MOTHERBOARD IS DEAD: Is there some way of testing _just_ the motherboard?

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frivolousme

frivolousme

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Guys, I'm looking for a way to test a motherboard which appears to be DOA. I've tried it connected to two different PSUs (both of which pass the paperclip test): no joy.  

The thing is, this is the first motherboard installation I have ever done (I've installed everything else, drives, optical, cards, etc.) and I'm in that zone of apprehension that everyone goes through the first time they try to do something (technically) new. Now, don't laugh if some of these questions are pathetically obvious!!!

1st question:
Is there some way of detecting life in a motherboard without hooking it to a power supply?

2nd question:
If I have to connect to a PSU, does the motherboard have to be connected to its brass standoff risers . . . or can I test it outside of the chassis on a quality anti-static mat?

3rd question:
Would I be able to SEE or HEAR signs of life in the motherboard before physically connecting:
  • monitor?
    mouse?
    keyboard?

4th question:
Must the DIMM(S) be installed just to see if the motherboard can turn itself on?

Thanks guys.

fm
 
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skit75

skit75

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Oct 7, 2008
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1. No... not really
2. You can test it outside of the case. If you don't have a mat, A piece of unfinished(no polish/wax/stain) wood, works really well also. It needs to be connected to a PSU because there is a +sense voltage that returns from the mainboard to the supply letting it know it is OK for full power ON
3. monitor yes, mouse yes, keyboard yes (the CPU Fan will spin & or possible error beeps if you have a speaker)
4. You must mount at least 1 RAM module(only 1 is preferred for trouble-shooting)
 
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Shaun o

Shaun o

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Oct 7, 2007
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1st : No

2nd: You can set the board up on the anti static bag or a non conductive material.

3rd question:

When you first turn on the computer you should hear one beep indicating everything is working fine, if you get more than one beep it means there is an error the manual will tell you what the nature of the problem is by the number of beeps and the tone of them


4th question:
No, but you will get a beep error to say there is no memory fitted into the motherboard.
 
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smorizio

smorizio

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Jan 22, 2010
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You dont need to have the mb sitting on the case standoffs. The standoffs are used to keep the mb from shorting out. You can place the mb on top of the bag and box it came in to do some breadbording tests. You need power and a mb speaker to hear if the mb is trying to post and give you a CMOS beep code. Most newer mb have debug led on them or mini post card with numbers and letters. On new mb I try tell people run down a quick debug list. Look for the mb bios sticker...on msi it on the CMOS chip on asus it the numbers on the end of the serial number label. Check that the bios on the mb will post with the CPU installed. On the mb vendor web page is a ram and CPU qal list with that info. On new mb make sure the secondary power plug is connected. It can be a four or eight pin plug near the CPU or on the edge of the mb. Newer power supply's use two four pin connectors to make a larger eight pin. With the mb and power supply connected most mb now use a small green led that says power good. This tells you your getting standby power to the mb. On asus mb there a CPU..gpu...ram LEDs.
If you power the mb up and no led or fans come on..try removing the power supply and do what called green wire jump test. To see if the power supply will turn on. One word of warning new power supply's and mb will not turn on if there a dead short. Check your USB..fans...io shields and cables for bent pins or you missing a row of pins.
 
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frivolousme

frivolousme

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Guys! Wow what fantastic answers!! I can't award any one answer because they're ALL solutions!

I was reviewing some of my previous posts in TomsHardware and want your opinion on this method of eliminating the HEADER PINS ON THE CHASSIS, which a very kind member submitted some months ago. I've tightened up the sentences so here it goes . . .

FM
____________________________________
TESTING THE CHASSIS’ FRONT-PANEL CONNECTERS USING A SCREWDRIVER . . .

Check that you have both leads from the PSU plugged into the motherboard.
Disconnect the front panel connectors from the motherboard.
ATTEMPT TO START THE PC USING A SCREWDRIVER:
Locate the TWO FRONT-PANEL POWER-SWITCH pins.
((Briefly)) touch, and then remove, the tip of a screwdriver across the TWO POWER-SWITCH pins.

>>If the PC boots you know the power switch is the problem
 
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frivolousme

frivolousme

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Guys . . . My motherboard (ASROCK A75 EXTREME6) actually has a CLEAR CMOS button if you don't want to fuss with the 3-PIN jumper; but it's the first time I noticed that the Motherboard shipped with a jumper on 2+3 (Asrock CLEAR CMOS) and >>NOT on 1+2 (SHORT, or Asrock DEFAULT). Here is what the manual states:

To clear and reset the system parameters to default setup, please turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power supply.

After waiting for 15 seconds, use a jumper cap to SHORT PIN2 AND PIN3 on CLRCMOS1 for 5 seconds.

However, please do not clear the CMOS right after you update the BIOS.
Click to expand...
If . . .
NO JUMPER = OPEN
1+2 = SHORT (DEFAULT)
2+3 = CLEAR CMOS
should I leave it OPEN, SHORT, or the way it shipped (2+3 = CLEAR CMOS)?

And what about the battery? Remove it to drain? Leave it there?

fm
 
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frivolousme

frivolousme

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:bic:

If I could indulge the forum's technical expertise, I would like to be educated as to the (10 or more) options on this Asrock Motherboard that appear to have some kind of a linear relationship to one another: In other words, the connections will do different things based upon the order in which they are activated (or deactivated) and as my thread proves, can disable the entire motherboard from turning on in the first place by the absence/presence of one small pin. The Asrock motherboard manual is all but useless fyi; I did try to learn this on my own!!

With that in mind, I manually created a graphic (SEE BELOW) of the features that appear to be interacting with the motherboard's ability to turn on. I color-coded them so that any advice you give me can be efficiently, unambiguously referenced to a color. I had to do that because I now know of 2 different ways to power the motherboard: One, using skit75's excellent CMOS solution; but yet another I discovered on my own by removing the [CYAN] CMOS jumper altogether.

Even stranger, is the the motherboard's internal (MY YELLOW) Power Button: There appear to be different ways of getting that button to light, but even if I could repeat the steps to get it to turn on, I'm not sure if it is even supposed to be lit in the first place. Here is my graphic, I appreciate everyone's help. I'm just so completely confused!

fm . . . P.S., the [CYAN] jumper should only be covered for pins 1+2, with the 3rd pin being empty; sorry, this was really hard to do tsk! lol

2636563-uycp.jpg

 
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skit75

skit75

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Most of those headers are common to most motherboards.
Red = wire to Power LED on front of your case(not required)
Orange = wire to Reset button on front of case(not required but can be convenient)
Yellow = wire to Power Button on front of case(Required for the most part**)
Green = wire to extra case fan(if needed & not required)
Pink = wire to internal case speaker(not all cases have a speaker & not required)
Purple = ASRock proprietary debug mode(not required)
Cyan = CMOS reset header (should on be set to Clear when resetting BIOS)
Blue = could be things like HDD traffic light for front of case(generally not required)

** if you don't connect this, you must use Tradesman1's method with a screw driver to turn your PC on, which is generally only used like that if you suspect you power button is not working.

About the CMOS header... Pin 1 is likely not connected to anything electrical, at all. It just acts as a place holder for your CMOS jumper. Pin2 probably has the power to your battery that keeps your BIOS memory working and pin3 will ground out that voltage making your BIOS lose the memory resulting in a default setting on next boot-up, providing you switch back the jumper after the reset.
 
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