Dead computer

[Weatherlawyer]

I doubt it is an OS problem unless there is a real problem with the
last patch released? But my computer switched itself off yesterday and
won't give me clue.

I have a Barton 2.2
1Gig memory
GA-7VT600Mobo
GeForce 2MX Graphics card
550W power supply
Omega Surge protection
Runnning XP Home on AOL Broad Band

I'm not into heavy use of graphics or games, just surfing newsgroups
mainly. I was surfing yesterday and the box just shut down.

I switched the lead and cleaned the dust out (it wasn't that bad) I
have a light at the ram led and that's it. Nothing from the BIOS -no
beeps as it went off even.

I took the slave HDD out to get online with this computer and it's
working fine, obviously. I really don't fancy swappng the power supply.
If that's my next stage I think I'll let a shop handle it.

Where do I start? I know that you are not supposed to open the power
supply but I delved in there to check the fuse before I saw the led and
that was fine.

I have an old 350 W supply I could try but I can't even remember what
that came out of never mind if it is still working. I'm pretty sure it
was, a lot of years ago, when I took it out.

That should get me up and running shouldn't it?

 

[Guest]

It;s a power supply problem,you can solve it easily by buying a new power
supply and replace the old one

 

[Malke]

I doubt it is an OS problem unless there is a real problem with the
last patch released? But my computer switched itself off yesterday and
won't give me clue.

I have a Barton 2.2
1Gig memory
GA-7VT600Mobo
GeForce 2MX Graphics card
550W power supply
Omega Surge protection
Runnning XP Home on AOL Broad Band

I'm not into heavy use of graphics or games, just surfing newsgroups
mainly. I was surfing yesterday and the box just shut down.

I switched the lead and cleaned the dust out (it wasn't that bad) I
have a light at the ram led and that's it. Nothing from the BIOS -no
beeps as it went off even.

I took the slave HDD out to get online with this computer and it's
working fine, obviously. I really don't fancy swappng the power
supply. If that's my next stage I think I'll let a shop handle it.

Where do I start? I know that you are not supposed to open the power
supply but I delved in there to check the fuse before I saw the led
and that was fine.

I have an old 350 W supply I could try but I can't even remember what
that came out of never mind if it is still working. I'm pretty sure it
was, a lot of years ago, when I took it out.

That should get me up and running shouldn't it?

It may be the power supply or it may be your motherboard, but it is
definitely hardware-related. Here are general hardware troubleshooting
steps:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Troubleshooting

Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out suspected parts
with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are
uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a professional
computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA).

Malke

 

[Weatherlawyer]

It may be the power supply or it may be your motherboard, but it is
definitely hardware-related. Here are general hardware troubleshooting
steps:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Troubleshooting

Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out suspected parts
with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are
uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a professional
computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA).

It was the CPU thanks all. I just couldn't believe it or didn't want
to.

How do you go about finding a good one without throwing money away? You
can't tell just by paying, though I must admit that I have never surfed
for info on them.

 

[paulmd]

It was the CPU thanks all. I just couldn't believe it or didn't want
to.

How do you go about finding a good one without throwing money away? You
can't tell just by paying, though I must admit that I have never surfed
for info on them.

Look at the specs for your motherboard. Especially the processor
support list. Finding the exact CPU may cost just as much as finding a
faster one that your motherboard can support. And you get to upgrade.

After that, see if you can find one locally, where it's easier to
properly shake down the one who sold it to you if it doesn't work.

You may want to check that power supply, and your heatsink and fans to
see if they were behind the failure of the old CPU.

 

[paulmd]

Look at the specs for your motherboard. Especially the processor
support list. Finding the exact CPU may cost just as much as finding a
faster one that your motherboard can support. And you get to upgrade.

After that, see if you can find one locally, where it's easier to
properly shake down the one who sold it to you if it doesn't work.

You may want to check that power supply, and your heatsink and fans to
see if they were behind the failure of the old CPU.

Here's your CPU support list.

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/...herboard&ProductID=1666&ProductName=GA-7VT600

 

[Weatherlawyer]

Here's your CPU support list.
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/...herboard&ProductID=1666&ProductName=GA-7VT600

I was trying to work out what to do with that list for a while before I
realised the mistake. I meant PSU. Sorry.

Which it wasn't -or at least I have just blown another or something. I
spent all day trying to get Win 98 to accept broadband on this stinker
so I haven't even looked at waht happened but it just switched off in
the middle of a post and that was it.

I put a 350 W PSU in that night. Next morning: POP!!.
I can't think how many of them I will be getting through before I find
out what causes it. How on earth do they go about it in a shop?

 

[Richard in AZ]

I was trying to work out what to do with that list for a while before I
realised the mistake. I meant PSU. Sorry.

Which it wasn't -or at least I have just blown another or something. I
spent all day trying to get Win 98 to accept broadband on this stinker
so I haven't even looked at waht happened but it just switched off in
the middle of a post and that was it.

I put a 350 W PSU in that night. Next morning: POP!!.
I can't think how many of them I will be getting through before I find
out what causes it. How on earth do they go about it in a shop?

Double and triple check your power connections. If you have the power connection to the floppy
drive a bit off, it will mate and put 5 volt right to ground. Sure death for a power supply, also
good for a smoke job. Also try it without power cables on any of the extra drives (CD's, etc.) and
then add them one at a time. A short in one of these will take out the power supply too.

Another thought. Could there be any loose hardware (screws, nuts, etc.) in the case that can short
a circuit to ground.

This is what we do in the shop.

 

[paulmd]

I was trying to work out what to do with that list for a while before I
realised the mistake. I meant PSU. Sorry.

Which it wasn't -or at least I have just blown another or something. I
spent all day trying to get Win 98 to accept broadband on this stinker
so I haven't even looked at waht happened but it just switched off in
the middle of a post and that was it.

I put a 350 W PSU in that night. Next morning: POP!!.
I can't think how many of them I will be getting through before I find
out what causes it.

They're under Warrenty. "All I did was plug it in! Honest!"

Look for blown or leaking capicitors. (small soda cans) If any look
like that, you need not look any further. You have a bad board.

If not, It's a short somewhere. Probably your motherboard. Look for
loose screws, and other metal bits. Then pull it out, and look for MORE
screws on the underside. Then look for metal mounting studs that don't
correspond to holes on your motherboard. If none found, it's a bad
motherboard.



There is an off chance it could be one of the drives shorting out, or
one of the cards. But I've not actually seen this.

How on earth do they go about it in a shop?

I use a magical power supply tester that plugs into the power supply
and turns it on. It has little LEDs, one for each line, +5, +12, and so
on.

I have a supply of Known good power supplies, Bad motherboards don't
USUALLY kill them often enough for it to be a big issue..