HELP! Dead PC!!

[schtever]

Specs:

ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Mobo
AMD Athlon 3200+
Corsair Value Select DDR400 2x512MB
evga GeForce 6600
Maxtor Diamond 8 40GB

Problem:
BYOPC has been running for 11 months without problems. Today it stopped booting.

Symptoms:
- On power up, there are no POST messages at all. the video monitor doesn't come out of standby.
- Three lights flash on the keyboard about every 7 seconds
- The CDRom drive seeks every 7 seconds, right before the keyboard lights flash.
- If I remove the memory, the system beeps three times repeatedly (as it should, that's the memory write alarm from AMI bios). This is the only thing I've found so far that alters the boot behavior.
- Disconnecting drives, removing video cards had no impact.

I'm stuck!!! How do I figure out what's wrong? Feels like the MOBO's blown, but is there are way to confirm it other than putting a new one in and seeing what happens?

Anybody seen something like this?

THANKS!!!

schtever

 

[1Tanker]

Specs:

ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Mobo
AMD Athlon 3200+
Corsair Value Select DDR400 2x512MB
evga GeForce 6600
Maxtor Diamond 8 40GB

Problem:
BYOPC has been running for 11 months without problems. Today it stopped booting.

Symptoms:
- On power up, there are no POST messages at all. the video monitor doesn't come out of standby.
- Three lights flash on the keyboard about every 7 seconds
- The CDRom drive seeks every 7 seconds, right before the keyboard lights flash.
- If I remove the memory, the system beeps three times repeatedly (as it should, that's the memory write alarm from AMI bios). This is the only thing I've found so far that alters the boot behavior.
- Disconnecting drives, removing video cards had no impact.

I'm stuck!!! How do I figure out what's wrong? Feels like the MOBO's blown, but is there are way to confirm it other than putting a new one in and seeing what happens?

Anybody seen something like this?

THANKS!!!

schtever

Did you try resetting the BIOS via the clear CMOS jumper on the mobo? GL

PS. Sometimes, unplugging the power cord from the PSU for a little while seems to reset things also.

 

[schtever]

1Tanker,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I did clear the CMOS via the jumper. I also had it completely unplugged for quite a long time. No change!

schtever

 

[PCcashCow]

I would suggest looking at the items that are easiest to replace first. Which to me is always the PSU. Get one to test, thanks to return policies in most stores these days, you'd only need to borrow the thing while you tested it out.

If you PSU was not the problem then you may want to rebuilt the system on a table (ground out anything even the case). This was you will have a clearer view of your system.

From my experinece if it's not the PSU the MOBO might be bad, but the way it went bad could of impacted the CPU as well. So in this case, taking the chip to a local shop or friends with a mobo that will accept the chip would be best. The shop might wack you 20 bucks for a Diag fee, but thats better than replacing parts that are not the source.
If the chip works then your left with your Mobo. At 11 months you may not have many options other than the Manufacturer. Good Luck.

 

[schtever]

PCcashcow,

I hadn't considered that the PSU might be bad!! Excellent suggestion! I will swap it out and report back.

Thanks!!

schtever

 

[mphelps]

I don't think it is the PSU. Power is getting to the system. The flashing lights might be an error code sent by your mobo; I am inclined to think that your ram is malfunctioning. Have you tried booting with only 1 stick of ram in? That would be my first step since it seems that the PSU and mobo are functioning. I hope this helps

 

[schtever]

mphelps,

I did try booting it with just one memory stick - there was no change. I tried it with each of them in turn in case one of them was bad.

As I said above, without any memory, the mobo gave me a three beep alarm, which (according to what I've read) indicates a memory write error. This suggested to me that the mobo was showing some signs of life.

Perhaps I should get some replacement memory and try those?

Thanks!!

schtever

 

[rahul_cracker]

hi
Your problem may have an answer hidden in the psu or the earthing of the case ,try measuring the current levels of the psu and the voltage levels and if you are stiill not out of luck then your problem will be solved .It hurts hard to get the mobo replaced when not in warrnty

 

[fainis]

Specs:

ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Mobo
AMD Athlon 3200+
Corsair Value Select DDR400 2x512MB
evga GeForce 6600
Maxtor Diamond 8 40GB

Problem:
BYOPC has been running for 11 months without problems. Today it stopped booting.

Symptoms:
- On power up, there are no POST messages at all. the video monitor doesn't come out of standby.
- Three lights flash on the keyboard about every 7 seconds
- The CDRom drive seeks every 7 seconds, right before the keyboard lights flash.
- If I remove the memory, the system beeps three times repeatedly (as it should, that's the memory write alarm from AMI bios). This is the only thing I've found so far that alters the boot behavior.
- Disconnecting drives, removing video cards had no impact.

I'm stuck!!! How do I figure out what's wrong? Feels like the MOBO's blown, but is there are way to confirm it other than putting a new one in and seeing what happens?

Anybody seen something like this?

THANKS!!!

schtever

it looks like your computer restarts every 7 seconds....that`s why your keyboard leds are on every now and then...and also the cd-rom seeks ..every now and then...

remove the restart source..could be ...an under-powered psu
came back with details...

good luck

 

[fainis]

it`s restarting for sure ..why ...we have to find out ....

it`s a power related problem ...maybe same device generates a curent shortcut....

 

[PCcashCow]

I don't think it is the PSU. Power is getting to the system. The flashing lights might be an error code sent by your mobo; I am inclined to think that your ram is malfunctioning. Have you tried booting with only 1 stick of ram in? That would be my first step since it seems that the PSU and mobo are functioning. I hope this helps

PSU are more complex than they were a few year ago. Power can be passing through the MOBO into devices, but that does not mean you have dead rails or grounding issues within the unit.

Testing out with one stick of ram is always a great suggestion, but I only assumed that because it was tired with the video card that it was tried with the ram. If you get to this point, maybe re-seat the CPU while your in there. You may want to study the coloration and pins too. But i am more inclined to look at the PSU only because of what I said in my earlier post about getting a retail one at any store just to test and retrun. Either way, good luck we've all been there.

 

[schtever]

All,

I followed PCcashcow's suggestion of replacing the easiest component first - which in my case was the video card. THAT WAS IT!!! The mobo has no onboard video and so could not boot with a dead card.

Thank you all for your help!!! This was my first time in this forum and you all are awesome!

schtever

 

[3lfk1ng]

grats