Mobo or CPU fried?

I've changed everything there is to change except the mobo and cpu. Just finished putting in a new PSU, was a 250 now it's a 350. Didn't help. I don't know how to test, have no other cpu to try. Hate to buy one or the other cause for sure it will be the wrong thing.

This is a very confusing predicament. If I had to choose between the motherboard and CPU, I would think the motherboard would be at fault.

How about your cooling system? Perhaps things are getting kind of toasty... I suggest you clean the dust off of your heatsink and fan and check your fans to make sure.

This could very well be due to drivers you are installing too.. I know this sounds really silly, but you should run your system in safe mode for a few week and see what happens. If you are installing the same drivers each time you install Windows, then this could be causing problems.

Video drivers are often random reboot culprits.

Haven't been able to install any drivers. Reboots as soon as it hits windows, safe mode or not. Only hardware installed now is the video card with the standard pci driver. Cleaned everythig already.

Does the BIOS show any abnormal temperatures? It could be that some of the motherboard's components have died because of heat/speed.

No, everything ran cool, have plenty of fans and good airflow.
I guess I'm going to try a new mobo, it seems to be the most likely thing wrong. I think a cpu would just go out and not linger like this did?

Generally a CPU will die suddenly, not slowly. However, constant rebooting is a VERY common sign of something overheating, esp. the CPU. If you have anyone else with the same socket processor, ask them if you can swap processors for a few weeks. It might help to run a burn-in test with sisoft or a full stress test with FixIt 4, that can help in determining if something is overheating.

Triple check your fans, make sure none of them are vibrating or struggling to start spinning, check your CPU voltage to make sure it is in range, check to make sure all heatsinks are securely in place and if you have thermal goo on any of them, that it isn't bubbled up in one location or something.

It doesn't have time to overheat. It never makes it as far as Windows anymore before rebooting. That's after sitting for days without being plugged in. Looking at the health moniter in bios everything looks to be running cool.
I think I'm going with either the Asus TUSL2-C or the ABIT ST6-RAID. Leaning towards the Abit. That way if I turn out to be wrong I can also upgrade my CPU.

Well, the only other solution I can think of is to increase your CPU voltage another .05v and hope for the best. I've actually used this to fix a problem in a former system and perhaps this strange problem has infected your computer too.

This celery is killing me. I need my P3 back.

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After reading I'm lost.
But I would suggest that it is your Mobo. Or the PSU has S..t itself only slighty and ergo only just has S..t some other component.But you seem to have replaced everything but the Mobo and CPU?(note the quote). If you can, grab another MB and put all your original components onto it and try again.

Some of you guys have blamed the PSU. But he bought a new one, at plenty of voltage for his computer.
If you've replaced all of those components than what does that leave?
Sysbo & CPU.
See if you can swap processors with a friend with the same socket, and if that's the problem you're stuck with a dead P3. If it doesn't work, ask that friend to swap sysbos. I'm certain it's one of those two.
Also try running your system in safe mode!

I put a celeron in it and it still wouldn't boot. Good news is Abit is going to replace the mobo for free.

Originally posted by Thunder
I put a celeron in it and it still wouldn't boot. Good news is Abit is going to replace the mobo for free.

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That's some pretty good news. It wasn't easy for companies to replace faulty equipment in these last times ( saturated market, low selling price, etc ... ). It's good to know things are almost back to normal.

Well good. Another problem solved :grinthumb:
I agree wholeheartedly Didou. Ugh.

For people with this kind of problem, read this post:

What to do if you believe your MOBO or processor is fried

Hope my thread helps out!

Take a look at your mobo's capacitors.If they have a brownish crust on top of them, or are oozing some sort of fluid, they are busted, and that's what is causing your PC to reboot over and over.