At the end of my wits with this computer!

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I have Gigabyte DSP2 P4 mobo (GA-8KHXP) with Intel 875P chip and 3ghz
processor on CPU 478 Socket.
At this point, the only thing my computer can do is to turn on and spin all
its fans and hard drives, and light its neon lights. That's it. I don't here
any beeps, the screen remains black and there's no traditional sounds
indicating booting process. The RAM LED light is on. To turn the computer
off I would have to push the On button and hold it for about 8 seconds On
one occasion, when I waited for a bout 5 minutes while the drives and fans
span with no apparent purpose, the machine started booting all of a sudden.
The computer then worked normally (I was even able to reboot it without any
adverse consequences) till I turned it off for the night.
Next day the 'puter was completely dead. I pushed the front button couple of
times, suddenly everything span up and kept on spinning for about a minute
before completely turning itself off. After that, everything would spin up
for about 2 seconds when I pressed the button and then die off. The RAM Led
however stays ON. Again, as in the case with everything spinning, I would
have to push the ON button and hold it for 8 seconds to turn the RAM LED
off. After which, if I push the ON button again I would have the same 2
second spin.
Yesterday, suspecting that the CPU might have gotten loose somehow, I
removed the cooling sink, reinserted the CPU into the socket, put a new
thermal tape on the CPU. After installing the cooling sink and the fan, I
turned the 'puter on and it successfully booted. I installed some software
rebooted a few times and worked for a few hours. I thought my troubles were
over. Alas, next morning when I turned the computer on I got greeted with
the old "spinning" story. I turned the computer of and was about to toss it
out of the window in frustration when I suddenly decided to turn it on one
more time, which resulted in a beep and apparent attempt to boot. The screen
lit up for half second and went blank again. I was about to take the largest
wrench from my garage and do this evil computer in when I remembered that it
cost me $1600 and decided to write this message on my laptop instead.
Any ideas, folks? I would appreciate any input. Thanks a lot in advance.
 
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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Skysi wrote:
> I have Gigabyte DSP2 P4 mobo (GA-8KHXP) with Intel 875P chip and 3ghz
> processor on CPU 478 Socket.
> At this point, the only thing my computer can do is to turn on and
> spin all its fans and hard drives, and light its neon lights. That's
> it. I don't here any beeps, the screen remains black and there's no
> traditional sounds indicating booting process. The RAM LED light is
> on. To turn the computer off I would have to push the On button and
> hold it for about 8 seconds On one occasion, when I waited for a bout
> 5 minutes while the drives and fans span with no apparent purpose,
> the machine started booting all of a sudden. The computer then worked
> normally (I was even able to reboot it without any adverse
> consequences) till I turned it off for the night. Next day the 'puter was
> completely dead. I pushed the front button
> couple of times, suddenly everything span up and kept on spinning for
> about a minute before completely turning itself off. After that,
> everything would spin up for about 2 seconds when I pressed the
> button and then die off. The RAM Led however stays ON. Again, as in
> the case with everything spinning, I would have to push the ON button
> and hold it for 8 seconds to turn the RAM LED off. After which, if I
> push the ON button again I would have the same 2 second spin.
> Yesterday, suspecting that the CPU might have gotten loose somehow, I
> removed the cooling sink, reinserted the CPU into the socket, put a
> new thermal tape on the CPU. After installing the cooling sink and
> the fan, I turned the 'puter on and it successfully booted. I
> installed some software rebooted a few times and worked for a few
> hours. I thought my troubles were over. Alas, next morning when I
> turned the computer on I got greeted with the old "spinning" story. I
> turned the computer of and was about to toss it out of the window in
> frustration when I suddenly decided to turn it on one more time,
> which resulted in a beep and apparent attempt to boot. The screen lit
> up for half second and went blank again. I was about to take the
> largest wrench from my garage and do this evil computer in when I
> remembered that it cost me $1600 and decided to write this message on
> my laptop instead. Any ideas, folks? I would appreciate any input. Thanks
> a lot in
> advance.

Buy and install a new 500+ watt power supply.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
 
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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Shenan, at this point I'm not in a hurry to buy a new PS. I got to make sure
this one is no good.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Do you have a switch on the PS turn it off then back on see if it powers up
then

"Skysi" <noaddress@noaddress.net> wrote in message
news:%23wxtmxNsFHA.3504@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>I have Gigabyte DSP2 P4 mobo (GA-8KHXP) with Intel 875P chip and 3ghz
>processor on CPU 478 Socket.
> At this point, the only thing my computer can do is to turn on and spin
> all its fans and hard drives, and light its neon lights. That's it. I
> don't here any beeps, the screen remains black and there's no traditional
> sounds indicating booting process. The RAM LED light is on. To turn the
> computer off I would have to push the On button and hold it for about 8
> seconds On one occasion, when I waited for a bout 5 minutes while the
> drives and fans span with no apparent purpose, the machine started booting
> all of a sudden. The computer then worked normally (I was even able to
> reboot it without any adverse consequences) till I turned it off for the
> night.
> Next day the 'puter was completely dead. I pushed the front button couple
> of times, suddenly everything span up and kept on spinning for about a
> minute before completely turning itself off. After that, everything would
> spin up for about 2 seconds when I pressed the button and then die off.
> The RAM Led however stays ON. Again, as in the case with everything
> spinning, I would have to push the ON button and hold it for 8 seconds to
> turn the RAM LED off. After which, if I push the ON button again I would
> have the same 2 second spin.
> Yesterday, suspecting that the CPU might have gotten loose somehow, I
> removed the cooling sink, reinserted the CPU into the socket, put a new
> thermal tape on the CPU. After installing the cooling sink and the fan, I
> turned the 'puter on and it successfully booted. I installed some software
> rebooted a few times and worked for a few hours. I thought my troubles
> were over. Alas, next morning when I turned the computer on I got greeted
> with the old "spinning" story. I turned the computer of and was about to
> toss it out of the window in frustration when I suddenly decided to turn
> it on one more time, which resulted in a beep and apparent attempt to
> boot. The screen lit up for half second and went blank again. I was about
> to take the largest wrench from my garage and do this evil computer in
> when I remembered that it cost me $1600 and decided to write this message
> on my laptop instead.
> Any ideas, folks? I would appreciate any input. Thanks a lot in advance.
>
 
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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Thanks, Keith. I've done that many times. Doesn't seem to make any
difference.
 
