My Desktop PC Intel P 4 processor no longer sends data,nor does its green light blink

a cooperator · Jan 23, 2015

Hi,

My Desktop Specs are:::

Desktop Computer(Intel P 4, 512MB of RAM(DDR), and Graphics Card with 256MB of RAM)

My P 4 has a motherboard integrated Graphics Card, Audio Card, and Network adapter. The motherboard manufacturer is Asrock(775i65G(REV: G/A 2.12)

Fortunately, I've made a detection of my PC before happening this problem by a hardware detection program(Speccy), and this is its:

Summary

Operating System

Windows XP Professional 32-bit SP3

CPU

Intel Pentium 4 531

Prescott 90nm Technology

RAM

512MB Single-Channel DDR @ 159MHz (2.5-4-4-8)

Motherboard

775i65G. (CPUSocket) 42 °C

Graphics

Standard Monitor (800x600@1Hz)

Storage

37GB Western Digital WDC WD400BB-75DEA0 (ATA)

Optical Drives

COMPAQ CD-ROM LTN486S

Audio

No audio card detected

First of all: My PC was working well. So, I would like to be saying that one of thes things might cause this problem:

First: My PC has two-DDR RAM slots. One of them doesn't have one lock buttons located on the ends of the slot which used to tighten the memory card in the slot. aa 512MB of RAM is installed on the first slot which has both luck buttons. However, the other slot was empty.

I have taken out the RAM from the first slot, and then installed it on the second one which doesn't have only one lock button.

Second: I have Full Auto AC voltage Regulator with two outputs:

One is 220V, and the other is 110V.

If I forgot, and plugged the AC cable to be connected to my PC to the 110V socket instead of 220V which is normal on my own country. Then, I think that the power supply, or HDD of my PC would have been blown out/damge, but not my CPU or RAM by the 110V.

My problem is:
Whenever started my PC. I found there was no data sent to my monitor at all. Depending on manufacturer, there may be different numbers of LED lights on a PC. The position of the lights, and their color, may vary, I noticed that the Green LED light was no longer blinking at all(I think that this LED indicates processor activity). However, Red LED, which indicates HDD activity, was still blinking.
I have smelt something burning once I first start my PC, I don't know what it was. I guess that the RAM card was burning since it was installed on a disintact slot.
Even when pressing on the key booting me to the BIOS, there was no thing booting at all.
Also, the optical drive could be ejected out. However, when inserting a bootable CD inside it, then no data at all shown on the monitor.

The solutions I have thought of were, and I tried the second one:

Firstly: I was expecting that installing the 512MB of RAM on the second slot might be causing the problem since the slot is not intact. Then, I reinstalled the 512MB on its original first slot on which PC was working well. However, I found there was no data sent at all.

Secondly: To be quite sure, I have installed my HDD and internal power supply on another Desktop Computer(Intel P 3, 256 MB of RAM, and Nvidia Graphics Card with 128MB of RAM.), then they worked well.

Thirdly: My P 4 has a motherboard integrated Graphics Card, Audio Card, and Network adapter. I don't think that there is a problem with graphics Card. Do you think that I can install a discrete graphics card on one of the PCI Express slots.

Fourthly: If the RAM was defective, then do you think I would need to install a DDR with the same size 512MB.

Finally: If the CPU was infective, then do you think that I would need to install Intel P 4 with the same speed.

esco_sid · Jan 23, 2015

I think you would need a new computer and not bother fixing a pentium 4 setup it would be a waste of time and money.

InvalidError · Jan 23, 2015

I would not recommend wasting any money attempting to repair the P4 either. Build a new PC and if you have to, plug your old HDD in it to recover whatever data you need - assuming the HDD is not dead.

