Big trouble now, pc won't boot....

[toedipper]

Sorry for the x post but I am in deep sh*t....

I posted earlier today and asked under a topic of 'Slower
emory...better?' - if 256mb of pc66 memory would be better than 196 mb of
combined 64 pc100 and 128mb pc133 memory...

Well to cut a long story short I gave it a go and put in the 2 x 128mb pc66
chips and the pc would not boot (not even power up) so I thought this was
due to my pc requiring a minimum of pc100 memory. At worst I could go
frying the mem chips as I got them foc...

So I took them out and put in my original memory and the pc powers up but
nothing happens....it sort of powers up but no activity...

Here are the symptoms in no particular order....

The power supply seems to be working as the fan inside the power supply is
going.

The hard drive *starts* to spin up, I can hear it, but just does not get
there, the hard drive activity light comes on *steady* for about 1-2 mins
and then goes out and system stays on. Usually when system is booting the
hard drive light flickers as it reads data

The cd and dvd drive lights flash as if checking to see if anything in there
like they always do

There are 2 cpu fans inside the case and they get the power from the
motherboard and they work ok, disonnecting their leads from the motherboard
stops them so there must be power going to the motherboard

There is no power, or seems to be no power, going to keyboard via ps2 port,
pressing caps/num lock produce no flashing led

If I take power out of hard drive then it does not spin up so power must be
going to it in first place to cause it to spin up

If I take all memory out of system and switch on then it beeps and a green
light comes on motherboard beside the 2 memory slots so ther must be some
intelligence somewhere for it to know there is no memory

If I take the main lead from power supply to motherboard out then pc will
not power up at all so the must be some power going to motherboard for it to
even power up and sit there

At the back of the PC - a HP Pavilion 710 ,1.3 Celeron, 40gb hd and original
128mb ram- on the power supply is a green light and this on always on. I am
not sure if this is always on or is on due to the fault

Monitor flashes as if in standby mode waiting for video signal, as if I have
shut pc down at night and not switched monitor off

I have disconnected and reset all cables and pci cards but no joy incase it
was something loose

What do you think? Have I wrecked the PC. I am typing this from another.

Cheers,

td.

 

[Ben Myers]

You need to look at the EXACT specs of the computer, but for certain a 1.3 GHz
Celeron requires PC100 memory at minimum. PC66 memory should NEVER have been
installed in this computer. Remove it immediately and hope that the computer
then works properly again. And make sure that the computer power cord is not
plugged into electrical current any time you work inside a computer chassis.
Failure to remove power from the system means that you are working on a live
motherboard with low voltage power flowing through at least some of its
circuits. Computer memory and processors are not made for insertion into a
motherboard with live electrical power going through it.

To find the EXACT specs for the computer, including memory specifications, go to
the web site, click on the support button, enter in the EXACT model of the
computer, and poke and prod around for product specifications. The web site
will tell you whether the computer needs PC133 or if PC100 will suffice. My
guess is that PC100 is OK for the Celeron chip, and PC133 is needed for a faster
Pentium III. The model number you indicated in your posting is insufficient.
HP Pavilion model numbers are usually 3 digits followed by one or two letters.
Use the complete model information... Ben Myers

 

[GTS]

Sorry for the x post but I am in deep sh*t....

I posted earlier today and asked under a topic of 'Slower
emory...better?' - if 256mb of pc66 memory would be better than 196 mb of
combined 64 pc100 and 128mb pc133 memory...

Well to cut a long story short I gave it a go and put in the 2 x 128mb pc66
chips and the pc would not boot (not even power up) so I thought this was
due to my pc requiring a minimum of pc100 memory. At worst I could go
frying the mem chips as I got them foc...

So I took them out and put in my original memory and the pc powers up but
nothing happens....it sort of powers up but no activity...

Here are the symptoms in no particular order....

The power supply seems to be working as the fan inside the power supply is
going.