G

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Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

From your description, it sounds like a home built PC. Your best
approach is to strip the PC down. Take the motherboard out of
the case along with the Power Supply. Place the motherboard on
the Static bag and plug the Power supply in to it. Do not connect
any peripherals - just the Mouse/Keyboard and video connector.
Remove all PCI cards and use only the video card. Use a Phillips
head screwdriver to short the Power up pins on the motherboard.
You either have a bad connection or the motherboard is mounted
on it's supports where a shorted condition is happening. Once you
verify the motherboard/CPU & Memory + Video are working in
a stable fashion - then re-install to the case and test at every step.

"Keith AH" <Somebody@somewher.com> wrote in message
news:eDNL91NsFHA.2348@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Do you have a switch on the PS turn it off then back on see if it powers
> up then
>
> "Skysi" <noaddress@noaddress.net> wrote in message
> news:%23wxtmxNsFHA.3504@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>>I have Gigabyte DSP2 P4 mobo (GA-8KHXP) with Intel 875P chip and 3ghz
>>processor on CPU 478 Socket.
>> At this point, the only thing my computer can do is to turn on and spin
>> all its fans and hard drives, and light its neon lights. That's it. I
>> don't here any beeps, the screen remains black and there's no traditional
>> sounds indicating booting process. The RAM LED light is on. To turn the
>> computer off I would have to push the On button and hold it for about 8
>> seconds On one occasion, when I waited for a bout 5 minutes while the
>> drives and fans span with no apparent purpose, the machine started
>> booting all of a sudden. The computer then worked normally (I was even
>> able to reboot it without any adverse consequences) till I turned it off
>> for the night.
>> Next day the 'puter was completely dead. I pushed the front button couple
>> of times, suddenly everything span up and kept on spinning for about a
>> minute before completely turning itself off. After that, everything would
>> spin up for about 2 seconds when I pressed the button and then die off.
>> The RAM Led however stays ON. Again, as in the case with everything
>> spinning, I would have to push the ON button and hold it for 8 seconds to
>> turn the RAM LED off. After which, if I push the ON button again I would
>> have the same 2 second spin.
>> Yesterday, suspecting that the CPU might have gotten loose somehow, I
>> removed the cooling sink, reinserted the CPU into the socket, put a new
>> thermal tape on the CPU. After installing the cooling sink and the fan, I
>> turned the 'puter on and it successfully booted. I installed some
>> software rebooted a few times and worked for a few hours. I thought my
>> troubles were over. Alas, next morning when I turned the computer on I
>> got greeted with the old "spinning" story. I turned the computer of and
>> was about to toss it out of the window in frustration when I suddenly
>> decided to turn it on one more time, which resulted in a beep and
>> apparent attempt to boot. The screen lit up for half second and went
>> blank again. I was about to take the largest wrench from my garage and do
>> this evil computer in when I remembered that it cost me $1600 and decided
>> to write this message on my laptop instead.
>> Any ideas, folks? I would appreciate any input. Thanks a lot in advance.
>>
>
>
 
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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Skysi wrote:
> Shenan, at this point I'm not in a hurry to buy a new PS. I got to
> make sure this one is no good.

Speaking from expeience.. Spending $40 to $90 on a new power supply that
you can return if it is not the problem is the best bet for you at this
point. I have gone through exactly what you are going through.. I replaced
a motherboard, I replaced RAM, I tried multiple video cards.. Nothing
worked.. I even put the power supply in another system and that system
displayed none of the symptoms.. But something tempted me to try it anyway -
so I went to best buy and bought a new power supply.. *boom* everything was
better. I returned that power supply - ordered one more fitting the system
and have been using that system ever since.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
 
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I concur by a new PS
"Skysi" <noaddress@noaddress.net> wrote in message
news:un91eTOsFHA.3860@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>
> Shenan, at this point I'm not in a hurry to buy a new PS. I got to make
> sure this one is no good.
>
 
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R., Thanks for your advice. I may have to try that. By the way, my machine
is not home built. I bought it from ABS 2 years ago.
 
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Right on, Shenan. Just came back from CompUSA with a cheap PS and hooked it
up to my 'puter. Well, like you said, it's been the PS's fault all along.
The machine up and running again. Now'll have to fork out some dough on a
good 530Watt PS to replace the cripple. I'm happy it's not a mobo or
processor.
Thanks Shenan for your advice, and Keith and everybody. Good to have you
around, guys.
 
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Skysi wrote:
> Right on, Shenan. Just came back from CompUSA with a cheap PS and
> hooked it up to my 'puter. Well, like you said, it's been the PS's
> fault all along. The machine up and running again. Now'll have to
> fork out some dough on a good 530Watt PS to replace the cripple. I'm
> happy it's not a mobo or processor.
> Thanks Shenan for your advice, and Keith and everybody. Good to have
> you around, guys.

Glad it helped!

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html