Computer won't POST

[JayF]

Hi everyone,

I'll try to go into much details as possible as to what I've tried already. I'm out of ideas on this one.

I've recently tried a new stick of ram to test it out for someone...turned out to be a bad stick and my computer wouldn't POST after that.

I figured it fried the motherboard when I tried booting up with it. I've replaced the motherboard today and its still doing the same thing [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

I get power to the board, but no POST. The screen remains black and no signal is sent to the monitor.

So I'm asking what does a computer need to be able to make a successful POST?

I've tried unplugging all HD and DVD drive, didn't work. I've tried with no ram, didn't work. I've tried with no video card and it still didn't work.

I've figured that I would have heard the single beep once at least and would have been able to narrow it down but nothing, which really suck...

I always thought that without ram the bios would give a few beep codes, same for no video card installed.

So to sumarize, its a new motherboard. It's getting power from the PSU (the fans are turning and the HDs are getting powered when I turn it on.

It's however not POSTing (no single beep or signal sent to the monitor). It's not giving beep codes either...just silence.

What are my options here?

I've replaced the motherboard.
I've tried booting with everything plugged in.
I've tried booting with only RAM and Video
I've tried booting with only Video
I've tried booting with only RAM.
I've tried booting with no video, no ram.

All produced the same result...no POST, no signal to the monitor [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Thanks for the help or suggestion...I dont really want to shed out $100 of dollars just to test stuff, I've thought maybe the CPU got fried but what if its not the CPU?

What if its everything, board, ram and cpu...isn't there anyway to know?

[_dave_]

[ QUOTE ]
I've recently tried a new stick of ram to test it out for someone...turned out to be a bad stick and my computer wouldn't POST after that.

[/ QUOTE ]

If this killed your system then that is uncommonly unlucky - odds of maybe 1/1000? very rare for a RAM stick to kill things - often faulty RAM will cause no POST, but system will be fine once it is removed. Unlucky [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]

I've replaced the motherboard.
I've tried booting with everything plugged in.
I've tried booting with only RAM and Video
I've tried booting with only Video
I've tried booting with only RAM.
I've tried booting with no video, no ram.


[/ QUOTE ]

Try a different (known good) PSU - repeat all tests.

If you are getting no beeps at all during all these scenarios, and you know the speaker to be good, you probably have a faulty CPU.

Test your "good" RAM in another computer.

Try all these tests on both motherboards.

Reset the CMOS on each motherboard between tests, usually this is a jumper very close to the battery - check your motherboard's manual for details.

Still no beeps from either motherboard with known good RAM and known good PSU, broken CPU is looking highly likely.

Borrow one for testing if you have a good friend with a similar system - this is a gambool - if something in your system is killing CPUs, you will now have to buy two [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] This is really unlikely, though.

Good luck,

dave.

[JayF]

Thanks...look like I'll need to gamble some money...hopefully I wont go BUSTO, hehe...and I'll find a friend who is willing to let me borrow not only the hardware but the CPU itself.

Was pretty much hoping there would have been an easier way to test each components but then they dont really want you to fix stuff, they want you to buy brand new components.

[_dave_]

well, most components can be tested easily providing you have a spare computer to plug them in to [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Stick your video card in your friend's computer - if it POSTs, it works - no further testing required.

Same goes for you RAM, your PSU, and maybe your CPU - it is not outside the realms of possibility that the new mobo you bought is DOA... such things can happen.

Testing is made much easier if you have a similar specification - known-working computer to swap one component at a time with.

dave.

[MrMon]

This is almost certainly a dead power supply.

[Kraln]

I'd put my money on the power supply.

As for your question, all a computer needs to post is a cpu, a video card, and memory. Unplug everything else.

No beeps troubles me, that may be the CPU. You may invest in a PCI Card post-code - they're always, always handy to have around when you don't want to guess what's wrong.

Here's a cheap one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000234...e&n=172282.

[TheRock69]

Try replacing the video card.

[JayF]

Well...I've narrowed it down a bit more through some testing with an Intel box.

Its not the PSU, Video Card, Ram as they all work in the other box....that leave the CPU that I can't test since its an AMD.

I had never heard of such an evil stick of ram either until now...its very unlikely but possible (found a few posts describing the same problem on another forum.)

PSU was a possibility, but I ruled that one out quickly since I was getting power to the fans and drives.

Thanks for the help guys, at least I'm down to two components left...Mobo or CPU.

EDIT - Thanks for the link Kraln...that seems like a nice piece of diag. tool to have handy.

[TheRock69]

Buses or serial cables bad?

[mason55]

Ugh this brings back memories of a computer I killed once. I replaced the mobo. No post. Replaced RAM. No post. Replaced CPU. No post. Replaced PSU. No post. Turns out that the new mobo I bought was DOA.

I hate hardware.