Is my CPU bad?...I need advice fixing a desktop.

[Rodion15]

I'm fixing a desktop with this problem: there's no video, not any beeps at all, not a single one, the fans spin OK (cpu and psu), no lights in keyboard nor mouse.

Motherboard ECS 945G-M3 REV: 1.0B (15-K76-011021)
Pentium D 805 2,6GHz 2, 1MB cache L2 FSB 533

I've done several tests and my idea now is that the CPU is bad, but before buying one I need some opinions just to make sure ;-)

The owner said "it started to hang up and then one day it wouldn’t start anymore. ..or perhaps he meant "started giving BSDs".

This is what I've done so far: I removed all cables from the motherboard except the main power connector, ATX12v. I even removed the ram stick, and still no video.

So I thought it'd be the motherboard since I was said that in this cases it's rare for an intel processor to break and that it'd probably be the mobo, so I got a new one (with a right to return it if it isn't the culprit):

Asrock G41M-VS3
and a stick of RAM: DDR3 4GB SDRAM Kingstom Hyperx 1600 cl9

640-pin DIMM KHX1600C9D3B1/4G 1,65V.

I also changed the PSU for a new good one of 700w.

Tested with bare motherboard and PSU:

I got two results depending on where I installed the stick of RAM:

- installing the stick on the first slot: Still no video, no beep, CPU fan

spinning OK, but system shut down after a few seconds.

- installing the stick on the second slot (there are two): The same but no

shut down of fans.

The manual doesn't say anything which slot you should connect the stick,

so think there's no difference.

I tried removing the ram stick as well, same result.

PSU voltages are within specs in all cases (at least 3,3v, 5v and 12v).


I have this doubt: the shop that sold the motherboard and RAM stick said

they match, but I'm not sure: the manual says:
Please check the table below for the CPU FSB frequency and its
corresponding memory support frequency.
CPU FSB Frequency Memory Support Frequency
1333 DDR3 800, DDR3 1066, DDR3 1333
1066 DDR3 800, DDR3 1066
800 DDR3 800
533 DDR3 800
* DDR3 1333 memory modules will operate in overclocking mode.
* When you use a FSB533-CPU on this motherboard, it will run at
DDR3 533 if you adopt a DDR3 800 memory module.
* If you adopt FSB1333-CPU and DDR3 1333 memory module on this
motherboard, you need to adjust the jumper. Please refer to page 20 for
proper jumper settings.

...according to this, given that the cpu has FSB 533, shouldn't I use

DDR3 800 memory instead of the one I got (which is 1600 MHz if I'm

not wrong)?

Don't you think I should change the cpu next?

 

[Komomu]

the ram is operating at 1600MHz but the board only supports up to 1333 MHz based on the information given

 

[Komomu]

Don't you think I should change the cpu next?

Not sure, whats the rest of your specs like?

 

[Komomu]

you should prob switch that ram stick for a lower clocked one cause the board won't support it

 

[Rodion15]

Not sure, whats the rest of your specs like?

MOTHERBOARD SPECS:
Platform - Micro ATX Form Factor: 8.9-in x 6.7-in, 22.6 cm x 17.0 cm
CPU:
LGA 775 for Intel® CoreTM 2 Extreme / CoreTM 2 Quad / CoreTM
2 Duo / Pentium® Dual Core / Celeron® Dual Core / Celeron®,
supporting Penryn Quad Core Yorkfield and Dual Core
Wolfdale processors
- Supports FSB1333/1066/800/533 MHz
- Supports Hyper-Threading Technology (see CAUTION 1)
- Supports Untied Overclocking Technology (see CAUTION 2)
- Supports EM64T CPU
Chipset:
- Northbridge: Intel® G41
- Southbridge: Intel® ICH7
Memory: Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology (see CAUTION 3)
- 2 x DDR3 DIMM slots
- Supports DDR3 1333(OC)/1066/800 non-ECC, un-buffered
memory (see CAUTION 4)
- Max. capacity of system memory: 8GB (see CAUTION 5)
Expansion Slot:
- 1 x PCI Express x16 slot
- 1 x PCI slot
Graphics:
- Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X4500
- Pixel Shader 4.0, DirectX 10
- Max. shared memory 1759MB (see CAUTION 6)
- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 2048x1536 @
75Hz
Audio: 5.1 CH HD Audio (VIA® VT1705 Audio Codec)
LAN: G41M-VGS3
Atheros® PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN AR8131L,
speed 10/100/1000 Mb/s
- G41M-VS3
Atheros® PCIE x1 LAN AR8132L, speed 10/100 Mb/s
- Supports Wake-On-LAN
Rear Panel I/O: I/O Panel
- 1 x PS/2 Mouse Port
- 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port
- 1 x Serial Port: COM1
- 1 x VGA Port
- 4 x Ready-to-Use USB 2.0 Ports
- 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED LED)
- HD Audio Jack: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone

