Wondering If I need a new motherboard?

[tbird70]

Dont have all the specs.. on computer at the moment but it is windows XP.. my problem is the computer was working fine and the next day turned it on and the computer did nothing, the power button woudn't even light up, changed the power supply and still nothing. nothing looks fried inside the computer.. Any way was thinking I needed a new motherboard or CPU or both. any one have any thoughts for me???
I've bought a new computer last week, but I'd like to get the other running for second computer in the house and for kids to play on, with out having to buy a whole new system if possible...
Thanks Tina

 

[13thmonkey]

did you check the fuse in the lead or use the new lead that came with the new PSU?

 

[tbird70]

I used the new lead that came with the psu.
Computer has 2.60 GHZ, Intel Pentium 4, 80 GB Hard Drive with Ultra ATA 100, 256 MB DDR.
thanks

 

[RJ]

Dont have all the specs.. on computer at the moment but it is windows XP.. my problem is the computer was working fine and the next day turned it on and the computer did nothing, the power button woudn't even light up, changed the power supply and still nothing. nothing looks fried inside the computer.. Any way was thinking I needed a new motherboard or CPU or both. any one have any thoughts for me???
I've bought a new computer last week, but I'd like to get the other running for second computer in the house and for kids to play on, with out having to buy a whole new system if possible...
Thanks Tina

Do you have a modem card? I'd take it out to see if the comp starts. I've run into a few dead modems that wreaked havoc with the computer as far as not starting.

 

[13thmonkey]

I'd argue that if the CPU was dead then the mobo would try to start, and then fail during boot up.

Which pushes the fault to the mobo, it is unlikely but possible that another component would stop the power cycling from working. Most components would cause the PC to fail to start during the POST startup proceedings.

Try removing most components (in fact all except CPU) and try to start, and then add things in one at a time, starting with RAM.

Silly question, but you do have power at the outlet that you are using?

 

[tbird70]

I've removed the modem and tried that, someone else told me about it, no luck... I beleave I tried unplugging ever thing else and tried to start comp. and no luck either... But I will try that again... Like I said every thing was fine on computer and no warning it was dead.... I know a little about them, enough to get me around and know what all the parts are... but just dont know forsure how things always act when they go out..
Thanks Tina

 

[tbird70]

Just seen the power at the outlet question, Yes there is power at the outlet, plus it is a brand new house that was just built and we moved in first of Nov.. so I know the power and wires in house are good..
Thanks Tina

 

[13thmonkey]

It sounds like the motherboard has died then, given the symptoms of nothing at all happening (no lights, no fans, nothing) when the power is switched on.

The only other possibility is that the power switch on the PC is not connected to the mobo properly or is broken, but that seems to be a very very long shot to me.

 

[tbird70]

Well thanks for the help I was thinking mobo but wanted to hear it from someone else, I guess I'm also wondering does the CPU usually go out also if the mobo dies, or is there just no way to tell until put another mobo in and see what happens?
Thanks Tina

 

[13thmonkey]

Essentially there is no real way to check, and it is possible that the CPU could have gone in such a way as to stop the Mobo from even appempting to boot, but highly unlikley i'd say.

The mobo may have killed the CPU, can't tell without putting the cpu into another mobo.

Given the risk, and depending on what components you have it may be worth considering an upgrade intsead of a replacement.

The only other option is that you have 2 dead Power Supplies... do you know how to test PSU's i.e. mimic the on/off switch without having it plugged into the mobo, I know it can be done, and is fairly simple, but I'not sure of the details.

 

[BigOldAl]

Just a thought: unplug the computer completely. Leave it like that 30-45 minutes. Hold pressed the power button and plug in the computer in the same time. Sometimes the ATX starting routine gets "confused" by the overnight power spikes, even if the computer was off.
Also, if that didn't work, with the power plug disconnected, do the following: reset the BIOS by removing the battery and shorting the 2 elastic connectors in the batery socket for about 10 minutes with a screwdriver. Unplug and replug the video card and the memory. Leave the CPU as it is, since it's not likely to have suffered any damage.
Good luck with starting your system!

 

[tbird70]

sorry been busy but finally had a chance to try the steps you suggested and no luck.... I did however notice when I unplugged every thing from the mother board, I could hear a noise in the power supply. I plugged the one 4 pronged wire into mobo and could still hear the noise, then tried to plug the big plug with all the wires into mobo and it killed the noise coming from power supply....
Thanks Tina

 

[RJ]

Well thanks for the help I was thinking mobo but wanted to hear it from someone else, I guess I'm also wondering does the CPU usually go out also if the mobo dies, or is there just no way to tell until put another mobo in and see what happens?
Thanks Tina

Did you try bypassing the start button? It would kinda suck if your start button died and you're looking to replace the mobo. Did you try resetting the CMOS?

 

[tbird70]

Ok I dont want to sound totally stupid but how do I by pass the start button? and reset the CMOS? I'm learning...

 

[RJ]

Near the battery, there should be 3 pins in a line, with a jumper on 2 of them. You should see "CMOS" somewhere in that area. You want to unplug the case, touch the case to discharge static electricity, and pull that jumper and have it bridge the other pin and the middle pin for a few seconds. Now put the jumper back where you found it. That resets everything in the BIOS, which tells the motherboard what's connected and what it should do.

the start button is connected to the board in the lower right corner of your motherboard. There should be a 2 wire clip that reads pwr or something like it. If you take a small screwdriver and jump those 2 pins, you can signal the motherboard to start up.

If you're shaky with the start button thing, I suggest skipping it.

I recently helped someone who had a power loss issue and they thought the comp was finished. All it took was reseting the CMOS and it worked fine.

 

[knowsitall]

the start button is connected to the board in the lower right corner of your motherboard. There should be a 2 wire clip that reads pwr or something like it.

^^yah make sure your case's power button is connected to the motherboard. usually the power button on the case to motherboard connection is made by a blue wire twisted together with a white wire. These twisted wires come together at the end with a female type connector that would say (pwr) power on it. make sure that is plugged into the motherboard!

 

[tbird70]

here is a site that shows what my mobo is. http://www.emachine-upgraders.info/dir1/motherboards/socket478/vg33.shtml

found the jumper for the CMOS, but not really sure if i have the power switch wires hooked up correctly. trying to find some thing online to show exactly...

 

[AdamBomb42]

Check to make sure you are get power from that wall socket. Also check that the front panel connectors are set properly.