ASUS P5B wont boot, doesn't beep - power surge?

[tchiseen]

Tonight my computer died, RIP. The power went out for about an hour and when it came back on my computer wouldnt post, didnt beep, but all the fans start up fine. specs:

e6600 - big typhoon
p5b
2x1gb patriot ddr2 pc2-850
bunch of seagate satas
7900gs
thermaltake 430w

ths computer has been working great for about 10 months, and now tonight it doesnt work. i'm sort of perplexed, as i've got it on a surge protector (not one with a connected devices warranty though).

I have tried pulling out cmos battery - i then used the reset jumper as per the manual, no dice. i tried messing with the ram sticks, nothing. when i pull the 2 sticks out the computer beeps (it has a great beat to it , but i digress) I pulled the thing apart and rebuilt it, no dice.

I've read around, people have had the same symptoms, but noone has really produced a solution. I dont have any other ram , cpu or mobo to test with, which is too bad. I hope it's not the ram, cause it cost much more then the mobo.
any ideas or clues ??


edit - the system used to double-post , where it'd turn n, and off quickly when i started it up, but now it doesnt do that, it just spins up, powers on, but nothing happens.
Cheers!

 

[CCT]

Go through this first:

https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic53866.html

 

[tchiseen]

Go through this first:

https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic53866.html

Cheers, I have gone through these steps. I have good experience building machines. From reading other peoples issues, I have a feeling my mobo or ram has become faulty, or some settings on the motherboard are causing it not to post. I'd like to know if anyone has has the same thing happen with similar hardware.

 

[CCT]

You have tried plugging it into the wall directly in case the surge protector is blown?

 

[tchiseen]

You have tried plugging it into the wall directly in case the surge protector is blown?

Yes, I have, it does the same thing, powers up, fans spin hdds spin up, but it does not post does not beep.

 

[CCT]

Sounds like cpu is burnt. 'Could' be a bad psu. Sorry.

 

[tchiseen]

Oh dear me, well, I seem to have got it working, here's what I did

reset cmos with jumper - removed one ram stick, put the other one into dimm 2, and the computer booted up, gave me 3 beeps and restarted, now it sees the one ram stick in there in dimm 2 as a pc2 6400, which is a bit of a shame. the computer wont boot with the other stick in dimm 4, i havn't tried the other stick alone in dimm 2, but i will soon.

this is feeling like a mobo problem, due to the odd behaviour with the ram.

cheers

 

[CCT]

'i tried messing with the ram sticks, nothing'

Since you said this, it isn't appropriate for someone helping to tell you to do it again.

Next time, offer clear comment.


thx

 

[tchiseen]

'i tried messing with the ram sticks, nothing'

Since you said this, it isn't appropriate for someone helping to tell you to do it again.

Next time, offer clear comment.


thx

My apologies, I was vague in my OP because I'd tried a few combinations, but not every iteration of RAM possible.

Judging from the behaviour of the machine now, could anyone suggest a cause and a course of action for me? Cheers again !

 

[the_gas]

I had exactly the same problem as the opening poster, with an almost identical system. e660 asus p5w, turned out my conroe had overheated and failed.

 

[tchiseen]

that is a shame. what did you do? i don't think my cpu has failed because the system will still work with different ram.

 

[raybay]

I think you have answered your own question, "because the system will still work with different ram."
What was the source of the power failure. Did you have a lightning striike in the neighborhood. We have seen nearly 100 failed computers caused by small, invisible lightning coming down telephone lines, or cable... no burned damage or odor... but the bench test showed failed components on the board, or all the memory modules were shot.
I assume you have tested the power supply thoroughly, but have you actually switched in a different power supply. Same with other components that you can exchange.
Doubt it is the cpu... last place it would be.
Look at all the components on the motherboard with a magnifying glass... particularly the memory slots, puffed capacitors, a shiny oily look on chips and motherboard circuits...
Finally, I would go down to the least components... different power supply, floppy drive or external, one memory module, video connection... attempt a boot to a W98 floppy start/boot disc.

 

[MaHaBone]

When you remove the RAM and it beep at boot, what is the pattern to it? How many long beeps, short beeps, etc?

I'm having a similar problem with my ASUS P4800D-X, and when I pull the RAM, I get one long, two short (I hear it in my nightmares now :-0)
Just wondering what tune yours is playing...

 

[nickc]

MaHaBone, that is up to the MoBo, all are different and can be found in the manual that came with the MOBo.

 

[tchiseen]

The source of the power failure was that something tripped a safety in my neighborhoods safety system, or something (energy australia wasn't very helpful). in any case, they're not taking responsibility, and it wasn't, afaik, lightning (wasnt rainy).
I will inspect it and get back. thank you raybay for the tips.

 

[raybay]

Seems it was much more than a "tripping" of the power system.. such as a power surge might do. If you check around, you will find some outfit that recorded the surge. If you computers were damaged, so were others. Dips are common, and accepted, power surges are unacceptable as a good system prevents their doing damage. Ask computer repair shops if other motherboards were damaged. You Aussies usually have better rules than we do in Colorado, Arizona, and Utah where the power is bad.