Connector: 4 x SATAII 3.0 Gb/s connectors (No Support for RAID and
“Hot Plug” functions) (see CAUTION 7)
- 1 x ATA100 IDE connector (supports 2 x IDE devices)
- 1 x Print port header
- CPU/Chassis FAN connector
- 24 pin ATX power connector
- 4 pin 12V power connector
- Front panel audio connector
- 2 x USB 2.0 headers (support 4 USB 2.0 ports)
(see CAUTION 8)
BIOS Feature - 8Mb AMI BIOS
- AMI Legal BIOS
- Supports “Plug and Play”
- ACPI 1.1 Compliance Wake Up Events
- AMBIOS 2.3.1 Support
- VCCM, NB, VTT, GTLRef Voltage Multi-adjustment
Support CD - Drivers, Utilities, AntiVirus Software (Trial Version),
ASRock Software Suite (CyberLink DVD Suite and Creative
Sound Blaster X-Fi MB) (OEM and Trial Version)
Unique Feature - ASRock OC Tuner (see CAUTION 9)
- Intelligent Energy Saver (see CAUTION 10)
- Instant Boot
- ASRock Instant Flash (see CAUTION 11)
- ASRock OC DNA (see CAUTION 12)
- Hybrid Booster:
- CPU Frequency Stepless Control (see CAUTION 13)
- ASRock U-COP (see CAUTION 14)
- Boot Failure Guard (B.F.G.)
Hardware Monitor: - CPU Temperature Sensing
Monitor - Chassis Temperature Sensing
- CPU Fan Tachometer
- Chassis Fan Tachometer
- CPU Quiet Fan
- Voltage Monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, Vcore
OS - Microsoft® Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / VistaTM 64-bit / XP
/ XP 64-bit compliant
Certifications - FCC, CE
- EuP Ready (EuP ready power supply is required)

RAM SPECS (specs for 4GB RAM stick):
DESCRIPTION
This document describes Kingston's 512M x 64-bit (4GB)
DDR3-1600 CL9 SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM), 2Rx8 memory
module, based on sixteen 256M x 8-bit FBGA components. This
module has been tested to run at DDR3-1600 at a low latency
timing of 9-9-9 at 1.65V.The SPD is programmed to JEDEC
standard latency DDR3-1333 timing of 9-9-9. This 240-pin
DIMM uses gold contact fingers. The JEDEC electrical and
mechanical specifications are as follows:

CL(IDD) 9 cycles
Row Cycle Time (tRCmin) 49.5ns (min.)
Refresh to Active/Refresh 160ns (min.)
Command Time (tRFCmin)
Row Active Time (tRASmin) 36ns (min.)
Maximum Operating Power 2.400 W*
UL Rating 94 V - 0
Operating Temperature 0o C to 85o C
Storage Temperature -55o C to +100o C
*Power will vary depending on the SDRAM used.
RAM FEATURES
(also for the 4GB RAM stick):
• JEDEC standard 1.5V (1.425V ~ 1.575V) Power Supply
• VDDQ = 1.5V (1.425V ~ 1.575V)
• 667MHz fCK for 1333Mb/sec/pin
• 8 independent internal bank
• Programmable CAS Latency: 9, 8, 7, 6
• Programmable Additive Latency: 0, CL - 2, or CL - 1 clock
• Programmable CAS Write Latency(CWL) = 7 (DDR3-1333)
• 8-bit pre-fetch
• Burst Length: 8 (Interleave without any limit, sequential with
starting address “000” only), 4 with tCCD = 4 which does not
allow seamless read or write [either on the fly using A12 or
MRS]
• Bi-directional Differential Data Strobe
• Internal(self) calibration : Internal self calibration through ZQ
pin (RZQ : 240 ohm ± 1%)
• On Die Termination using ODT pin
• Average Refresh Period 7.8us at lower than TCASE 85°C,
3.9us at 85°C < TCASE < 95°C
• Asynchronous Reset
• PCB : Height 1.180” (30.00mm), double sided component

 

[Rodion15]

In my opinion, even if the ram stick is not compatible, shouldn't the motherboard at least give a beep?

 

[Rodion15]

corrected

 

[Komomu]

ok, the thing is, you are not going to get anywhere unless you use the proper frequency ram, ask around for a ddr3 stick of ram 1333 mhz or 1066, id tou can find ddr3 800 mhz thats fine, we just want to make sure that the ram is the only problem

 

[Rodion15]

ok, the thing is, you are not going to get anywhere unless you use the proper frequency ram, ask around for a ddr3 stick of ram 1333 mhz or 1066, id tou can find ddr3 800 mhz thats fine, we just want to make sure that the ram is the only problem

Problem solved!. I'm sorry: I had shorted the Power switch pins in the panel header in the motherboard with a jumper, I thought this would simulate the turn-on, instead of shorting the two pins with a screwdriver to turn on the motherboard. This produced the following effect: either turned on the cpu fan but no video no beeps, or turned off the cpu fans after a few seconds. It's understandable, it's the first computer I mount.

Thanks.