bic

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Sep 8, 2006
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I unplugged a GA-945P-S3 (Core2Duo E6300 cpu), went on vacation for two weeks and now it won't boot. I tried cmos clear and removing battery. Still it won't boot. I tried putting in a PCI video card instead of PCI Express, but still won't show anything on the monitor. There's no beeps, power light that is plugged into motherboard does come on. I can hear hard drives spin up and DVD access (also light on dvd comes on). Any other options to try? I had this problem last year, but cannot remember how I fixed it.
 
Solution
I don't know how old your system is, but the first thing I'd recommend is replacing the battery. Hopefully, a helpful thought - get a cheap little notebook (paper, not computer) to use as a system log; I list major installs, changes to system files if I feel they're at all 'risky', notes on problems and solutions, serial numbers, etc. You can keep it in the computer, but then you have to faithfully print it out periodically, on the premise that, when you really need it - it will be inaccessible from the computer... (Murphy's Law)

bilbat

Splendid
I don't know how old your system is, but the first thing I'd recommend is replacing the battery. Hopefully, a helpful thought - get a cheap little notebook (paper, not computer) to use as a system log; I list major installs, changes to system files if I feel they're at all 'risky', notes on problems and solutions, serial numbers, etc. You can keep it in the computer, but then you have to faithfully print it out periodically, on the premise that, when you really need it - it will be inaccessible from the computer... (Murphy's Law)
 
Solution

bic

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Sep 8, 2006
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18,510



Thanks!
 

bilbat

Splendid
Always welcome!

Now - go get a replacement battery before you forget! I don't know how old you are, but if you're anything like me, the whole incident will be history shortly, and by the time the 'unknown charge' one you've got peters out, you'll be solving this problem again!

I read a lot of cognitive philosophy, and the philosopher's main question seems to be "why am I here?" - but they neglect the actual application of this question at my age - seems I spend half my time standing at the bottom of the basement steps, saying to myself "why am I here?" - only to return upstairs, see something, and say "Ahh - that's why I went downstairs in the first place!" :pt1cable:

Bill
 

hellad

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Aug 17, 2009
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I have the same board and the same problem - just that in my case changing the battery did not work (I also had this problem with this board in the past yet as bic I don't recall what I did to fix it)
Do you have any other suggestions
 

bilbat

Splendid
(I also had this problem with this board in the past yet as bic I don't recall what I did to fix it)
Do you have any other suggestions

I hear Aricept works for memory problems, but I keep forgetting to ask my shrink for the prescription!

Kidding aside, you might try simply wiggling the battery in its mount - may just be getting intermittent contact; another culprit that sometimes is known to 'flush' your CMOS settings is an errant USB device; take a peek here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261902-30-gigabyte-tale
 

hellad

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Aug 17, 2009
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I have disconnected all USB devices. Yet from what I understood in the linked thread all had a reboot issue which is not the case that I have. The motherboard is turned on and I can hear the HD and DVDs spinning yet the screen stays blank with no input and the power and restart buttons cease to work
I think the last time I fixed this issue had something to do with the graphic card - but the board won't beep with its speaker, this makes it difficult to know what the problem is
 

bilbat

Splendid
but the board won't beep with its speaker, this makes it difficult to know what the problem is
That is both peculiar, and difficult - as there is a specific 'beep code' (1 long 2 short) for monitor or display card errors. Have you tried 're-seating' the vidcard? Might also want to unplug/replug the vidcard's power connector...
 

hellad

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Aug 17, 2009
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If by re-seating you mean take the card out and then plug it back when the computer is off then yes. I have no power connectors to the card (old card)

Do you know in this specific MB are there any special features that I might need to disable physically in order to get the simplest configuration ?

Thanks for all the help so far
 

bilbat

Splendid
The standard 'strip-down':

Power down at PSU switch
remove everything except
CPU and heatsink/fan (check carefully that the fan retaining pins are fully inserted, completely locked, and not cracked)
one stick of RAM, in slot closest to CPU
video card and monitor connector (if more than one PCIe slot, again, in slot closest to CPU)
all power plugs - 20+4 or 24, 2x2 or 2x4 ATX power, graphics card power
case speaker and power switch connectors
keyboard (don't need a mouse at this point)
place jumper on RST_CMOS pins
remove jumper from RST_CMOS pins
power up at PSU switch
power up by depressing case power switch
If you get video, enter BIOS with <DEL> (may need a <TAB> to get to POST screen, if 'splash' screen is enabled)
Select and execute "Load Optimized Defaults" - save and exit, reboot
power down
reinsert other components, one at a time, testing each time after addition