help hardware problem

[Guest]

Hello,

i bought a while ago:
ABIT SG-80 Mobo
Elixer 512MB RAM
Samsung DVD/RW
Samsung 250GB SATA HDD
Intel Celeron 2.8Ghz (775)
XP Home edition (oem)

as my old pc cant really handle XP


everything worked when i put all the components together and installed XP. I
turned pc off after bout 2 hours to take my dog for a walk. I returned and
turned on the desktop, but no signal was being sent to the monitor, it doesnt
even sound like its booting. all it did was use the DVD drvie abit then stop,
then use it again... over and over again, until i turned it off. i narrowed
it down throught trial and error.

i sent the mobo back and recieved a replacement (same model) and tried it
all, didnt work. i tried once more late at night and, amazingly enough, it
worked! i was really happy etc. and its worked ever since a little while ago,
when i took the CPU fan out to clean it as it was noisy, i didnt unplug the
wire connecting it to the mobo!

i thought it could be the PSU (300W) as i havnt replaced that and its about
7-8 years old. so i purchased a new case and a 400W PSU. It doesnt work
still, the only thing i can think of left is the thermal stuff between the
CPU and the fan is worn so im purchasing new grease.

any ideas, because im puzzled!

thankyou
sorry if its confusing!

 

[DatabaseBen]

with fan and all, it may still
be overheating because
of the clutter inside the case.

try running the pc with the
side panel removed...

this will eliminate one of
the possible issues.

btw: don't forget to remove that
protective plastic from the cpu heatsink.

 

[Guest]

hey

thankyoo for replying

iv tried that and tried it outside the casing but still doesnt work, its
like it randomly choses to boot, if i take the CPU out, shouldnt it still
boot to BIOS as the BIOS chip is in the mobo??


thanks,

Richard

 

[DatabaseBen]

not sure, never found a
need to do that.

basically, the bios chip needs
a continuous power supply even
after the pc is power off or unplugged
so it has a battery, like a watch battery
installed on the board.

the bios depends on the battery and
if for some reason the battery is unstable
or low charged, then it could result in some
funky results with your system. Wouldn
be a bad idea to check the battery or replace it.
It's holder can also be loose or bent out of
shape and the battery has
a wobbly contact with the motherboard.

 

[Guest]

ok il take it down to the local shop to get it cheked out, thankyou for your
replies

many regards

Richard

 

[Homer S.]

hey

thankyoo for replying

iv tried that and tried it outside the casing but still doesnt work, its
like it randomly choses to boot, if i take the CPU out, shouldnt it still
boot to BIOS as the BIOS chip is in the mobo??


thanks,

Richard

Definitely not. Without the CPU installed, you'll get a blank screen -
that's it - no beeps - nada.

Have you ever tried to start the computer without the CPU's heatsink/fan
assembly in place? If so, even if it only was on for a few seconds, your
CPU is probably fried. Also, you say you were running with an old, "7-8
years old" 300 watt power supply. This was the most likely cause of your
original problems. 7-8 year old power supplies do not have the correct
current and voltage ratings needed for the newest motherboards and
CPU's. Your computer may still be salvageable if taken to a real PC
technician who is in the business to actually FIX problems and not just
replace the whole shebang - re: a local no-name computer store - not
Best Buy, Circuit City, or CompUSA, in particular.

Good luck,
HJS