.
I think the motherboard has problems and may be dying. Does anyone else have any ideas? I'm totally lost here and need any assistance or suggestions that anyone has to offer. Unfortunately I don't have any testing equipment if there's something in particular that I should be testing, but I have spare working parts so that's why I swapped everything out except the motherboad & CPU.
