System doesn't POST - hosed CPU?

  • Thread starter Thread starter James
  • Start date Start date
J

James

A few weeks ago my system began refusing to boot. Powering it on would
start the case fans and the CPU fan, but nothing else would happen. No
image, no POSTing, nothing. Just the fans.

I took it to a "technician" who told returned it a few days later
saying the motherboard needed replacing, which I spent yesterday doing.
After putting it all back together with the new motherboard, I get
exactly the same problem. Turning on the system starts up all of the
case and CPU fans but no image or POSTing.

I've tried swapping out the RAM and the AGP card with two others as
well and still no luck. The only thing that I can think of which would
explain why this is still occurring is that the CPU is somehow hosed.

I was going to run out today and get a new one, but before I do, is
there any other obvious point I'm missing here?


TIA :)


The system (if it makes any difference):
Originally
Soltek KT-400A mobo
512MB single DDR333 DIMM
GF4 4200

And now
MSI K7N2 Delta2-L mobo
2x512MB DDR333 DIMMs
Radeon 9800SE
 
James said:
A few weeks ago my system began refusing to boot. Powering it on would
start the case fans and the CPU fan, but nothing else would happen. No
image, no POSTing, nothing. Just the fans.

I took it to a "technician" who told returned it a few days later saying
the motherboard needed replacing, which I spent yesterday doing. After
putting it all back together with the new motherboard, I get exactly the
same problem. Turning on the system starts up all of the case and CPU fans
but no image or POSTing.
Click to expand...


The symptom you are describing would be caused by:
A) Bad power supply (most likely suspect)
B) Bad mainboard (you've ruled that out)
C) Bad CPU (a long shot, but still possible)

Don't let fan activity fool you. Fans are VERY forgiving of bad voltages,
but the CPU is not. The CPU will not POST unless it sees good power. If
the CPU does NOT see good power, the fans could still be running. CPUs do
go bad, but so infrequently that it's best to rule out everything else
first. -Dave
 
The symptom you are describing would be caused by:
A) Bad power supply (most likely suspect)
B) Bad mainboard (you've ruled that out)
C) Bad CPU (a long shot, but still possible)

Don't let fan activity fool you. Fans are VERY forgiving of bad
voltages, but the CPU is not. The CPU will not POST unless it sees
good power. If the CPU does NOT see good power, the fans could still
be running. CPUs do go bad, but so infrequently that it's best to rule
out everything else first. -Dave
Click to expand...

Dave,

Thanks for the reply. I'll have a hunt around the office for a spare
PSU and see what it does :)

BTW, I'm not quite sure what this means, but I've just tried booting it
without the CPU in the socket and it had the same result.

-James
 
Change your keyboard?


James said:
Dave,

Thanks for the reply. I'll have a hunt around the office for a spare
PSU and see what it does :)

BTW, I'm not quite sure what this means, but I've just tried booting it
without the CPU in the socket and it had the same result.

-James
Click to expand...
 
Dave,
Thanks for the reply. I'll have a hunt around the office for a spare PSU
and see what it does :)

BTW, I'm not quite sure what this means, but I've just tried booting it
without the CPU in the socket and it had the same result.

-James
Click to expand...

It means nothing, actually. Your power supply is bad, or your CPU is bad.
Either way, the computer *could* act the same whether the CPU is installed
or not. My money is still on the power supply. -Dave
 
It means nothing, actually. Your power supply is bad, or your CPU is
bad. Either way, the computer *could* act the same whether the CPU is
installed or not. My money is still on the power supply. -Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies, but it was the CPU. Replaced the power supply
with a spare here at the office and still no luck. Got a new CPU, and
it's now running fine.

Strange.

-James
 
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