Help needed: PC not starting up!

Discussion in 'CPU, Motherboards and Memory' started by davelev, Oct 29, 2010.

  1. davelev

    davelev Geek Trainee

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    Hi there!

    I have a PC that I had built in 2005. In 2010 after being on vacation for a few weeks, it would not start up, brought it to a service and they said it had a mobo problem... some components were loose on it... believable.

    So I changed the old Asus A8N-SLI mobo to this newer (used and bought from eBay) one: Asus A8N-E nForce4 PCI-E SOCKET 939.

    And now, it still won't start up, only that it's kinda different behaviour now....

    DETAILS of my problem:

    When turned on, the system starts, but the monitor not. No beep, no image on monitor.
    The LCD's green led flickers...
    The PC's green power led is not on, but only the red HDD led (not sure if this is relevant)...

    My system details:
    CPU: AMD 64X2 4200+
    Mobo: Asus A8N-E nForce4 PCI-E SOCKET 939
    RAM: 2x 1GB DDR 400 Kingston Hyper X - dual channel
    Video: ATI Radeon X800XL 256 Mb
    HDD: 250 GB WD...
    Source: 600 W Enermax

    HERE'S WHAT I TRIED SO FAR, with the same result (not starting up!)

    1) swapped the RAM modules with others
    2) placed a single RAM only to give up dual channel
    3) re-plugged the internal cables, changed all cables I could find (including SATA cable)
    4) tried with different video card
    5) removed soundcard
    6) cleared CMOS with the jumper, as indicated in a mobo book
    7) replaced mobo battery
    8) totally removed mobo battery
    9) checked the monitor plugs
    10) removed mouse and keyboards from the USB plugs
    [all of the above produce the EXACT same no start with flickering LCD green led]

    Please help, this system is giving me a headache and I am having financial problems right now. Can't afford to bring to service...

    Good bless you who can help me!
     
  2. Wildcard

    Wildcard Big Geek

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    It doesnt sound like the board is getting power, or at least not enough power to turn everything on. Do you have another powersupply you could test in it? Have you tried doing a minimal boot, with just the cpu, 1 stick of ram, and the video card to see if it will come up(disconnect all other drives and cards)?
     
  3. davelev

    davelev Geek Trainee

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    Same problem.

    Tried with another source and the problem is the same...
    I hope I plugged the source's cables to the mobo right: there is this wide, large plug and a smaller one (4 wholes/pins)... There are only these 2 connected from source to mobo.
    Could I be missing anything?
     
  4. Wildcard

    Wildcard Big Geek

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    As far as the power cables go, it sounds like you connected the correct ones. Another thing you can try is taking the system board out of the tower and place it on a piece of cardboard. Its possible that part of the system board is touching the metal of the case and is shorting out if the risers are not all installed. The cardboard should be non-conductive so shouldnt cause a short. So far, it sounds like you have replaced the RAM, Powersupply, motherboard, video card, cmos battery, and not able to do just a minimal boot. Kind of running out of things it might be. Its possible that it could be the cpu, but they do not go bad too often. Its also possible that the system board you got from ebay was defective too. Try doing a minimal boot with the motherboard outside of the case first though, just the cpu, cpu fan, 1 stick of known good ram, 1 known good video card, and known good powersupply. I also read that if the cpu fan isnt working properly, some system boards will not allow it to power up to protect the cpu. Does the cpu fan turn on when you power it up?
     
  5. davelev

    davelev Geek Trainee

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    Yes, the CPU fan does turn on... Seems to be working fine.

    It is interesting what you are saying about trying it out when "out of the box" (metallic case)...
    I am worried that it's the CPU! I have spent so much on all those "spare" components, seems like it's all down to the possible shortcut that you mentioned and the possibility that the CPU might be defective.
     
  6. davelev

    davelev Geek Trainee

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    Yes, the CPU fan does turn on... Seems to be working fine.

    It is interesting what you are saying about trying it out when "out of the box" (metallic case)...
    I am worried that it's the CPU! I have spent so much on all those "spare" components, seems like it's all down to the possible shortcut that you mentioned and the possibility that the CPU might be defective.
     
  7. tyya

    tyya Guest

    agreed, i have met the same problem.
     
  8. davelev

    davelev Geek Trainee

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    And did you solve it?
     
  9. davelev

    davelev Geek Trainee

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    Seems like nobody comes to this forum anymore...
     

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