The hard drive *starts* to spin up, I can hear it, but just does not get
there, the hard drive activity light comes on *steady* for about 1-2 mins
and then goes out and system stays on. Usually when system is booting the
hard drive light flickers as it reads data

The cd and dvd drive lights flash as if checking to see if anything in there
like they always do

There are 2 cpu fans inside the case and they get the power from the
motherboard and they work ok, disonnecting their leads from the motherboard
stops them so there must be power going to the motherboard

There is no power, or seems to be no power, going to keyboard via ps2 port,
pressing caps/num lock produce no flashing led

If I take power out of hard drive then it does not spin up so power must be
going to it in first place to cause it to spin up

If I take all memory out of system and switch on then it beeps and a green
light comes on motherboard beside the 2 memory slots so ther must be some
intelligence somewhere for it to know there is no memory

If I take the main lead from power supply to motherboard out then pc will
not power up at all so the must be some power going to motherboard for it to
even power up and sit there

At the back of the PC - a HP Pavilion 710 ,1.3 Celeron, 40gb hd and original
128mb ram- on the power supply is a green light and this on always on. I am
not sure if this is always on or is on due to the fault

Monitor flashes as if in standby mode waiting for video signal, as if I have
shut pc down at night and not switched monitor off

I have disconnected and reset all cables and pci cards but no joy incase it
was something loose

What do you think? Have I wrecked the PC. I am typing this from another.

Cheers,

td.

Have you tried re-setting the BIOS? Either by the BIOS reset jumper if you
have one, or removing the Lithium battery from the board for a while?
The BIOS auto-detects hardware and may have tried to adapt to the new
memory.
On the hardware side, sure the chips are seated correctly now you've
replaced them?

 

[toedipper]

Cheers Ben. HP Pavilion 710.uk with ASUS TUSL.L motherboard. I beleive
asus made this board for HP.

 

[mdp]

Unless you zapped the memory while handling it (why I endorse ground
strapping and all this it stands for, I've never zapped any electronic
device even though I rarely wear a ground strap), chances are you did not
wreck it when you tried the new memory. Try reseating the original memory
and other cards in your system. You may have simply accidentally worked
something loose.

 

[yak]

Does the name Anna-Maria mean anything to you, Ben?

 

[Ben Myers]

Should it??? I've encountered girls, women, and colleges with the name in
various stages of my life... Ben Myers

 

[yak]

Should it??? I've encountered girls, women, and colleges with the name in
various stages of my life... Ben Myers

Because if Anna-Maria were your sister then you'd be the Ben I know. You
apparently aren't. So nevermind, heh.

 

[toedipper]

Well, after much testing, it turns out it seems I fried the motherboard.

I removed the hard drive, graphics card and memory and they all worked in
another PC ok.

I put the same components from the other pc into mine and exact same
outcome, sort of powers up, hard drive spins but doesn't get to bios loading
etc.

Thanks for your help anyway.

Anyone know a good supplier of motherboard or bundle kits as I was thinking
of upgrading anyway? My motherboard is a ASUS TUSL-L which I believe ASUS
made for HP, it is not one of ASUS normal kits. The form factor is listed
here http://tinyurl.com/6efxy as UATX-> ATX ...do I just look for another
board of the same size?

thanks,

TD

 

[kony]

Well, after much testing, it turns out it seems I fried the motherboard.

I removed the hard drive, graphics card and memory and they all worked in
another PC ok.

So the motherboard (or power supply?).

I put the same components from the other pc into mine and exact same
outcome, sort of powers up, hard drive spins but doesn't get to bios loading
etc.

Thanks for your help anyway.

Anyone know a good supplier of motherboard or bundle kits as I was thinking
of upgrading anyway? My motherboard is a ASUS TUSL-L which I believe ASUS
made for HP, it is not one of ASUS normal kits. The form factor is listed
here http://tinyurl.com/6efxy as UATX-> ATX ...do I just look for another
board of the same size?

It appears to be "standard" mATX.
Yes, you could seek a board of same size. However, note the
power supply wattage as it may limit what newer parts can be
supported. It's quite possible that the Tualatin CPU yours used,
is about all that the chassis cooling and power can reasonably
accomodate. In that situation you might simply seek a
replacement motherboard, else replace whole case + PSU too.



Also note the rear I/O port shield, I'm fairly confident that it
can be removed, replaced with one from a new board if necessary,
but if not then it is something to consider when buying a
different board (or changing case too).

 

[Ben Myers]

Nope. My brother was an only child... Ben

Because if Anna-Maria were your sister then you'd be the Ben I know. You
apparently aren't. So nevermind, heh.

 

[BigBadger]

I removed the hard drive, graphics card and memory and they all worked in
another PC ok.

I put the same components from the other pc into mine and exact same
outcome, sort of powers up, hard drive spins but doesn't get to bios
loading
etc.

Thanks for your help anyway.

