I've got a custom built computer which has been running 100% for almost a year, until one night i shut it down like normal, the next morning i start it up and get nothing. When I start it up, the CPU fan starts spinning, the graphics card fan starts spinning, but nothing more happens. They just spin non-stop until i force the computer to shut down again. There are no sounds from the inbuilt speaker to say what the problem is, so i tried limiting the problem down. I took out all the RAM, still no difference. Disconnected my hard drive / DVD drive, no change. Now the system is just a PSU, CPU and motherboard. Any ideas on what could be the problem? I have been trying to get a spare PSU to try, but i don't think thats the problem because the PSU is fairly new. I am worried about trying another CPU as I have no thermal paste so if i did try my CPU in another box then its CPU would need some thermal paste for the heatsink. Before I go and buy some thermal paste and try a new PSU, does anyone have an idea what would be the problem?

Motherboard: Asus M2N32-SLI Deluxe
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+
PSU: OCZ 700W or 750W something like that (forget exactly what it was)

Thanks for the help in advance =)

Well, if you take all the RAM out and boot and the MB doesn't beep recognizing no RAM in the system, you have a MB problem. Maybe try resetting the CMOS jumper. Unplug the PSU and take out the battery when you reset the jumper. You would likely need spare parts (PSU, Video card, etc) to troubleshoot any further.

Im inclined to agree with badge.

Reset CMOS
Dead mobo
Dead CPU (unlikely)

Sounds like a mobo problem, but these things can be tricky and I've certainly been wrong before. If you plug in speakers or headphones is there a voice that says: "System failed CPU test"? I got that on two older Asus S939 mobos within a couple of months of each other. I swapped the CPUs into a different mobo and they booted just fine. I then put different working CPUs into the problematic mobos and got the same result (CPU test error). I also tried 3 different sets of RAM, 2 different graphics cards, and 2 PSUs with each mobo/cpu combo and couldn't get them to work. I replaced them with some bargain basement AM2 systems after RMAing both boards and getting back boards that did the same thing. It was very frustrating.

-mcg

Thanks for your replies, I have tried resetting the CMOS as well forgot to mention that sorry, didn't make a difference though. I thought it would have been a dead mobo but just wanted some others opinions so thanks guys =)