A P4 with only 512MB RAM is completely worthless; even the cheapest CPU with IGP you can buy today with the associated motherboard and DDR3 memory will be a huge improvement.

holyrage · Jan 23, 2015

now thats some ancient stuff

maybe it is the CPU? or the VGA Plug it self maybe

theonerm2 · Jan 23, 2015

Sounds like your power supply might have blew. Do any fans spin when you try to turn it on? Anyway... You need a new computer and even a cheap $200 or $300 PC would blow that one away.

smorizio · Jan 23, 2015

few pointers from older techs. on old pc you may have had a cap or power supply failure. smelling smoke is not a good thing. I would have when there was daylight taken the pc apart and looked for the burnt part. you dont want to move parts from a burning pc into another test bench. if you move the bad part into a new pc you now fried two pc.
as others have posted you got a many good years from this pc. if i was you i buy a ext case for the old drive so you can copy your data off the old drive onto a new pc.

a cooperator · Jan 23, 2015

esco_sid :

I would not recommend wasting any money attempting to repair the P4 either. Build a new PC and if you have to, plug your old HDD in it to recover whatever data you need - assuming the HDD is not dead.

A P4 with only 512MB RAM is completely worthless; even the cheapest CPU with IGP you can buy today with the associated motherboard and DDR3 memory will be a huge improvement.

Thank you both, I would agree with you, althouhg I still have another desktop computer with much lower specs than this one having a problem. My older Desktop Computer(Intel P 3 without IGP, 256 MB of RAM, and Nvidia Graphics Card with 128MB of RAM) is working well. However, my Desktop Computer(Intel P 4 with IGP, 512MB of RAM, and external Graphics Card with 256MB of RAM).
What let me quite surprsied that my computer was working well Yesterday, and I shut down it while it was working well. However, Tody, I tried repalcing the RAM from the first slot to the other one to try to know that the secon one is working well since one of its locks is broken. Thus, I am still wondering what might caused the problem, and in which hardware part the defect is, CPU or RAM?
I really that problem has been happened for me before(NO DATA SENT, NO GREEN LED LIGTH BLINKING. HOWEVER, WHEN I REPLACED THE CPU, EVERTHING WAS WORKING WELL.

dextermat · Jan 23, 2015

Hi,

First ting I would try is to pull out the ram and try to boot, if you don't hear beeps it means you have problem with motherboard, psu or cpu.

Since this is an old computer, I am suspecting the psu or the motherboard.

If you look at the motherboard, do you see any defective capacitor ?

You can easily test out with another powersupply that is know to work.

If your hear bepps, it means most likely you have a problem with monitor or GPU

a cooperator · Jan 23, 2015

smorizio :

Yes, the smell is only in the first time when reversing the RAM slot. Thus, I don't know know what might cused that error? as said before that I have moved the Power Supply, and HDD to Desktop Computer(Intel P 3, 256 MB of RAM, and Nvidia Graphics Card with 128MB of RAM), and they are working well. Then, only CPU or RAM is left since my P 3 RAM is SDRAM and P 4 is DDR, I couldn't move the DDR to the P 3.

Moreover, Yes, I agreed with you that if you were me, you would have bougth .....' However, I would be saying there is no important data which must be recovered. I really have plugged the HDD to another Desktop Computer(Intel P 3, 256 MB of RAM, and Nvidia Graphics Card with 128MB of RAM. However, whenever trying to boot one of the opearting systems listed once I started my P3, I found blue screen error, and my P3 restarted, and a loop of this action presists. The OSs on the HDD for the PC which crushed are Windows XP SP3(32Bit), SP2(32Bit). I don't know why, although the P3 have running a Windows XP SP1 32Bit on its one HDD.

a cooperator · Jan 23, 2015

Sounds like your power supply might have blew. Do any fans spin when you try to turn it on? Anyway... You need a new computer and even a cheap $200 or $300 PC would blow that one away.