Anyone know a good supplier of motherboard or bundle kits as I was
thinking
of upgrading anyway? My motherboard is a ASUS TUSL-L which I believe ASUS
made for HP, it is not one of ASUS normal kits. The form factor is
listed here http://tinyurl.com/6efxy as UATX-> ATX ...do I just look for
another board of the same size?

thanks,

TD

Installing PC66 memory could not cause any damage to the motherboard..... As
long as you did not do it while the power supply was still on... please say
you did not do that.
Most likely you simply need to re-set the CMOS (by a jumper or by removing
the battery)

 

[Apollo]

Well, after much testing, it turns out it seems I fried the motherboard.

I removed the hard drive, graphics card and memory and they all worked in
another PC ok.

I put the same components from the other pc into mine and exact same
outcome, sort of powers up, hard drive spins but doesn't get to bios
loading
etc.

I'd still say that your bios is corrupt and simply requires a reset with NO
power attatched.

 

[spodosaurus]

Installing PC66 memory could not cause any damage to the motherboard..... As
long as you did not do it while the power supply was still on... please say
you did not do that.
Most likely you simply need to re-set the CMOS (by a jumper or by removing
the battery)

I'd really like to know why a couple of people are saying that putting
in the PC66 could cause hardware damage. PC66 and PC100 run at the same
voltage IIRC. But, like the manual for that board and similar states in
a big warning box: unplug the PSU before plugging in RAM.

 

[Ben Myers]

I'd really like to know why a couple of people are saying that putting
in the PC66 could cause hardware damage. PC66 and PC100 run at the same
voltage IIRC. But, like the manual for that board and similar states in
a big warning box: unplug the PSU before plugging in RAM.

Installing PC66 memory CORRECTLY in a motherboard which requires PC100 or PC133
will not damage the board. If the memory is installed while the power supply is
plugged in, there is a high right of causing a disastrous short circuit when
inserting or removing a DMM stick. If the memory is not securely snapped into
place by the DIMM retention clips, there is also a smaller risk of a short
circuit. If the memory operates at the wrong voltage (older 5v DIMMs), this,
too, could fry some motherboard circuits, but the memory would not snap into
place in the DIMM socket. If the memory installer person is improperly grounded
and some static electricity htis the wrong place on a motherboard while
installing ANY memory, this, too, could mess up a motherboard.

The foregoing covers the most probable causes of hardware damage from installing
memory modules.

And, BTW, when installing SODIMM memory in a notebook computer, do not just
unplug the power adapter. REMOVE the system battery, too!

.... Ben Myers

 

[spodosaurus]

Installing PC66 memory CORRECTLY in a motherboard which requires PC100 or PC133
will not damage the board.

That's what I thought.

If the memory is installed while the power supply is
plugged in, there is a high right of causing a disastrous short circuit when
inserting or removing a DMM stick. If the memory is not securely snapped into
place by the DIMM retention clips, there is also a smaller risk of a short
circuit.

Okay, this works with my understanding of things, too.

If the memory operates at the wrong voltage (older 5v DIMMs), this,
too, could fry some motherboard circuits, but the memory would not snap into
place in the DIMM socket.

I heard somewhere of a guy that used a dremel to add a notch and then
tried to take the DIMM back claiming it was faulty!

If the memory installer person is improperly grounded
and some static electricity htis the wrong place on a motherboard while
installing ANY memory, this, too, could mess up a motherboard.

The foregoing covers the most probable causes of hardware damage from installing
memory modules.

And, BTW, when installing SODIMM memory in a notebook computer, do not just
unplug the power adapter. REMOVE the system battery, too!

Thanks for that! I might have made that mistake in the not so distant
future!

 

[toedipper]

Are you saying badger that even if the pc is switched of on the front but
the kettle lead in in the back of the power supply that there is still power
flying around the m'board?

 

[JAD]

If the ATX power supply has no switch in the back (sometimes on the
newer boards even if its switched off) there is power running to 'wake
on ring , LAN etc.

Are you saying badger that even if the pc is switched of on the front but
the kettle lead in in the back of the power supply that there is still power
flying around the m'board?

 

[BigBadger]

Are you saying badger that even if the pc is switched of on the front but
the kettle lead in in the back of the power supply that there is still
power flying around the m'board?

Yes... absolutely. The 5V supply is still live even when 'powered down'. You
need to either pull out the power cord or use the switch on the PSU (if it
has one).
I think you have found the real reason for your problem.

 

[Noozer]

YES! Very much so...

Are you saying badger that even if the pc is switched of on the front but
the kettle lead in in the back of the power supply that there is still power
flying around the m'board?