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Trying to figure out if it is my Motherboard that is shot or my CPU

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Asus P5N-E SLI
Intel Core2Duo 6550? 2.33ghz
Corsair XMS2 4Gb RAM
EVGA 560ti
320gb generic HDD
800W Thermaltake

I recently had issues with my desktop shutting off randomly during regular use. i.e. Games, internet, movies. At first, I dismissed these signs as just my power supply being sensitive to over voltages or 'some unknown force' cutting power in order to protect the components. Then after a week of this I turn my computer on in the morning and play a game, my PC then shuts off mid game, I go boot again and computer lights up and I await that 'oh so familiar' BIOS beep. My computer does not beep. And nothing shows up on my screen even after 10 minutes.

I unplug power cable then plug it back in and try again. Still doesn't beep. AKA does not load the BIOS at all. I try to take the diode battery out (that resets the CMOS/BIOS or something) and put it back in after a couple of minutes and try to boot again, does not work again.

The RAM is brand new and is not the issue. The VGA is not the issue, switched it out with another one. The HDD is not the issue it spins up and it would still boot the BIOS. Power supply works, ALL the lights and ALL the fans run.

I am trying to figure out if it is the CPU or the Motherboard. Can anyone help or direct me? I am capable with handling hardware. I have no way of getting another motherboard or CPU to switch out.

More about : figure motherboard shot cpu

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Motherboard Expert

Check your temps when gaming. This sounds like a temp issue to me. When the CPU gets too hot it shuts the computer off to prevent damage. It will not allow the computer to boot when it's still too hot. After 10 minutes it's probably cooled down enough to boot. Free programs like Speed fan or HWMonitor will allow you to monitor temps during gaming to see if this is the cause. What CPU cooler are you using?

kelthic said:
Check your temps when gaming. This sounds like a temp issue to me. When the CPU gets too hot it shuts the computer off to prevent damage. It will not allow the computer to boot when it's still too hot. After 10 minutes it's probably cooled down enough to boot. Free programs like Speed fan or HWMonitor will allow you to monitor temps during gaming to see if this is the cause. What CPU cooler are you using?



Sorry, forgot to mention hasn't worked for a couple weeks. And i thought it was temp too. But I know it always ran at 28-40 C (only got above 32 C during high heat summer with no A/C running). And it shut off when the temp was 30 C once.
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Motherboard Expert

When you turn the power on, and the pc does not POST, do the fans spin at all? Could be the PC is not getting power correctly from the PSU and therefore will not boot. Basically, the post sequence is "looking" for a correct power signals before it will power up the pc and initiate the boot sequence. If you have a bad psu, or something similar this would be capable of causing the computer not to post. What PSU do you have exactly?

kelthic said:
When you turn the power on, and the pc does not POST, do the fans spin at all? Could be the PC is not getting power correctly from the PSU and therefore will not boot. Basically, the post sequence is "looking" for a correct power signals before it will power up the pc and initiate the boot sequence. If you have a bad psu, or something similar this would be capable of causing the computer not to post. What PSU do you have exactly?



All the fans spin and all the lights work. Thermaltake Toughpower 850W

scout_03 said:
could you try to plug it in another outlet and se if you got power and check cable on the psu if it is not loose


Yes I've tried that. Used the outlets in a different room and used my ps3's power cable, and my guitar amp's cable.
Motherboard Expert

Do you have another computer or a friends computer you can swap the motherboard or cpu out with? Since you can't post, i'm not sure of many more options or things that we can check into.

scout_03 said:
do you have another psu around for test


No, i do not. (the other one I have is 400W Dell thing) But I tried it (MY 850W) in another computer and it powered everything up without problems. And it powers up the fans and lights in my computer.

kelthic said:
Do you have another computer or a friends computer you can swap the motherboard or cpu out with? Since you can't post, i'm not sure of many more options or things that we can check into.


No, I do not. They have the newer gen Mobos (for the i processors). I also crossposted this to the CPU forums the consensus over there is that it is most likely the mobo for if the CPU was busted the mobo would at least make its hardware failure beeps.
Motherboard Expert

Could also verify with a voltmeter that all your rails are providing voltages within the correct ranges... That's a little more technical of a test though.
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