Diagnose Me

[Samg]

Hey my rig has just recently failed and i need some help diagnosing the faulty component.

Basically while playing a game my PC just shut down completley and powered off. I went to turn it back on and the fan LED's flickerered on for 1 second and there was nothing.

I have replaced the PSU with a working one, as that was my first thought and i get the same result, (fans power on for a second and then cut out). Any ideas if these are sympomes of a motherboard burn out, or perhaps CPU? Note i have attached the case speaker to the motherboard and i hear no beeps. Any help would be greating appreciated.

Thanks Sam.

 

[will14]

Reset the cmos.
You know remove batter/short out.
Try booting up again.
It could have been that the mobo died though.
Or the CPU.
I'd say most likely a mobo.
Search it for corroded solders/burnt up parts.
I'm guessing you didn't smell anything though.

I'd say mobo tho.

 

[djmerlin]

Motherboard.

 

[blunc]

you could try removing / inspecting / reinstalling the processor and RAM, these are the main components (other than the power supply which you've already replaced) that will cause your system not to run if the motherboard is alright.

remove all other cards and USB devices plugged into the mobo, try powering on, if the fans run and the mobo beeps then most likely one of the cards you pulled failed and is causing the mobo not to run.

you mentioned that the LED's come on briefly then go off, this usually indicates a failed(shorted) motherboard, check for extra screws or metalic objects touching or laying on the mobo.

the CMOS chip hardly ever causes the symptoms you describe unless it has failed or shorted, IMHO, reseting BIOS won't fix your problem.

 

[Samg]

I've got it layed out on the motherboard's box with only the RAM/CPU/GPU in at the moment. I tried clearing the bios, both shorting the pins and taking the battery.

So would the system start at all (Fans/lights etc) if the cpu/ram were damaged?

I'm just trying to clarify what component it is so i don't RMA the wrong piece ¬_¬

Ps. thanks for your quick and informative replies.

 

[sailer]

I would go along with the probable motherboard failure. At the same time, were you overclocking the cpu and perhaps had a heat issue that could burn it out?

 

[sirrobin4ever]

Sure sounds like the mobo to me.

 

[Samg]

Ye the cpu (e6400) was overclocked to 3.6ghz, tuniq tower cooled, load at 55-58c at 1.4voltage.

 

[sirrobin4ever]

Ye the cpu (e6400) was overclocked to 3.6ghz, tuniq tower cooled, load at 55-58c at 1.4voltage.

On that note, it could be a CPU problem. 3.6 is pretty high for most Conroe's. You didn't happen to move the case somewhere just before the problem happened, did you?

 

[sailer]

Ye the cpu (e6400) was overclocked to 3.6ghz, tuniq tower cooled, load at 55-58c at 1.4voltage.

While some people have even exceeded this overclock, it really is on the ragged edge. If you have another cpu handy, try that one and see if your computer will start. Don't forget to set the BIOS to standard settings before hand, of course. Wouldn't want to burn out a good cpu by accident.

Alternatively, you might try your cpu in someone else's computer and see if it works there. If it does work in someone else's computer, then the motherboard is the next suspect. If it doesn't work in someone else's computer, then your cpu has most likely died.

 

[sarsoft]

What could of happened PSU going bad or failing and damaging other components like mb, cpu, ram etc. I had this happen to me couple of years ago when i used Turbolink 420W PSU which came with the Aspire case (bad idea of using it). The motherbourd failed and thx god nothing else burned.

 

[warezme]

for air cooling the Mhz is to high. You may have fried something major.

reset your bios then boot from cold, if nothing

Unplug everything pull out all extra cards except basics, CPU, mem, video, no drives attached either.

Work down from there if still no boot, than pull out memory. The board should beep codes. Then CPU, it should also beep codes. no response its your mobo or CPU or both (check for ozone smell)

If it can boot into bios than reset all to default and if you want to overclock than do it later after making sure all is well and not so high or go water cooling if you do and keep your voltages in check.

 

[nobly]

To add to the above replies:
I'd pull out the CPU and try to boot up. Should get a beep error code.
If not, then its motherboard and maybe the CPU. Can't think of a good way to test the CPU other than putting it into another computer.

Please tell me you had a surge protector at least...
If no surge protector, your whole rig might be shot.

 

[Samg]

I Plugged in a speaker to the mobo, (which is where the beeps eminate from?) yand i hear nothing when i tr and boot, just fans flicker on for a sec, then off.

I tried the memory stick at a time, in different slots with no luck.

Also I can't see any visible damage on the motherboard nor the cpu.

 

[sailer]

I Plugged in a speaker to the mobo, (which is where the beeps eminate from?) yand i hear nothing when i tr and boot, just fans flicker on for a sec, then off.

I tried the memory stick at a time, in different slots with no luck.

Also I can't see any visible damage on the motherboard nor the cpu.

This looks more and more like a bad mobo. Some resistor or capacitator has given out and as soon as it gets any current, it overheats and stops working. I doubt changing the ram from one slot to another is going to show anything. Again, if you can try the ram in someone else's computer, you might verify whether it works or not, but even if it doesn't, it still doesn't rule out the mobo.

 

[SuperFly03]

I agree, mobo. Sounds like a popped capacitor IMO.

$10 says one popped and doesn't look right.

Side note: 3.6 on air isn't bad at all.