Please help me with my stubborn PC

[stavrosco]

Hello everyone,

Unfortunately my computer has apparently decided to go on strike for 2009 as I have been unable to get it to boot today.

When powering the machine on I can see the startup ASUS splash screen but then it freezes and gets no farther. If I press DEL to enter setup it does seem to recognize that I've pressed the key but then it freezes with the message Entering Setup...

Here's my specs:

Motherboard - ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe
Processor - AMD Opteron 64 Dual Core @ 2.0Ghz
RAM - 2GB Corsair XMS PC 3200
Video Card - nVidia 7800 GT
Windows Vista Home Premium

I've tried removing all components except the motherboard and the video card but the problem still occurs

I have also tried clearing the CMOS to no avail...

Any other ideas before I start shelling out money for new components? And on that note, any feelings as to which component is the culprit here?

Many thanks!

 

[Outlander_04]

disconnect everything except mb, cpu , ram.

Then power on .

Is it making a POST beep ? or a series of Beeps?

 

[stavrosco]

I don't hear any beeps but if I have my speakers plugged in I hear "system failed VGA test."

 

[aevm]

Borrow another video card and see what happens. Maybe your 7800 GT has decided to quit.

 

[stavrosco]

I suppose that's possible, I'll have to ask around and see if I can borrow one from somewhere.

If it was the video card though,wouldn't it then not display the startup splash when it's plugged in? I only get the VGA test message when I've intentionally disconnected it

 

[Wgfalcon]

aevm has it right first try another video card or try your video in another computer. if your card is a registered EVGA card it should be covered by a lifetime warranty

 

[doormatderek]

How about resetting the BIOS? If you can get into the BIOS there's an option that disables that splash screen. I always do that, that way you can see what it's doin while bootin

 

[stavrosco]

Thanks for the tips guys...

Ok so I tried another working video card and got nothing but a black screen. I'm also now getting a black screen even with my original card.

Unfortunately I couldn't get into BIOS before as it would freeze before it would get in and now I can't even get to the prompt to enter BIOS.

I also noticed that when I was switching around the video cards I had to press the power button a couple of times to get the machine to start. The first couple times it just flicked on for a second and then shut off.

Could a failing power supply be the cause for all of these problems? Or does it sound like I've now got multiple issues and I'm pretty much hosed?

 

[doormatderek]

ya, i'd try a different powersupply before we blame the motherboard, if thats possible. I've had a couple die on me.

 

[stavrosco]

Fortunately due to my packrat tendencies, I have quite a few spare parts around and among them was another Power Supply!

However even with that one I'm still getting a black screen and I'm actually even still having the issue getting the power to come on as with this unit it also flicked off the first couple tries. So this would likely implicate the motherboard then eh?

 

[aevm]

Yeah...

One more thing: that MB has two slots for video. Have you tried both?

 

[stavrosco]

Unfortunately the second slot has the same result