Power up, messed up startup, power down, power up, blank screen, help!

[mrjimi]

So I just replaced my CPU cooling unit because the old one failed. Computer was out of commission for several days. After install, this happened:

1. Windows came up OK but had to load a whole lot of drivers for stuff like drives and peripherals. Clock was not synced and would not sync (thought it was 2007). Internet available.

2. Restarted to see if things would revert to normal. Instead, system powered on but nothing loaded. Not even a BIOS startup. Lights came on, fan spun, but that's all.

3. Powered down. Removed CMOS battery. Ten minutes later, with battery still out, restarted. DEL-ed into BIOS, checked CPU temp, it was fine. Exited BIOS, Windows loaded, more drivers had to be installed, no Internet, still thought it was 2007.

4. Powered down, let ten minutes pass, put CMOS battery back in, restarted. Back to No. 2 -- fans running but nothing on screen.

5. Powered down. Removed CMOS battery again. Ten minutes later, restarted. This time, same as no. 2, power but blank screen.

WTF? Should I replace the CMOS battery? Did the failed cooling unit destroy something? Did the new unit mess it all up?

I can provide mboard info, etc., but I am SO tired of all this that if I think about it anymore, I am going to throw the computer out the window. If not myself.

 

[Gate9er]

So I just replaced my CPU cooling unit because the old one failed. Computer was out of commission for several days. After install, this happened:

1. Windows came up OK but had to load a whole lot of drivers for stuff like drives and peripherals. Clock was not synced and would not sync (thought it was 2007). Internet available.

2. Restarted to see if things would revert to normal. Instead, system powered on but nothing loaded. Not even a BIOS startup. Lights came on, fan spun, but that's all.

3. Powered down. Removed CMOS battery. Ten minutes later, with battery still out, restarted. DEL-ed into BIOS, checked CPU temp, it was fine. Exited BIOS, Windows loaded, more drivers had to be installed, no Internet, still thought it was 2007.

4. Powered down, let ten minutes pass, put CMOS battery back in, restarted. Back to No. 2 -- fans running but nothing on screen.

5. Powered down. Removed CMOS battery again. Ten minutes later, restarted. This time, same as no. 2, power but blank screen.

WTF? Should I replace the CMOS battery? Did the failed cooling unit destroy something? Did the new unit mess it all up?

I can provide mboard info, etc., but I am SO tired of all this that if I think about it anymore, I am going to throw the computer out the window. If not myself.

Did you apply your fan correctly? Cleaning CPU's area, applying thermal paste etc?

 

[mrjimi]

Yep, I think that part is fine, thanks. (CPU temp is OK -- that would be high if cooling unit was the problem, right?) I suspect (as an amateur, admittedly!) that either I damaged something on the mboard when installing the cooling unit, or the old cooling unit did some damage before I replaced it, or the fact that the system was shut down for so long caused the CMOS battery to run out (the system is several years old, and the fact that the computer thought it was 2007 is interesting).

 

[Gate9er]

I doubt that the cmos battery has run out. What's your mobo btw?

 

[mrjimi]

It's an EVGA X58 ATX,no. 132-BL-E758-TR.

 

[mrjimi]

By the way, I was gone for a few days. Back now. System still stuck in condition no. 2 (system powers on but nothing loads), whether the CMOS battery is in or not.

 

[mrjimi]

Just noticed that the digital readout on the mobo is flashing some numbers, which I guess are error codes?

"F3" -- for a few seconds, during which flashes and audibly clicks once -- then "68" (or possible "6B") for a few seconds, then "69" for a split second, then back to F3 and it starts again.

 

[mrjimi]

Now the readout just flashes FF, without running through anything else first.