Yes, the fan spans well on the the same P 4.
Also, I have installed the power supply on another P 3, and it was working well along with HDD.
Only there is no data at all shown in the monitor screen, as though my PC is shout down. Also, I noticed that the Green LED light was no longer blinking at all(I think that this LED indicates processor activity). However, Red LED light, which indicates HDD activity, was still blinking in the first time.
Besides, I would have said that my PC was only still working for about half minuts(30 seconds), then it was automactially shut down. So whenever I started it gain, then it started, and no data shown in the screen. It lasted about 30 seconds, then it shut down automcatilly. and so on.
I tried plugging two monitors which also are working well on my other P 3.

a cooperator · Jan 23, 2015

First ting I would try is to pull out the ram and try to boot, if you don't hear beeps it means you have problem with motherboard, psu or cpu.

Yes, I did, no beeps heard at all.

Since this is an old computer, I am suspecting the psu or the motherboard. If you look at the motherboard, do you see any defective capacitor ?

Although I still don't know what psu is, I would be saying how to know if any capacitors are defective. Even if any, fixing them needs much time, and cost. NOTE: my motherboard have no PCI express slot cards installed at all, which means, Audio, graphics card, network adapter are built-in cards, which means if the motherboard was defective, then all these cards would be usless.

You can easily test out with another powersupply that is know to work.

I tested Power supply on the defective P 4 along with HDD by installing them on another intact P 3 PC, and they were working well. Also, I took out the power supply of the P 3 PC, and installed it on the P 4 PC, and the same thing was still happening, no data sent to the monitor.

If your hear bepps, it means most likely you have a problem with monitor or GPU

What will let me hear beebs here? Also, I tried two different monitors which are working well on my P3 PC.
Also, my motherboard has built-in graphics card, so if it was defective, the motherboard should be replaced.

No one answered me: I have Full Auto AC voltage Regulator with two outputs:
One is 220V, and the other is 110V.
If I guess(NOT remember well) that I forgot, and plugged my P 4 defective to the 110V socket instead of 220V which is normal on my own country. Then, do you think that the power supply, or HDD of my PC would have been blown out/damge, or my CPU or RAM, motherboard by the 110V.

Finally::What let me quite surprised that my computer was working well Yesterday, and I shut down it while it was working well. However, Tody, I tried replacing the RAM from the first slot to the other one to try to know that the second one is working well since one of its locks is broken(some key used to lock the memory card on the slot in order to tighten it). Thus, I am still wondering what might caused the problem, and in which hardware part the defect is, CPU or RAM?

a cooperator · Jan 24, 2015

dextermat :

Could you complete what you have suggisted since no help would be there if you didn't.

First of all: I would have said that my PC was only still working for about half a minute(30 seconds), then it automactially shut down. So whenever I started it gain, then it run, but no data shown in the screen. (I.e. No data at all sent from the pc). It lasted about 30 seconds, then it shut down automcatilly. and so on.

First ting I would try is to pull out the ram and try to boot, if you don't hear beeps it means you have problem with motherboard, psu or cpu.

Yes, I did, no beeps heard at all.

Since this is an old computer, I am suspecting the psu or the motherboard. If you look at the motherboard, do you see any defective capacitor ?

Although I still don't know what psu is, I would be saying how to know if any capacitors are defective. Even if any, fixing them needs much time, and cost. NOTE: my motherboard have no PCI express slot cards installed at all, which means, Audio, graphics card, network adapter are built-in cards, which means if the motherboard was defective, then all these cards would be usless.

You can easily test out with another powersupply that is know to work.

I tested Power supply on the defective P 4 along with HDD by installing them on another intact P 3 PC, and they were working well. Also, I took out the power supply of the P 3 PC, and installed it on the P 4 PC, and the same thing was still happening, no data sent to the monitor.

If your hear bepps, it means most likely you have a problem with monitor or GPU

What will let me hear beebs here? Also, I tried two different monitors which are working well on my P3 PC.
Also, my motherboard has built-in graphics card, so if it was defective, the motherboard should be replaced.

No one answered me: I have Full Automatically AC voltage Regulator with two outputs:
One is 220V, and the other is 110V.
If I guess(NOT remember well) that I forgot, and plugged my P 4 defective to the 110V socket instead of 220V which is normal on my own country. Then, do you think that the power supply, or HDD of my PC would have been blown out/damge, or my CPU or RAM, motherboard by the 110V.

