PROCESSOR OR NOT, THAT IS THE QUESTION

[HOTCHICK21]

I am thinking that my Processor is FrIeD. It is a 1.8G 128
Pin Pentium and the cooler has somehow become detached
from the processor. The CPU fan lid seems to be holding
them together, both CPU and regular Power fans are running
cool and clean. Now when I go to boot up the Power is on
and the system seems to be working fine and does not shut
off but, the screen does nothing and I do not hear the
HARD drive trying to boot or process any commands. I hear
no initial boot up beep and I do not hear windows loading.
It is not the Video or Sound card becuase I have the
graphics integrated into to Mo Bo.
ANY SUGGESTIONS?

 

[R. McCarty]

It may be time to take it to a technician. Between the actual
processor and the fan, is a small amount of Thermal paste.
This helps to conduct the heat from the CPU to the fan/sink.
I wouldn't try to force the heatsink onto the Processor. It is
delicate and can crack the processor core.

 

[HOTCHICK21]

But what about the black screen? Wouldn't I get something
at startup? I get nothing.

 

[Malke]

But what about the black screen? Wouldn't I get something
at startup? I get nothing.

Your processor has probably fried. With luck, it won't have taken the
motherboard with it. Unless you have testbed machines available and are
comfortable working with hardware, take the machine to a good local
repair shop for thorough testing.

Good luck,

Malke

 

[R. McCarty]

Most motherboards have Beep codes for specific faults.
Three long beeps can indicate a Video card failure. But,
none of this can even run if the processor doesn't startup.
BIOS cannot post (Power on Self Test), unless the CPU
is running.
CPU's are locked into their sockets, so unless you've
released the lock arm it is probably properly seated. It's
likely the heatsink/fan assembly is not mated to the CPU.
As I said earlier, without proper cooling a CPU can over
heat very quickly. I've seen CPU's be "Cooked" in less
than 3-4 seconds of being powered on.
Most Heatsinks/Fans mount with Spring loaded clips on
opposing sides of the socket. It takes a flat blade screw
driver to depress-move and release them.
A fan is a fairly inexpensive device $20 and most tech
shops won't charge you a lot to check/replace one for you.
Also, if you take the unit in for diagnostics, ask them to
install both a front panel intake and rear exhaust fan. The
two of them will cost around $8 a piece. The majority of
PC's today do not have adequate cooling for modern
processors that can generate up to 100+Watts of heat.
Fans are now available that do not generate a lot of db's
and have thermistors to control speed, based on the temp
in the case.

 

[HOTCHIK 21]

Is it the hard drive or the processor? There is a plastice
scoop that directs air to the CPU via the CPU fan. When I
lifted that scoop the 2 clips popped off the core
separating the core from the CPU. The Plastic frame around
the CPU that holds the clips notches seem to be broken
off. It is very mysterious because I did not move or hit
the computer at all and when I opened tower and lifted the
scoop one clip popped right off. I think that the heat may
have messed with the integrity of the plastice frame that
holds the clips that holds the core to the processor.
There is no thermal glue left between the Processor and
the heater core either.

ARGHHHHH

 

[h c 21]

new HARD drive?

-----Original Message-----
It sounds to me as if your harddrive crashed.


.

 

[Papa]

Sounds like the CPU heatsink was never installed correctly in the first
place. One heatsink clip was most likely never properly inserted - probably
causing your cpu to overheat and die.

 

[Steve N.]

But what about the black screen? Wouldn't I get something
at startup? I get nothing.

No. Without the processor working there will be no video either. If the
hard drive is also not spinning up you may also have a power supply
porblem but that could also be caused by the processor problem. Fix the
processor problem first.

Steve