Motherboard won't post?

[Gary LosHuertos]

Specs:

KT7-RAID Motherboard
AMD Duron 700Mhz
tested on both: nVidia GeForce2 MX; 3dfx Voodoo 3
256MB RAM (PC133) tested in all 3 DIMM slots
250W Power supply
Good size heat sink; fan. No case.

This board worked a while ago with all the same components. I put it into
storage, and upon taking it out, it powers on, but the monitor stays blank.
The monitor DOES have a "No Connection" display capability, and the screen
turns to black when the motherboard powers.

I do not have anything that will connect to the motherboard's PN headers
(speaker, power, etc) and therefore cannot be certain if it is posting. I
attempted to connect an old system speaker to the correct pins in various
manners... no beeps on power. Fans all turn on, hard drive (when connected)
spins.

Executed CMOS clear using appropriate jumper setting. Attempted BIOS flash
using bootable floppy, the floppy is not read on startup. Let it sit for 10
minutes anyway; did nothing. After the 10 mins CPU temp was still good - I
don't think it's a processor problem.

I am certain of the functionality of the video card and memory, as they came
out of this (functional) computer. I would just interchange parts but this
one most unfortunately is a Pentium III and so they obviously won't switch
processors.

Any ideas or similar problems?

Thanks in advance for any help.

-- Gary

 

[Alan]

Specs:

KT7-RAID Motherboard
AMD Duron 700Mhz
tested on both: nVidia GeForce2 MX; 3dfx Voodoo 3
256MB RAM (PC133) tested in all 3 DIMM slots
250W Power supply
Good size heat sink; fan. No case.

This board worked a while ago with all the same components. I put it into
storage, and upon taking it out, it powers on, but the monitor stays blank.
The monitor DOES have a "No Connection" display capability, and the screen
turns to black when the motherboard powers.

I do not have anything that will connect to the motherboard's PN headers
(speaker, power, etc) and therefore cannot be certain if it is posting. I
attempted to connect an old system speaker to the correct pins in various
manners... no beeps on power. Fans all turn on, hard drive (when connected)
spins.

Executed CMOS clear using appropriate jumper setting. Attempted BIOS flash
using bootable floppy, the floppy is not read on startup. Let it sit for 10
minutes anyway; did nothing. After the 10 mins CPU temp was still good - I
don't think it's a processor problem.

I am certain of the functionality of the video card and memory, as they came
out of this (functional) computer. I would just interchange parts but this
one most unfortunately is a Pentium III and so they obviously won't switch
processors.

Any ideas or similar problems?

could it be a problem with the bios getting corrupt during storage?
or it could be a dead processor
both have given me the symptoms you explain

alan

 

[sigmun]

Specs:

Hi,

I have had problems with a old computer that always worked for me, I decided
to revive it for use by my little son.

I can enter Bios Setup, It makes some Post Tests ( memory, disks detection,
PnP cards..) and then, sometimes boots normally, but most of the times it
stays still doing nothing - it wont boot from HD or floppy, nothing. No
beeps, no errors messages...

It has a PSU of 230 W, in the past I was able to plug in 2 hard disks, now
if I plug more than one disk it powers off the whole system, even if I
connect the CPU fan's power cable to board.

I suspect that all my problems are due to PSU malfunction, I suggest you to
consider this also

 

[Jay Cousins]

Hi,

I have had problems with a old computer that always worked for me, I decided
to revive it for use by my little son.

I can enter Bios Setup, It makes some Post Tests ( memory, disks detection,
PnP cards..) and then, sometimes boots normally, but most of the times it
stays still doing nothing - it wont boot from HD or floppy, nothing. No
beeps, no errors messages...

It has a PSU of 230 W, in the past I was able to plug in 2 hard disks, now
if I plug more than one disk it powers off the whole system, even if I
connect the CPU fan's power cable to board.

I suspect that all my problems are due to PSU malfunction, I suggest you to
consider this also

What do you mean that the system speaker that is in the tower WON'T
connect to the MB? Did you break the connector or something?

 

[DaveinOlyWa]

how did you store it?

use an anti static bag?

where do you live? do you have a moisture problem?

can you test memory and cpu in another system?

you dont really give enough info to give a good diagnosis.

best i can say if you dont have replacement parts is to re seat the
cpu and ram.

it doesnt sound to me that you have a bios problem. if you did there
is usually a message that comes on screen that will say "checksum
error"

connect a floppy and see if the machine accesses it when you power on.
or a hard drive. you should be able to hear them spin up no prob.

and for the guy who had an old system that has problems when powering
more than one drive.

keep in mind that hard drives have movable parts and if they sit, the
lubrication settles and may have a sticking problem if started up
again after an extended period of inactivity.

if you have exhausted your last option, try this.

take the drive out of the system and drop it onto a hard flat surface
from a height of about 1-3". i have done this with limited success.
realize of course that if this would have failed it would have gone
to the garbage can anyway.

but i had several Conner drives that were recovered in this manner and
performed for several years afterwards.

 

[sigmun]

I bought a new AT PSU, with 230W, in good shape ( that's was hard to find)

And replaced the CPU + Fan

The problem was solved, the primary reason why the system was unable to boot
was the PSU because the CPU Fan was not working and was overheated, and it
was impossible to add a second disk.