Finally::What let me quite surprised that my computer was working well Yesterday, and I shut down it while it was working well. However, Tody, I tried replacing the RAM from the first slot to the other one to try to know that the second one is working well since one of its locks is broken(some key used to lock the memory card on the slot in order to tighten it). Thus, I am still wondering what might caused the problem, and in which hardware part the defect is, CPU or RAM?

a cooperator · Jan 25, 2015

Could dextermat finish what you have begun?

theonerm2 · Jan 26, 2015

The CPU isn't likely the part that failed because CPU's are pretty durable and they last a long time usually. The RAM could be defective but of course there is no way that we could know if it's the RAM causing the problem unless you had a way to test your RAM. Something to check for is if the RAM is all the way in the slot and to try the RAM in another slot one stick at a time. You said you smelled something burning. That's more than likely not coming from the RAM but either the power supply or the motherboard. Now sense we already know that the power supply is working then we know that the smell most likely came from the motherboard. Motherboards can fail in all different sorts of ways. They can fail all at once, they can work for a little while and then stop working again, they can fail in sections for example your sound or certain USB ports won't work anymore. With what information we currently have I have to say that you probably need a new motherboard. I strongly suggest you to save up for a new computer because yours is about a decade old. Literally just about anything would be better. Even a $300 computer would be better.

a cooperator · Jan 26, 2015

theonerm2 :

Thank you so much indeed, Mr/Ms. Ancient for your kind suggestions and reply.

Yes agree with you that some part on motherboard which cannot be replaced at all, I think, was burning. But nevertheless, I would be still needing you to kindly address these points below to finish this problem.

If you have a look at my screen shot below, you will see this part next to a capacitor was burn, on whose cover there is AMP2030NWIA72 is written I don't know if this is a capacitor or not.

My questions are:
Firstly: I don't see this part can be taken out separately. So, what advice can you suggest for me?

Secondly: The CPU, DDR memory 512, and power supply, Local HDD are all intact, thus how to benefit from these parts?

Thirdly: my motherboard has integrated VGA card, Audio Card, Network adapter. So, if this insignificant part was defective because the burnning, then I will need to replace the entire motherobard, althouhg VAG, Audio, Network cards are intact?

Fourthely: Noboyd told me from where this burning resulted. I am quite sure that I didn't put my computer to 110 AC voltage. However, I always use 200 V. However, if I fogot and connected my PC to 100V, I would think that power supply would be damage before burning the part of mothrboard???
No one answered me: I have Full Automatically AC voltage Regulator with two outputs:
One is 220V, and the other is 110V.
If I guess(NOT remember well) that I forgot, and plugged my P 4 defective to the 110V socket instead of 220V which is normal on my own country. Then, do you think that the power supply, or HDD of my PC would have been blown out/damge, or my CPU or RAM, motherboard by the 110V

theonerm2 · Jan 26, 2015

It looks like a transistor has burned out. I suggest a replacement motherboard or a new computer all together.

Your CPU, DDR RAM, powersupply, and hard drive are so old that they would be considered junk by most people. You can plug your hard drive into another computer that has an IDE cable connector and get your important data off the drive. There is little benefit to having those parts unless you want to fix your computer because most of the parts either won't work in a newer computer or are considered worthless these days.

You need to replace the whole motherboard but I suggest replacing the whole computer to something newer if you can afford to do so. There is no way that you can use any of the integrated parts by themselves because a transistor has burned out. Transistors are very important for the functioning of the motherboard because they can amplify current to parts on the motherboard that need more amperage.

