Advice on how to get PC working again.

[gordonj]

I have an Windows MCE machine with the following components:

Intel S478 Intel 865GL MATX AVL
VALUERAM 2x512MB 184DIMM PC3200 NP CL3
2.0 GHz Pentium 4

About 3 months ago, when I turned the PC on, it would give a blank screen with no BIOS (although I could hear the fans and hard drive power up).

It started intermittenly and became more frequent. Recently it has stopped working altogether. I changed the powerpack to no avail.

I have now unplugged everything from the motherboard bar the power connectors, power button cable, 1 DIMM of memory and the processor (and fan).

I have gone back to using the built in graphics card too.

Still, the machine powers up but there is no BIOS screen or error beeps.

My instict tells me that either the motherboard or processor is broken (although both look fine on a visual inspection), or both are broken, or perhaps the processor thinks it might overheat and refuses to start.

How can I proceed and determine where the problem lies without replaceing the whole lot or purchasing, say a new processor, and finding out that it was the motherboard all the time and have wasted money and effort.

I can't understand why there are no beeps to help me out.

Should I just take the thing in to a shop and pay for an engineer?

Wish I'd bought an AMD now!!!!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jevond]

Did you build the PC yourself or did you buy it ready made?!

 

[gordonj]

I built it myself.

 

[Jevond]

Try removing the RAM and booting up, does it make any beeps?!

 

[gordonj]

Will try that when I get home tonight.

I assume that if there are no beeps and no memory, that would indicate that the MOBO is so dead that it can't even post an error??

If this is the case (the MOBO is definately dead) I could buy a replacement MOBO and test the processor, hoping that it is okay.

Thanks.

 

[Jevond]

U get the point.... no beep 99% it is the mobo........ You can try to work like that (get replacement mobo and attach the cpu) or just take it down to some store and ask them to check it for you. You will still have to get a new mobo anyway. Dont you have a friend or another pc you can test it on?

 

[gordonj]

Alas my other PC is an AMD as is every PC around me.

Because I was building a media center PC, I thought I'd spend a few extra quid and make an Intel dream machine (although I put a relatively slow 2GHz processor in so that I could have the quietest fan around).

The MOBO has lasted 14 months so I'm not best pleased that the extra spend on Intel kit has yeilded such a poor result when my old P3 AMD has run for 4 years or so (especially when I open up the case every other week to add or remove something).

I am fairly sure that this Intel motherboard has never beeped (even once when the machine successfuly booted). I presumed that it was turned off for all but errors. Perhaps the MOBO was dodgy from the start.

 

[Jevond]

never beeped!? check that the case speaker is attached properly to the mobo. I always worked with AMD never had any problems, i always use asrock mobo's also, i always remain faithful to a working formula Just out of churiosity what is your mobo model?!

 

[crammer]

I have had a simliar problem. Couple of days ago a PCI card fell out of the slot while the PC was still running and since then all i get is the monitor on standby, but the fans running and i have cut it down to the AMD or mobo.

Do you think it could be the same problem??

 

[Jevond]

Errrr...... That is why you should always screw them on................ you probably shorted the mobo, there is a big probability that you blew both mobo and processor............ you should start mobo destroying as a hobby!

 

[crammer]

balls. are there any signs that i could look for that would tell be that the processor has gone.

i am not to bothered bout the mobo i am goin to get another one of them anyway.

 

[gordonj]

Checked MOBO last night with no memory inserted and there is no beep so I'm resigned to "MOBO death".

Scanned all the jumpers and whatnot to see if there was anything that might switch the speaker off but there wasn't.

At the time I wea pleased that there was no beep because it was a Media Center PC and I was looking for something that started fast and was quiet.

If my processor is still running, I will get a new Pentium 4 MOBO which will take the processor and memory. If that's gone too, I think I'll go back to AMD. Maybe save up for a good 64.

My MOBO was an "S478 Intel 865GL MATX" made by Intel itself so I expected better.

One thing I find annoying is that companies like DABS (where I bought this MOBO) retire any pages referencing old products so you can't find past reviews or how other people are getting on with the equipment.

We live and learn.

 

[Jevond]

Crammer -
Re your processor i wouldnt know, when i a mainboard blows i usually just change everything, depends on why the mobo blew....... maybe someone else can help.

Gordonj -
Sorry to hear bout the mobo....... it is still money, it could have been used for somethin else. Check that the case speaker is attached to the mainboard....
check other forums re your mobo....... or do a google search