The burning probably just happened because of age. Parts will wear out after a while. Some motherboards last longer than others and yours lasted a long time. Motherboard failure is one of the most common ways that a computer will stop working. Nothing you did caused the failure unless you were overclocking. Plugging your PC into the 110v socket instead of the 220v socket isn't likely the cause of your motherboard failure. The exact cause is probably age related and impossible to determine over the internet.

a cooperator · Jan 26, 2015

theonerm2 :

Thanks a lot, Yes, you're absolutely right. However, if you where I were, then you would insist of finding a solution. What made me insist on fixing it that motherboard is this story:
I have been looking for the drivers of built-in VGA card, Audio card, and Motherboard chipest drivers, I was asked to open my case, and find the mothrbaord brand, and modle name. I did. However, while in there, I found one of the two DDR RAM slots located next to the IDEs doesn't have one of its locks(that something white which is used to lock, and tighten the Memory card on the slot, I asked myself what would be if I replaced the memory card from the slot which has both locks, and install on the ohter one. I did. Then when start my compuer. I smelled something burning and there is no data sent from my PC to monitor at all. I waited for about a half minute, then PC shut down automatically. And so on. When I was happy that found my dirvers which cost me spending about ten days looking for them. Then, I ended up with a big problem with killed the PC completely.

Anyway:
I have got a very high quality scree shot which can show what exactly looks burn in my motheroboard. What is highlightened with yellow colour is burnt.

But, I heard that capacitors can be replaced with others.

theonerm2 · Jan 26, 2015

They can be replaced but there's still no guarantee that it would work because some of the traces could have been damaged because of the burning.

a cooperator · Jan 27, 2015

theonerm2 :

Thank you so much indeed.
If I found an old used (NOT new) ASRock motherboard with a cost of $10 up to $ 20USD, it would be OK.
I really don't know what I can do with local HDD, Power supply, DDR RAM, And Processor(Core™ 2 Extreme / Core™ 2 Duo / Pentium® XE /Pentium® D / Pentium® 4 / Celeron® D, supporting Quad Core Kentsfield processors Intel® 865G Chipset) . If I would need to purchase motherboard, I would need to purchase the same kind of my defective motherboard which is ASRock 775i65G R2.0. Or another one closer to it can be working.

bmacsys · Jan 27, 2015

a cooperator :

Too bad you aren't in the USA. I have about twenty old socket 775 boards ready to be sent to the electronics recycler.

theonerm2 · Jan 27, 2015

a cooperator :

You can use any socket 775 motherboard with your hardware as long as it will fit into your case. If you buy a socket 775 motherboard then you can keep all of your other stuff and use it with the new motherboard.

a cooperator · Jan 28, 2015

theonerm2 :

Thank you all of you very much indeed,
My English language is Not so well enough that I could hardly explain things in a fairly plain language.
final point before marking this thread as solved.
If you have seen my motherboard picutre, you would be seeing that my Processor is LGA 775, an LGA Socket. Yes, there is a latch plate. Howevere, there is no pin grid array with hols to which my CPU's teeth will be inserted into.. So If I want to puchase an ASRock motheboard, whick kind of CPU I should tell the seller, socket CPU or photic CPU?

On the other hand, I have another Gigabyte motherboard which has Socket 370 Intel® FC-PGA/FC-PGA2 Pentium®III (CopperMine / Tualatin) . On that Gigabye motherbaord, there is pin grid array with hols to which my CPU's teeth will be inserted into.

Thus, I don't know if that LGA 775 for Intel® proceossro is called a photic processor or not. I've been hearing some people saying 'A CPU socket or CPU slot, and a Phontic CPU. I am expecting they call a CPU socket or CPU slot if CPU inserting into with holes in the socket. However, calling a phonitc CPU for CPU which is inserted into a socket without holes.

a cooperator · Feb 10, 2015

Could you please reply to my final post to close this issue pending?

a cooperator · Feb 12, 2015

Why do no one reply to my final post me to finish this problem?

InvalidError · Feb 12, 2015

I guess theo forgot that the Pentium 4 also existed in PGA478 format before LGA775.

My Desktop PC Intel P 4 processor no longer sends data,nor does its green light blink

Distinguished

Splendid

Titan

Distinguished

Splendid

Titan

Distinguished

Splendid

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Splendid

Distinguished

Splendid

Distinguished

Splendid

Distinguished

Honorable

Splendid

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Titan

Share this page